NOS Procedures for Developing and Implementing Operational Nowcast and Forecast Hydrodynamic Model Systems.

Abstract

This document details the procedures for developing and implementing O perational Nowcast and F orecast Hydrodynamic Model S ystems (hereafter OFS) by NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS). These systems consist of the automated integration of observing system data streams, hydrodynamic model predictions, product dissemination and conti nuous quality control monitoring. State-of-the-art numerical hydrodynamic models driven by real-time data and model forecast guidance will form the core of these end-to-end systems. The OFS will perform nowcast and short-term (0 hr. - 48 hr.) forecast predictions of pertinent parameters (i.e., primarily water levels and currents and in some cases salinity, temperature, waves, etc.) and disseminate the results to users.