MDL Division Organization

Digital Forecast Services Division

The Digital Forecast Services Division conducts applied research and development aimed at the improvement and exploitation of the official NWS products and services. The division designs and implements applications that measure, evaluate, and assess the quality of NWS forecasts and guidance.  It develops tools to exploit and visualize the vast suite of operational data, numerical weather prediction model output along with critical geo-referenced metadata.

Statistical Modeling Division

The Statistical Modeling Division develops and implements statistically-calibrated objective guidance products from numerical weather prediction models for weather elements for use at Weather Forecast Offices, National Centers, River Forecast Centers, and public and private customers. Lead times range from a few hours to two weeks or longer in advance. Innovative scientific approaches are investigated to produce interpretive multi-model ensemble guidance, and to quantify uncertainty of weather guidance to improve weather decision services. To support the development of statistical forecast guidance, a high quality archive of observations and model data is maintained.

Decision Support Division

The Decision Support Division develops and implements applications to synthesize, display, and manipulate data and guidance from various sources to aid the Weather Forecast Offices (WFO), River Forecast Centers and National Centers forecasters in providing impact-based decision support services (IDSS) to core partners. Applications for automatically monitoring weather observations and forecasts are developed and implemented to alert the forecaster of the need to update warning and forecast products, especially for dangerous weather. The division develops forecast and warning guidance to support IDSS for special core partners such as those in the transportation (aviation, marine, and ground) sector.  The division also conducts inter-disciplinary social science research in order to improve the value of NWS services.

Weather Information Applications Division

The Weather Information Applications Division develops and implements applications to support and enhance NWS service delivery, including impact-based decision support services and product dissemination. Application exploration is conducted for data modeling and web services. Prototyping and demonstration of new international standards is performed. The Division leads the development and maintenance of the NOAA Virtual Laboratory.  It is an agency-level leader in cloud software development, testing and operations, and is responsible for developing and maintaining both on-premises and cloud development environments to support the NWS R2O mission.