NOAA Air Quality Forecasters Focus Group Workshop - October 9-10, 2024 - NWS OSTI
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service (NOAA/NWS), under its air quality program, the National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC), hosted the annual Air Quality Forecasters’ Focus Group Workshop on October 9-10, 2024. The NAQFC develops and implements operational air quality (AQ) prediction models to provide AQ forecast guidance for forecasters employed by local and state agencies. These agencies disseminate the AQ forecasts through the EPA’s AirNow program and AQ alerts through NWS Forecast Offices. This annual workshop provides a unique opportunity for AQ forecasters to learn more about the forecast guidance they receive from NOAA and the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC). At the same time, it provides a forum for forecasters to share targeted feedback and insights with model developers and AQ researchers from NOAA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), academia, and MSC.
The workshop was conducted in a hybrid format that accommodated 122 registered participants, including 32 in-person attendees and AQ forecasters from 26 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the Saginaw Chippawa Tribe of Michigan. The two-day session included 30 formal presentations (10 from state and local forecasters) and wide-ranging discussions. Outcomes from the workshop included identification of strengths and weaknesses in NOAA’s operational AQ prediction models, a list of user requests for specific forecast-guidance enhancements, and a strategy to better align NOAA’s development plans with forecaster needs.