Air Force’s plan to drop U.S. forecast system for U.K. model draws criticism

[donsutherland1]

From The Washington Post:

 

The U.S. Air Force Weather Agency, which provides forecasts for Air Force and Army missions around the world, plans to replace its U.S.-based forecasting system with a model from the United Kingdom.

 

The U.K. model selected by the Air Force, known as the Unified Model of the United Kingdom Met Office, is widely respected. The Air Force says it will improve its forecast capabilities and lower its costs. Within a single framework, this model is able to provide both short- and longer-range forecasts over large and small areas — which is not a seamless operation within the current U.S. system.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/04/20/air-force-to-cut-ties-with-u-s-weather-forecast-system-in-favor-of-uk-model/

[Jim Marusak]

From The Washington Post:

 

The U.S. Air Force Weather Agency, which provides forecasts for Air Force and Army missions around the world, plans to replace its U.S.-based forecasting system with a model from the United Kingdom.

 

The U.K. model selected by the Air Force, known as the Unified Model of the United Kingdom Met Office, is widely respected. The Air Force says it will improve its forecast capabilities and lower its costs. Within a single framework, this model is able to provide both short- and longer-range forecasts over large and small areas — which is not a seamless operation within the current U.S. system.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/04/20/air-force-to-cut-ties-with-u-s-weather-forecast-system-in-favor-of-uk-model/

 

my thought: it's a real damn shame that the combination of austerity, lack of will to develop our own models and make observation input techniques better, and the lack of adequate leadership within the US Weather enterprise that our own military doesn't have enough confidence in our own country's products.

 

I wonder what the reaction in congress will be to this. will some finally use this as a wake-up call to finally invest properly in computing power and research above and beyond what has already been allocated? or could maybe others use this as a reason to cut research further, if not just say get the government out of the weather business all together using the same logic as they do for other otherwise worth-while government duties and services, by using the tried and true technique of not funding items adequately, then seeing that not funding it adequately makes that part fail, then saying the government has to not do it because they can't do it right, even if the reason they couldn't do it right is was they were never given a chance in the first place?

[WxUSAF]

Stoffer has been known for making some...strange...decisions for a decade+, even since before my time in the AF.  He started this when he was chief of AF weather in Europe and now that he's leading all AF weather globally, he's made this decision.  It's hard to envision this being a long-term solution. Have to believe there will be push-back at higher levels.  

[isohume]

Operational impacts wont change sigfntly. A lot (most) of AF forecasting is pretty canned anyway.

 

Why does it have to be one or the other anyway? Shouldn't they be using as much guidance as is available?

[Panes and Portlets]

I will never understand why we have the HUB issuing forecasts for AO thousands of miles away.

I will also never understand the rotation at the HUB.

Let's let this airman get accustom to forecasting for specific region only to "diversify" them right after they start picking it up.

[AlaskaETC]

Let's face it, the UKMET is far superior to where the WRF is right now.

[icebreaker5221]

It's a shame that this will mean a big cut in WRF development funding.  NCAR gets a significant fraction of their funding to upgrade the model from the AF. 

[Amped]

So the Air Force can find UKMET 60-66 hr precip maps? Good for them, mission accomplished.

[phil882]

You guys might enjoy this

 

http://captiongenerator.com/37268/Hitler-learns-the-USAF-is-changing-weather-models