20030224: NCEP update-fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20030224: NCEP update-fwd)
• From: John Ward <wd22jw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Thursday, February 20, 2003 2:43 PM -0500

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

                                   February 21, 2003


MEMORANDUM FOR:   Distribution E

FROM:             John H. Ward
                 Chief, Production Management Branch

SUBJECT:          Changes to the NWS Production Suite



    A test of backup operations for the IBM SP will be conducted
during the last week in March.  This test will only involve the
delivery of two RUC forecasts (tentatively 13Z & 14Z) from the
backup workstation at the NWS Telecommunication Operations Center
(TOC).  A test of the full backup capabilities from the TOC
system will be conducted during a thirty-day period beginning
June 15, 2003.  More details on the dates and times of these
tests will be provided when they become available.

    The next NCEP Central Computer System (CCS) is now
tentatively schedule to become operational on Tuesday, 1 April
2003.  The 30-day parallel test will be restarted on March 2,
2003.  A Production Status WEB page for the parallel runs on the
CCS is available at:

    http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwpara/prodstat/index.html

    As the month progresses and these times become more
representative of the 30-day average, they should closely mirror
the schedule on the IBM SP prior to the T254 Global Forecast
System (GFS) implementation.  The only noticeable differences in
the schedule should be the delivery of AVN products approximately
20 minutes earlier and the NGM products approximately 30 minutes
earlier.  No changes in product content or format will be made
during the switch to the CCS.  The only differences that should
be noted by the end-users of NCEP products are these minor
adjustments in the production schedule.

    The moratorium on changes to the Production Suite will
continue until the CCS is fully operational.  During February and
March user access to the CCS may be interrupted for testing and
minor system configuration changes.  Whenever possible, prior
notice of system downtime or unavailability will be provided.

    An on-line user guide for code conversion to the CCS is
available on the NCEP internal WEB server at:

     http://www2.ncep.noaa.gov/NCO/PMB/nwprod/ccs_guide/

    The guide will be continually updated as new features or
problems with the code conversion are uncovered.

    The AVN and MRF descriptors on the NCEP Model Analysis &
Forecast WEB page are tentatively scheduled to be replaced with
the GFS (Global Forecast System) on Tuesday, 15 April.  During
the next year all references to the AVN descriptor will be
replaced by GFS on NWS WEB sites and ftp servers.  A schedule
will be provided when it becomes available.

    A preliminary list of implementations for 2003 can be found
at:

           http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/changes

    As additional information about each implementation becomes
available, links will be added on the change summary page.


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