950809: NSSFC outages

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 950809: NSSFC outages
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 13:29:20 -0600 (MDT)

    The following message was prepared by NSSFC, and was sent on AFOS,
    NWWS, NWSTG (including FOS, FAA, etc.).  The message outlines the
    computer and product outages that resulted from a fire on Monday.

WSHPNSNMC
NOUS41 KWBC 09HHMM

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION MESSAGE 95-30
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
230 PM EDT WED AUG 9 1995

TO:       NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES
          FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION USERS
          FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS
          OTHER USERS OF NWS RADAR DATA

FROM:     JAMES HENDERSON    
          DEPUTY DIRECTOR...  NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER

SUBJECT:  CONTINUATION OF PRODUCT OUTAGES DUE TO FIRE AT THE   
          FEDERAL BUILDING IN KANSAS CITY...  MO.               

NOTE:  THE FOLLOWING CHANGE HAS NO IMPACT TO NWWS USERS.

THE MAINFRAME COMPUTER AT NSSFC CONTINUES DOWN AS REPAIR TO THE
SOFTWARE DATA BASE CONTINUES.  IT IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED TO BE
DOWN THREE MORE DAYS.  AS A RESULT OF THE MAINFRAME BEING DOWN
CERTAIN PROCESSED DATA FIELDS FROM THE ETA MODEL ARE NOT
AVAILABLE TO THE AUTO ROB PROGRAM.  THE PROGRAMMER HAS BEEN ABLE
TO ACCESS THE ETA FIELDS AT NESDIS IN CAMP SPRINGS...  MARYLAND. 
THE AUTO ROB PROGRAM IS BEING REPROGRAMMED TO USE THE REMOTE ETA
FIELDS.  WE ARE FORECASTING THAT THIS WILL BE FINALIZED THIS
AFTERNOON AND OPTIMISTICALLY WE COULD BE GENERATING AUTO ROBS
THIS AFTERNOON.  

WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LIGHTNING INGEST THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO SOLVE AND AS A RESULT WE ARE NOT GENERATING LIGHTNING
GRAPHICS ON AFOS FOR NWS FIELD USE.  THE SAME PROGRAMMER THAT IS
WORKING ON THE AUTO ROB PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIGHTNING
PROGRAM...  BUT I HAVE ASSIGNED HER PRIORITIES TO THE AUTO ROB
PROGRAM.  AS SOON AS IT IS REPAIRED...  SHE WILL GO TO WORK ON THE
LIGHTNING PROGRAM.

INTERNAL TO NSSFC...  WE ARE UNABLE TO INGEST REAL TIME SATELLITE
DATA AND ARE DEPENDING ON BACKUP SERVERS FROM NESDIS IN CAMP
SPRINGS...  MD. THE DATA IS AS TIMELY AS IT SHOULD BE AND WE ARE
WORKING THAT PROBLEM WITH NESDIS.  

INTERESTLINGLY ENOUGH...  THE GATEWAY COMPUTERS FAILED THIS MORNING... 
WE HAD TO GO INTO ALPHA NUMERIC BACKUP WHICH WE EXECUTED WITHOUT
PROBLEMS.  SEE SOMETHINGS WE ARE DOING OKAY ON.  WE HAVE TAKEN
BACK OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE AVIATION AND SEVERE WEATHER
PROGRAMS AND ARE USING BACKUP PCS TO KEEP DATA FLOWING TO THE
FORECASTERS.

AN UPDATED STATUS MESSAGE WILL BE SENT ON THURSDAY...  AUGUST 10TH.

END