NAME U S Forecaster Rotation Erik Pytlak NOAANWS

NAME U. S. Forecaster Rotation Erik Pytlak NOAA/NWS Tucson, AZ

The Process • Call issued January 8 • Circulated and coordinated widely (NWS, several universities, private sector) • Some weight given to practice forecasters in 2003 and SMN-NWS exchange visitors • Four member selection committee: (Douglas, Liles, Maddox, Pytlak) • 60 applicants • 20 forecasters, 10 assistant forecasters, 11 alternates • Diverse backgrounds/experiences

The Scheduling • 5 day rotations = 7 days of travel • Work with the NWS home office schedules • 11 Alternates (7 within Arizona) – Distant ones to be called upon first – Close-in ones are last minute reserve – Allows NWS offices some flexibility in case of… • IMET deployment • Illness • Promotion/transfer • Final schedule posted on NAME website in mid May – Two forecasters and one assistant forecaster each day from July 1 -August 19.

Timeline • • • May 24 -28: Bennett/Bodner visit SMN Mexico City June 1: WFO Tucson library converted to an FOC June 6: Preliminary forecasts begin June 7 -10: M. Cortez/J. Carachure visit WFO Tucson June 21: Science Director rotation begins June 21 -24: Murphy/Haro visit SMN Mexico City July 1: Full FOC staffing begins at WFO Tucson July 1: JOSS Operations Director on-site at Tucson Aug 9 -13: I. Lopez/A. Nacazona visit WFO Tucson Aug 19: Last day of full FOC staffing at Tucson Aug 20 -31: Spin-down forecasts as needed

Issues to be resolved… • Forecast coordination – Methods (e-mail/coordination call) – Coordination times (1500 -1800 UTC window) • Shift times – – 7: 00 -15: 30 pm MST? One 7: 00 -15: 30 MST, the other 9: 30 -18: 00 MST? Assistant Forecaster hours? Will avoid OT and odd-hours as much as possible • Who will lead the Science/Operations Director briefings each day?