The potential for heavy snow at higher elevations in the western U.S. will continue for many spots through the weekend. In the meantime, the eastern half of the continental U.S. will transition to above normal temperatures ahead of a pair of cold fronts next week that will bring readings back to closer to normal as we approach Thanksgiving Day. Read More >
This is the NWS central communications data switching and monitoring facility. Top-level organizational management of this facility is from the Office of Operational Systems (OPS). The Telecommunication Operations Center (TOC) is a component of the OPS and manages the NWS Telecommunication Gateway (NWSTG). The organizational structure of the TOC consists of four branches:
The NWSTG is the data central communication switching and monitoring facility and has four major operational components:
This system is called the "Gateway". The NWSTG operates and ensures continuous acquisition and dissemination of NWS and other domestic and foreign hydrometeorological data and products. The central switching system of the NWSTG controls the exchange of data with remote locations. The primary remote locations are with the NWS specialized modeling centers (AWIPS and NCF), the commercial meteorological community, and major international communication switching centers. The international switching centers are on the Main Trunk Network (MTN) of the WMO's Global Telecommunication System. This system also operates the Operational Meteorological (OPMET) data bank. It contains aviation METAR, TAF, and SIGMET data. The OPMET data bank supports the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) World Area Forecast Center (WAFC). A short history of the central switching system describes major modernization upgrade phases that began in the 1950s.
The Gateway operates web servers and file servers. The web and file servers store all nationally-generated forecast products and globally received observational data. The web service provides browser access to retrieve data and forecasts. The file servers provide a file transfer service for retrieval of operational model forecasts and observational data.
The AOMC monitors the quality of the sensors in thousands of ASOS automatic observing sites across the United States.
The AWIPS/NCF manages the AWIPS Wide Area Network (WAN) and the Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN). Data streams of the SBN are called NOAAPort.
This staff manages the processes that determine the routing of data from the Central Data Switching System and establishes message heading identification content and use.
