Thanks for the update, Ryan. Sometimes no news is the news but that's
still good to know.
-Mike
On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 6:56 PM Ryan May <rmay@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I agree, the uncertain situation around the SBN is really concerning.
> Unfortunately, Unidata has no additional information to add to the
> conversation. As far as we are aware, NWS is still developing its future
> plans for NOAAPORT/SBN given the migration of AWIPS to a cloud-based
> platform. Our contacts are aware of the strong reliance Unidata and its
> university community have on the SBN for continued access to real-time
> weather data, and we will continue to advocate for open access to these
> valuable datasets from our partners in NOAA and NWS.
>
> We absolutely will share more information when we have it, but right now
> we do not have any additional clarity on the NWS' plans.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ryan
>
> -------
> Dr. Ryan May
> Deputy Director
> NSF Unidata
> Boulder, CO
>
> On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 3:25 PM Mike Zuranski <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Gilbert and everyone,
>>
>> I too would like to hear from Unidata on this front.
>>
>> We've known the tentative end of NOAAPort/SBN has been coming for a while
>> in the form of the Raytheon contract ending right about that same time,
>> fall 2027. NWS is moving AWIPS into the cloud, as such will not need the
>> SBN for WFOs anymore after that. Last I heard there is no on-ramp for
>> partners into their cloud system, and I _believe_ the _hope_ was it would
>> still stick around for another couple of years... but I have yet to hear
>> any sort of mechanism for how that would actually continue.
>>
>> The best thing you and others in your position can do now is prepare and
>> plan ahead for contingencies. Where else can you get data from? Using
>> your NEXRAD2 example, that data is available on AWS, so is NEXRAD3, both
>> managed by Unidata in fact: https://registry.opendata.aws/noaa-nexrad/
>> As for other data, here's a solid place to start:
>> https://www.noaa.gov/nodd/datasets
>>
>> Actually, if any NWS/NOAA/NODD folks are on here (hello), is there any
>> intel on this front that you could share? We would all greatly appreciate
>> it I am sure.
>>
>> Hope everyone is doing well!
>>
>> Best,
>> -Mike
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 5:02 PM Sebenste, Gilbert <sebensteg@xxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> This month’s edition of TV Technology magazine that I received today was
>>> pages and pages of their top story: C-band satellite, all 180 MHZ of it
>>> that remains, was being auctioned off to wireless/cell providers in July
>>> 2027, and it isn’t coming back once the auction is over. The C-Band
>>> spectrum is expected to sell for over $3 billion for 5G and 6G to wireless
>>> carriers.
>>>
>>> Broadcasters, who have used these frequencies reliably for decades to
>>> transmit news, entertainment and sporting events around the globe, and the
>>> government, transmitting weather data across NOAAport, must get off their
>>> channels soon after the auction concludes. Most pay TV networks have
>>> switched to IP-based/Internet transmission. Fox Sports, and sports networks
>>> had a panel discussion at the recent National Association of Broadcasters
>>> (NAB) meeting that was packed to the rafters, with people looking for
>>> reliable broadcast transmission solutions. The complaints that Internet
>>> delivery is nowhere near as reliable in the “final mile” as satellite
>>> transmission is, fell on deaf ears to the FCC. But what about the National
>>> Weather Service, NOAA and UNIDATA?
>>>
>>> While some, and maybe much, has been made of NOAA using AWIPS in the
>>> cloud by that time…the same cannot be said for what will happen to .edu’s
>>> and .com’s, and others who rely on C-Band for NOAAport data reception. The
>>> current FCC mantra is “YOU figure it out how you’ll get that data from
>>> point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. ”.
>>>
>>>
>>> We are just over one year out from all of this happening, and I am left
>>> in a lurch wondering what is going to happen next year. I want to be
>>> prepared. I cannot do this alone. There has been radio silence about this
>>> issue, except in UNIDATA annual meeting notes. The train is pulling into
>>> the station for cloud and IP-based delivery of data, and when it departs,
>>> how is UNIDATA, and how are we, going to be a part of that train?
>>>
>>> There is also concern about the loss of access to data. I’m hearing
>>> rumblings of Level 2 radar data being discontinued from NOMADS in the
>>> not-too-distant future. We use that in our classrooms extensively. Our
>>> https://weather.cod.edu web site uses the NOAAport feed for much of our
>>> data and imagery. I don’t want it to go dark in about a year. Does anyone
>>> have any answers at this point as to what will happen, and how this will be
>>> handled?
>>>
>>> With regards,
>>>
>>> Gilbert Sebenste
>>>
>>> Meteorology Support Analyst
>>>
>>>
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>> _________________________________________________________
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>
