[nws-changes] 20091229: NCEP update



1. The following information is being shared to clarify questions regarding the NOMADS systems. NOAA operates four types of NOMADS Servers that host NCEP Model Products:

· A near-real-time server supported by NCDC is available at http://nomads.ncdc.noaa.gov/. This server provides:

o access to a subset of NCEP's operational data set (as distributed on NOAAPort) shortly after distribution

o    a long-term archive for all data sets

o many other data sets (see http://nomads.ncdc.noaa.gov/data.php?name=inventory)

· A real-time server supported 24x7 by NCEP is available at http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/. This server provides:

o    access to NCEP's operational data sets as they are being generated

o    a short-term archive of up to a month for most data sets

o    24x7 operational monitoring by NCEP staff

o A geographically-diverse backup server to insure operational availability

· Four non-operational research and development servers used for customer testing of new products and services prior to operational implementation

o    These servers are not guaranteed to have current data

o    These servers are not guaranteed to be available at all times

o These servers and their content are supported only during business hours and on the basis of staff availability

o Three non-operational research and development servers managed by NCEP are available at:

§  http://nomad1.ncep.noaa.gov/ncep_data/index.html

§  http://nomad3.ncep.noaa.gov/ncep_data/index.html

§  http://nomad5.ncep.noaa.gov/ncep_data/index.html

o A non-operational research and development server managed by NCDC is available at http://nomads6.ncdc.noaa.gov/ncep_data/index.html

· NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory has select Climate Model (CM.x) output for access at:

o    http://nomads.gfdl.noaa.gov/CM2.X/

http://nomads.gfdl.noaa.gov

2. Upcoming major changes to NCEP's production suite and details on any product or timing changes associated with upcoming implementations can be viewed at the following website:

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

Test data for each of these proposed changes should be available six weeks prior to implementation. Anyone wishing to receive formal notice of the final pre-implementation testing and the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes can subscribe to the Model Evaluation mailing list via:
https://lstsrv.ncep.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/ncep.list.modelevalinfo