National Weather ServiceHydrologic Program

in Alaska

Larry RundquistAlaska-Pacific River Forecast Center

National Weather ServiceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

http://aprfc.arh.noaa.gov

Mission StatementNational Weather Service (NWS) is a federal agency within National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is part of Department of Commerce (DOC)

National Weather Service Mission Statement

" The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community. "

In support of this NWS mission, the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center (APRFC) produces timely and accurate water forecasts and information using the best available scientific principles to integrate and model water, weather, and climate information. Our highly-motivated, customer-focused staff is dedicated to professionalism, innovation, and fulfilling expectations of our customers and partners.

NWS AR Hydrologic Program

Weather Forecast OfficeHydrologic ServiceAreas for Alaska

APRFC Responsibilities

Non-operational support for hydrologic program in NWS Pacific Region

APRFC hours:6 am - 5 pm daily (inclweekends) during Maythrough October7 am - 4 pm weekdaysNovember through April

Extended hours asneeded during floods

Alaska-Pacific River ForecastCenter has hydrologic supportresponsibility for all of Alaska APRFC is one of 13 RFCs

APRFC Staff

• 1 Alaska Regional Hydrologist/Hydrologist in Charge

• 1 Service Coordination Hydrologist• 1 Development and Operations Hydrologist• 2 Senior Hydrologists• 1 Hydrologists• 1 Senior HAS Forecaster• 2 HAS Forecasters• 1 Hydrologic Technician

HAS – Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support

Flooding SourcesFlooding due to Excessive Runoff Snowmelt Glacier melt RainfallFlooding due to Ice Blockage Freeze-up Ice Jams Aufeis (Naled) Breakup Ice Jams Blocked culvertsOther Flood Hazards Jokulhlaups (Glacier Dammed Lake Releases) Dam break or Geologic Control Coastal Flooding Tsunami

Automated River Gauges

• Operated by USGS, USFWS, BLM, NWS, ADNR and UAF

• Components include sensor, data collection platform (DCP), and telemetry (optional)

• Telemetry methods include telephone, satellite, and meteorburst

Need more gages in Alaska

Manual River Gauges

• Most are read by observers for the NWS

• Typically read once per day in the morning

• Types include wire weight, staff gauge, and slope profile

APRFC Operations

Open-Water Season

Winter season is used for weather monitoring and development projects

HAS Forecaster Duties

• Weather and river self-briefing• Quality control of precipitation data• Prepare HYD Bulletin• Prepare a quantitative precipitation estimate (QPE) map• Review meteorological models• Prepare quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF)

products• Recently added temperature and freezing level forecasts• Prepare Hydrometeorological Discussion text product• Prepare Flood Outlook graphical products• Monitor ongoing weather

HAS Precipitation ProductsGridded QPE and QPF Products

Hydrologist Duties

• Check data ingest and processing

• Weather and river self-briefing

• Quality control of river stage data

• Maintain hydrologic models– Adjust model input & parameters to match observed stages for

each modeled segment using run-time mods– Incorporate HAS QPF and forecast temperature values

• Prepare river forecast products

Snowpack Simulation

APRFC Main Page

http://aprfc.arh.noaa.gov/

Web HydrographAdvancedHydrologicPrediction Services

Ensemble of Hydrographs

Probability of Flooding

ConditionalSimulationHistoricalSimulation

Weekly Maximum Flows

Follow progress of breakup on Alaska Weather on PBS or on web

The End• Please contact us if you have further

questions about our operations