Red River Basin Disaster Information Network
On-Line Workshop
March 25, 1999 -- 12:00 Noon CST

Flood Forecasting - Today and Tomorrow

with participants from the National Weather Service
including

Wendy Pearson, Service Hydrologist, Grand Forks Weather Forecast Office
Dean Braatz, Hydrologist-In-Charge, North Central River Forecast Center
Dr. John Ingram, AHPS Program Director, Silver Spring, MD
Noreen Schwein, Applications/Development Hydrologist, Central Region HQ

Online Transcript
Download Transcript (Word File)
Text Transcript

Our second on-line workshop was held March 25th. This session was very timely as we entered the flood season, and brought together participants from several states to share information of importance to the region.

The first half of the program included experts from the National Weather Service who presented how the flood outlooks and forecasts are currently prepared, and what the present outlook is. See also:

Spring Flood Outlook: Central Region Spring Flood Outlook, Map, Numerical Outlook, Flood Category Definitions

The second half of the program was an introduction to the "Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System" or AHPS. This approach is designed to take advantage of the new tools and systems acquired during the modernization of the weather service during recent years. An AHPS prototype is currently being used in Des Moines, Iowa, and pending approval of the federal FY 2000 budget request, is planned for implementation beginning in the Upper Midwest. See also:

AHPS: Program Page, Briefing Materials, Des Moines Prototype

Related Info:
Who Decides? Forecasts and Responsibilities in the 1997 Red River Flood by Roger A. Pielke, Jr., revised 3/9/99