Photo by Robert Coggins

"Research capital of the plains"

The National Weather Center, a facility that partners NOAA research and operations and the University of Oklahoma, officially opened its doors on September 29, 2006 in a dedication ceremony attended by state and national officials. Oklahoma's Governor Brad Henry proclaimed, "We are set on making Oklahoma the research capital of the plains. The National Weather Center is the anchor of this plan."

The NWC, situated on 22 acres as part of OU's South Research Campus, is the largest center of its kind in the world. The 250,000 square foot building houses over a dozen prestigious organizations and was designed to encourage synergistic relationships between NOAA staff and OU's faculty, researchers and students. By combining expertise in all areas of weather, it is anticipated that work done in the NWC will be crucial towards helping federal, state and local government agencies reduce loss of life and property due to hazardous weather.

Deputy Secretary of Commerce David A. Sampson, a featured speaker at the ceremony, said, 'The National Weather Center affords the type of collaboration between government, academia and the private sector that offers the best opportunity to advance our understanding and prediction of weather phenomena to save lives and property as well as promote economic development."

Hundreds of people attended the opening festivities. Following the dedication, a luncheon panel for the meteorological community featured The Weather Channel on-camera meteorologist Jim Cantore and Oklahoma City KWTV News 9 chief meteorologist Gary England.

Travis Smith points to a display in the NSSL Development Lab

Doug Forsyth leads a tour through the NWC

(Left) NSSL's Travis Smith shows off the new NSSL Development Lab; (Right) NSSL's Doug Forsyth leads a tour through the National Weather Center.