News and Events: Backgrounders

These backgrounders provide a brief overview of NSSL and some of the laboratory's research activities:

NSSL OVERVIEW [pdf]
NSSL serves the nation by working to improve the leadtime and accuracy of severe weather warnings and forecasts in order to save lives and reduce property damage.

Forecast and Warning Research

FORECAST AND WARNING IMPROVEMENTS [pdf]
NSSL studies thunderstorms from many different points of view.
NEW WARN ON FORECAST [pdf]
Forecasting severe weather before the threat is ever detected.
NOAA HAZARDOUS WEATHER TESTBED [pdf]
The NOAA HWT targets developing, testing and evaluating severe weather forecast and warning techniques throughout the U.S.
FIELD RESEARCH PROJECTS [pdf]
NSSL researchers know the best way to learn about the nature of severe storms and their hazards is to observe them when and where they happen.
FIELD RESEARCH EQUIPMENT [pdf]
NSSL has been a pioneer in designing innovative field research equipment used for taking measurements of hazardous weather.
VORTEX2 [pdf]
NSSL is gearing up for the largest and most ambitious attempt to explain tornadoes – their origins, structure, and evolution.

WEATHER RADAR RESEARCH [pdf]
For more than 40 years NSSL has led the nation with ingenuity and creativity to push radar technology to the edge.
NEW MULTI-FUNCTION PHASED ARRAY RADAR (MPAR) [pdf]
Multi-function phased array radar can quickly scan the weather while detecting and tracking aircraft.
PHASED ARRAY RADAR [pdf]
Radar is one of the most valuable tools available to a forecaster, and NSSL is leading the development of the future generation of weather radars.
NEW DUAL-POLARIZATION TECHNOLOGY [pdf]
A major upgrade to existing radars giving forecasters more precise information to accurately diagnose severe weather.

HYDROMETEOROLOGY RESEARCH [pdf]
Our nation's health, economy and security depend on the monitoring and prediction of fresh water resources.
NEW CI-FLOW [pdf]
The Coastal and Inland FLooding Observation and Warning (CI-FLOW) is a multi-agency research project to provide total water level forecasts in coastal areas. (Updated 22 Feb 2012.)

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS [pdf]
NSSL conducts, develops, supports, promotes, and coordinates formal and informal educational activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of severe weather and severe weather research.
TWISTER SCIENCE [pdf]: How NSSL's research provided inspiration for the movie, Twister.

Additional related backgrounders: