National Weather Center

National Weather Center

The National Weather Center building in 2006
The National Weather Center's location in Oklahoma
General information
Status Complete
Address 120 David L. Boren Boulevard
Town or city Norman, Oklahoma
Country United States
Coordinates 35°10′53″N 97°26′25″W / 35.18139°N 97.44028°W / 35.18139; -97.44028Coordinates: 35°10′53″N 97°26′25″W / 35.18139°N 97.44028°W / 35.18139; -97.44028
Current tenants NOAA
University of Oklahoma
State of Oklahoma
and others
Groundbreaking November 2002
Construction started August 2003
Opened Summer 2006
Cost US$69 million
Client NOAA
University of Oklahoma
Technical details
Floor count 5
Floor area 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m2)
Lifts/elevators 3
Grounds 22 acres
Design and construction
Architecture firm Beck – LAN/Daly
Main contractor Oscar J. Boldt Company
Website
nwc.ou.edu
References
[1]

The National Weather Center (NWC), located on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, is a confederation of federal, state, and academic organizations that work together in partnership to improve understanding of events occurring in Earth's atmosphere over a wide range of time and space scales.[1] The NWC partners give equal attention to applying that understanding to the development of improved observation, analysis, assimilation, display, and prediction systems. The National Weather Center also has expertise in local and regional climate, numerical modeling, hydrology, and weather radar. Members of the NWC work with a wide range of federal, state, and local government agencies to help reduce loss of life and property to hazardous weather, ensure wise use of water resources, and enhance agricultural production. They also work with private sector partners to develop new applications of weather and regional climate information that provide competitive advantage in the marketplace.

National Weather Center Partners

The National Weather Center building houses many organizations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Oklahoma, as well as several other organizations outside either NOAA or OU.[2]

  • School of Meteorology (SoM)
  • Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (GEOG)
  • Environmental Verification and Analysis Center/Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative (EVAC/OWPI)
  • College of Engineering (CoE)
  • School of Computer Science (CS)
  • School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
  • Information Technology
  • Integrated Robust Assured Data Services (IRADS)
  • Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS)
  • Oklahoma Mesonet
  • Oklahoma Water Survey (OKWS)
  • Office of Weather Programs and Projects (OWPP)
  • Oklahoma NASA Space Grant Consortium (OSGC)
  • Sasaki Applied Meteorology Research Institute
  • South Central Climate Science Center (SCCSC)
  • United States Department of the Interior Climate Science Centers (South Central Region)

2015 security incident

On the afternoon of April 23, 2015, a car rammed through the gates protecting the loading dock on the east side of the building and drove toward the building, then burst into flames approximately halfway between the gates and the building. Firefighters and a bomb squad were called to the scene. Responders extinguished the fire with no damage done to the building, and the body of the driver, apparently male, was found inside the car.[3]

The University of Oklahoma Police Department stated that the incident is being investigated as a suicide. The FBI has joined the investigation.[4] The bomb squad did three controlled detonations in the evening following the incident.[5] The intent of the driver, including whether he only meant to hurt himself or others as well, remains unknown.

References

  1. 1 2 "About". National Weather Center. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "National Weather Center Partners". National Weather Center. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Bergum, Kate; Gorton, Andrew. "OUPD investigating car fire at National Weather Center". The Oklahoma Daily. The Oklahoma Daily. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Fox, Keaton. "Crews, including FBI, continue work at the National Weather Center after man drives through gate. Live report at 9". Twitter. Twitter Inc. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Smith, Rick. "Apparently the bomb squad has done 3 controlled detonations at the NWC tonight. Investigation continues.". Twitter. Twitter Inc. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
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