Table of Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations

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Abbreviation Short for
AABW Antarctic Bottom Water
AAO AWIPS Acquisition Office
AAS Advanced Automation System
ACARS ARNIC Communications Administrative Reporting System
ACCP (NOAA) Atlantic Climate Change Program
ACSYS Arctice Climate System Study
ACF Area Control Facility
ACU Acquisition Control Unit
AD Advanced Development
ADAS AWOS Data Acquisition System
ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
ADCCP Advanced Data Communication Control Procedure
ADEOS Advanced Earth Observing System
ADF AWIPS Development Facility
ADP Automated Data Processing
ADR Analog-to-Digital Recorder
A&E Architectural and Engineering
AEPS Arctic Environment Protection Strategy
AER AWIPS Enhancement Research
AERAs Atmospheric Education Resource Systems
AERI Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer
AEV AFOS-ERA Verification
AFD Area Forecast Discussion
AFGWC Air Force Global Weather Center
AFOS Automation of Field Operations and Services
AFP Area Forecast Product
AFPS AWIPS Forecast Preparation System
AFWG AFPS Forecaster Working Group
AGF Agricultural Forecast
AGU American Geophysical Union
AID U.S. Agency for International Development
AIFM Applications Integrated Framework Manual
AIS Automatic Identification System
AL Annual Leave
ALACE Autonomous Lagrangian Circulation Explorer
ALERT Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time
ALFOS Long-life, multi-cycle, pop-up RAFOS floats; a hybrid of the ALACE and RAFOS float systems
ALSP Atmosphere and Land Surface Processes
AMAP Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
AMIP Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project
AMS American Meteorological Society
ANC Auto Now Caster
ANCS Automated Nautical Charting System
AOML (NOAA) Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
AP Anomalous Propagation
APARE East Asian/North Pacific Regional Experiment
APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
API Application Programmer Interface
APN Asia-Pacific Network
AQI Air Quality Index
AR Alaska Region
ARI (ONR) Accelerated Research Institute
ARINC Aeronautical Radio, Inc.
ARL Atmospheric Research Laboratory
ARM Atmospheric Radiation Measurement
ARO (CO-OPS/FOD) Atlantic Regional Operations
ARONET Alaska Region Observational Network
ARP Airport Reference Point
ARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency
ARSI Atmospheric Research Systems, Inc.
ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Center
ASC Administrative Support Center
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASOS Automated Surface Observing System
ASTC Association of Science and Technology Centers
ASTEX Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment
ASTWF Advanced Short term Warning and Forecast Team
ATLAS Automated Data Processing
ATOC Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate
ATON Aids to Navigation
ATP Acceptance Test Procedures
ATS Antarctic Treaty System
ATSR Along Track Scanning Radiometer
ATV Advanced Tethered Vehicle
ATWC Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
AUTOROBS Automated Radar Observations
AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
AVN Aviation
AVNFPS Aviation Forecast Preparation System
AVP AWIPS Verification Program
AWC Aviation Weather Center
AWIPS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System
AWOS Automated Weather Observing System
BAFO Best and Final Offer
BAHC Biosphere Aspects of the Hydrological Cycle
BBADCP Broadband Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
BEP Back-End Processor
BOREAS Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study
BPS Bits Per Second
BRT Broadcast Radio Transcript
BUFR Binary Universal Format for Data Representation
CAC Climate Analysis Center
CAFE Chesapeake Area Forecast Experiment
CAFTI Committee for Analysis and Forecasting Techniques (Disbanded)
CalCOFI California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations
CARDS Climate Aerological Reference Data Set
CASC Central Administrative Support Center
CASE Computer Aided Software Engineering
CAT Clear Air Turbulence
CBBT Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
CBN Cooperative Based Network
CBOFS Chesapeake Bay Observation Forecast System
CBOS Chesapeake Bay Observing System
CCF Coded Cities Forecast
CDRNWR AFOS Climatological Data Reports Formatter Program
CDROM Compact Disc Read Only Memory
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CFS Coastal Forecast System
CHI Cloud Height Indicator
CILE Configuration Item Lead Engineer
CM Configuration Management
CME Community Modeling Effort
CMO Configuration Management Officer
CODE Common Operations and Development Environment
COMET Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training
Comp Time Compensatory Time
CONUS Conterminous United States (the lower 48)
CO-OPS (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services
CORBA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
COTS Commercial Off The Shelf
CPC Climate Prediction Center
CPM Cooperative Program Manager
CPoS Conditional Probability of Snow
CR Central Region
CR Credit Hour
CRD Contract Requirements Database
CRS Console Replacement System
CSCI Computer Software Configuration Item
CT Credit Time
CUA Commonly Used Acronyms
CUT Code and Unit Test
CVA Controller Video Displays
CWA County Warning Area
CWF Coastal Waters Forecast
D2D Display 2-Dimensional
DACFO Director's Advisory Committee on Forecast Operations
DAR Design Acceptance Review
DARE Denver AWIPS Risk Reduction and Requirements Evaluation
DCR Development Change Request
DCS Development Change Specification
DD Dew Point Depression
DDR Detailed Design Review
DDT Design, Development and Test
DEC Digital Equipment Corporation
DED Design Element Descriptions
DFM Digital Forecast Matrices
DFSB Digital Forecast Services Branch
DOC Department of Commerce
DOD Department of Defense
DR Deficiency Report
DR Discrepancy Report
DRG Data Review Group
DSB Decision Support Branch
DT&E Developmental Testing and Evaluation
DWB Developer's Workbench
EAS Early Alert System
EDM Engineering Development Model
EKDMOS Ensemble Kernel Density Model Output Statistics
ER Eastern Region
ERH Eastern Region Headquarters
ERL Environmental Research Laboratories
ESA Electronic System Analyst
Eta Eta Model
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FAN MOS Forecasts based on the Aviation model, AWIPS product category (obsolete)
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
FAT Factory Acceptance Testing
FDC Forecaster Development Course
FDSE Forecaster Decision Support Environment
FEP Front-End Processor
FFS Flash Flood Statement
FFW Flash Flood Warning
FMR MOS Forecasts based on the Medium-Range model, AWIPS product category (obsolete)
FR Field Report
FRR Functional Requirement Review
FSL Forecast Systems Laboratory
FT Forecast Terminal
FTP File Transfer Protocol
FWC MOS Wind Cloud Forecasts (and other elements) based on the Nested Grid Model, AWIPS product category
FWF Fire Weather Forecast
FWM Fire Weather Matrix
FWT Fire Weather Tabular
FX FSL X-based
FX-ALPHA FSL X-based AWIPS-Like Prototype for Hydrometeorological Applications
GAI Global Atmospheric Inc.
GAO General Accounting Office
GDP Government Development Platform
GFDL Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
GFE Graphical Forecast Editor
GFI Government Furnished Information
GFS Global Forecast System
GFV Graphical Forecast Viewer
GIF Graphical Interchange Format
GIS Geographical Information System
GLF Great Lakes Forecast
GMOD Grid Modification
GMOS Gridded Model Output Statistics
GMT Greenwich Mean Time (See also UTC, Z)
GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
GOS Global Observing System
GRIB Gridded Binary
GSA General Services Administration
GSC General Sciences Corporation
GSM Global Spectral Model
GTA Ground to Air
GUI Graphical User Interface
HIWG Hydrometeorological Implementation Working Center
HLDR High Level Design Review
HM Hydrometeorological
HP Hewlett Packard
HPC Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (now WPC)
HPSS High-Performance Storage System
HRAP Hydrologic Rainfall Analysis Project
HWR Hourly Weather Roundup
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization, standard used for 4-character station identifiers
ICCOH Interagency Coordinating Committee on Hurricanes
ICD Interface Control Document
ICS Interactive Combination Selector
ICWF Interactive Computer Worded Forecast
IDB Initial Deployment Baseline
IDP Integrated Dissemination Platform
IFP Interactive Forecast Preparation
IFPS Interactive Forecast Preparation System
IGR Interactive Guidance Revisor
IIPS Interactive & Information Processing System
IOC Initial Operating Capability
IP Internet Protocol
ISB Implementation Support Branch
ISC Incremental Systems Capability
ISC Inter Site Coordination
ISL Integrated Systems Laboratory
ISPAN Information Stream Project for AWIPS/NOAAPORT
IT Information Technology
ITB Integrated Test Bed
IUR Interactive Update Revisor
IWG Implementation Working Group
IWT Integrated Work Team
JAD Joint Application Development
JOR Joint Operational Requirements
KDP-IV Key Decision Point-Four
LAMP Local Aviation MOS Program
LAPS Local Analysis & Prediction Systems
LDAD Local Data Acquisition and Dissemination
LDS Lightning Detection System
LEDWI (ASOS's present weather sensor)
LES Lake Effect Snow
LFM Limited-Area Fine Mesh
LSIT Limited Systems Integration Test
LSWIT Limited Software Integration Test
LSyAT Limited System Acceptance Test
LWOP Leave Without Pay
MAE Mean Absolute Error
MAR Modernization and Associated Restructuring
MARD Modernization and Associated Restructuring Demonstration
MAV MOS - Aviation-Based Guidance, AWIPS product category
MD Modernization Division
MDL Meteorological Development Laboratory
MDCRS Meteorological Data Collection and Reporting System
MDR Manually Digitized Radar Program
MDRCS Meteorological Data Recording and Collection System
MEF Manually Entered Forecast
MEOWs Maximum Envelopes of Water
MET MOS - Eta-Based Guidance, AWIPS product category
METAR Meteorological Aviation Report
MEX MOS - Extended-Range Guidance, AWIPS product category
MKBT Make BRT
MIC Meteorologist in Charge
MOA Memorandum of Agreement
MOM Maximum of the MEOWs
MOS Model Output Statistics
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPC Marine Prediction Center
MRF Medium-Range Forecast Model
MTIF Modernization Test & Integration Facility
MTTR Mean Time to Restore
MVF Marine Verification Forecast
NAEFS North American Ensemble Forecast System
NAM North American Mesoscale Model
NAOS North American Atmospheric Observing System
NAWAU National Aviation Weather Observing System
N-AWIPS NMC-enhanced version of AWIPS
NBM National Blend of Models
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCDC National Climate Data Center
NCEP National Centers for Environmental Prediction
NCF Network Control Facility
NCO NCEP Central Operations
NCP National Change Proposal
NDBC National Data Buoy Center
NDFD National Digital Forecast Database
NDGD National Digital Guidance Database
NESDIS National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
NEXRAD Next Generation Weather Radar
NGDC National Geophysical Data Center
NGIT Northrop Grumman Information Technology
NGITWS NextGen IT Web Services
NGM Nested Grid Model
NHC National Hurricane Center
NHD National HQ Development
NHDA National HQ Development System for Advanced Software
NHDD National HQ Development & Demonstration System
NHDW National HQ Development System for WFO Applications
NHOW National HQ Operation - WFO Configuration
NMC National Meteorological Center
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
NMT National HQ Modernization Test
NMTR National HQ Modernization Test and Integration System WFO System
NMTW National HQ Modernization Test and Integration System WFO System
NNWS NOAA National Weather System
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOC Network Operations Center
NOGAPS Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System
NPW Non-Precipitation Watch Warning Advisory Product
NRC National Reconditioning Center
NRWCDR NOAA Weather Radio Climatological Data Reports
NSF National Science Foundation
NSH Near Shore Forecast
NSSFC National Severe Storms Forecast Center
NSSL National Severe Storms Laboratory
NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration
NWA National Weather Association
NWP Numerical Weather Prediction
NWR NOAA Weather Radio
NWRSAME NWR Specific Area Message Encoding
NWS National Weather Service
NWSH National Weather Service Headquarters
NWSRFS NWS River Forecast System
NWSTC NWS Training Center
NWSTG NWS Telecommunications Gateway
NWWS NOAA Weather Wire Service
N/X or X/N Maximum and Minimum Temperature
OAR Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
OAWG Overall Architecture Working Group
OB Operational Build
OBVIS Obstruction to Vision
OCONUS Outside Conterminous United States
OFCM Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services
OFF Off Shore Product
OH Office of Hydrology
OHRFC Ohio River Forecast Center
OID Operator Interface Device
OIG Office of the Inspector General
OM Office of Meteorology
ORD Operational Readiness Demonstration
ORDA Open Radar Data Acquisition
OSD Office of System Development
OSF Operational Support Facility
OSO Office of Systems Operations
OSSE Observing System Simulation Experiment
OT&E Operational Test and Evaluation
OTV Obstruction To Vision
OVC Overcast
OWSO Olympic Weather Support Office
PCMS Process Configuration Management System
PHI Probabilistic Hazard Information
PIL Product Inventory List
PIREPS Pilot Reports
PO Program Office
POES Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite
PoP Probability of Precipitation
PoPT Probability of Precipitation Type
PPA Programs, plans, and activities
PPI Precipitation Potential Index
PQPF Probabilistic Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting
PR Pacific Region
PRC Planning Research Corporation
PTYPE Precipitation Type
PUP Primary User Processor
QAWG Quality Assurance Working Group
QC Quality Control
QPF Quantitative Precipitation Forecast
QPS Quantitative Precipitation Summary
RADAP Radar Data Automated Processor
RAP Rapid Alpha Process
RC Requests for Change
RCC Range Commander's Council
RCM Radar Coded Message
RDA Radar Data Acquisitions
RDD Requirements and Design Documents
RDF Revised Digital Forecast
RDFS Revised Digital Forecast Stations
RDFZ Revised Digital Forecast Zones
RFC River Forecast Center
RFP Request for Proposal
RMSE Root Mean Square Error
ROAMS Remote Off Air Monitoring System
RPG Radar product Generation
RPU Routine Product Update
RTD Requirements Traceability Document
RTMA Real Time Mesoscale Analysis
RUC Rapid Update Cycle
RVR Runway Visible Range
SAAS Southwestern Association of Alert Systems
SAD System Analysis & Design
SAF Service Area Forecast
SAFESEAS System on AWIPS for Forecasting and Evaluation of Seas and Lakes
SAO Surface Aviation Operation
SAW (Aviation Watch)
SBN Satellite Broadcast Network
SCAN System for Convection Analysis and Nowcasting
SCEP Student Career Experience Program
SCP Satellite-derived Cloud Cover Product
SCS Systems Coordination Status
SCTIs SCAN CWA Threat Indices
SDLTs Software Design Lead Teams
SDWG System Design Work Group
SEB Source Evaluation Board
SEDT Systems Engineering Development Team
SEPO Special Engineering Program Office
SEV (Traditional County Listing)
SFD State Forecast Discussion
SHEF Standard Hydrometeorological Exchange Format
SIRS Systematic Interpolative Radial Search
SL Sick Leave
SLDFD Site Level Data Flow Diagrams
SLOSH Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes
SLS Severe Local Statement (Severe Thunderstorm Watch)
SMB Statistical Modeling Branch
SMCC Systems Monitoring and Control Center
SMI AAI Systems Management Incorporated
SOD Systems Operations Division
SOO Science and Operation Officer
SOW Statement of Work
SPC Storm Prediction Center
SPC Suitland Professional Center
SPR Software Problem Report
SR Southern Region
SRDC Sterling Research and Development Center
SREC System Recommendation & Evaluation Committee
SRS Systems Requirements Specification
SRSI Systems Requirements Specification Volume I
SSD Scientific Services Division
SSDD System/Subsystem Design Description
SSDR System/Subsystem Design Review
SSMC Silver Spring Metro Center
STDR Sub-Task Development Report
SWIT Software Integration Testing
SWP Severe Weather Potential
T&A Time and Attendance
T&EWG Test and Evaluation Work Group
TAC Technical Advisory Committee
TAF Terminal Aviation Forecast
TAR Tri-Agency Requirements
TDL Techniques Development Laboratory (Renamed to MDL)
TDR Task Development Report
TDWR Terminal Doppler Weather Radar
TIS Trusted Information System
TOC Telecommunication Operations Center
TPB Technical Procedures Bulletin
TPO Transition Program Office
TPoP Temperature and Probability of Precipitation
TRACON Terminal Radar Approach Control
TSFP Tabular State Forecast Product
TSP Techniques Specification Package
TWEB Transcribed Weather En route Broadcast
TWO Training Working Group
UCP Unit Control Position
UIWG User Interface Working Group
ULRD User Language Requirements Document
URMA Unrestricted Mesoscale Analysis
USAF United States Air Force
USGS US Geological Survey
USWRP US Weather Research Program
UTC Universal Time, Coordinated (See also GMT, Z)
VDD Version Description Document
VDU Video Display Unit
VIL Vertically-Integrated Liquid
VTEC Valid Time and Event Codes
WAN Wide Area Network
WBAN Weather Bureau Army Navy
WBC Watch By County
WCL Watch County List
WCM Warning Coordination Meteorologist
WCN Watch County Notification
WCOSS Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputer System
WDSS Warning Decision Support System
WFMO Workforce Management Office
WFO Weather Forecast Office
WHFS WFO Hydrologic Forecast System
WIAB Weather Information Applications Branch
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WOU Watch Outline Update
WPC Weather Prediction Center (formerly HPC)
WPDN Wind Profiler Demonstration Network
WR Western Region
WSFO Weather Service Forecast Office
WSO Weather Service Office
WSR-88D Weather Surveillance Radar 1988, Doppler
WSW Winter Weather Watch Warning Advisory Products
WWA Watch, Warning & Advisory
WWAS Watch, Warning, Advisory, and Statement
WWW World-Wide Web
X/N or N/X Maximum(X) and Minimum(N) Temperature
Z Zulu time (also see UTC, GMT)
ZFP Zone Forecast Product
ZR Freezing Rain