National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Field Guide Glossary

N's

NCEP

National Centers for Environmental Prediction is comprised of nine distinct Centers. These Centers are critical in national and global weather prediction by providing a wide variety of national and international weather guidance products. These nine centers are,

  • Aviation Weather Center (AWC) - The AWC provides aviation warnings and forecasts of hazardous flight conditions at all levels within domestic and international air space.
  • Climate Prediction Center (CPC) - Delivers real-time products and information that predict and describe climate variations on timescales from weeks to years thereby promoting effective management of climate risk and a climate-resilient society.
  • Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) - Develops and improves numerical weather, climate, hydrological and oceanic predictions through programs of applied research in data analysis, modeling and product development in partnership with the broader research community.
  • NCEP Central Operations (NCO) - Sustains and executes the operational suite of the numerical analysis and forecast models providing support to the NWS weather forecast offices. It also links all nine of the national Centers together via computer and communications-related services.
  • National Hurricane Center (NHC) - Provides official NWS forecasts of the movement and strength of tropical weather systems and issues the appropriate watches and warnings for the US and surrounding areas. It also issues weather outlooks and forecasts covering the tropical Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans.
  • Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) - Ensures the safety of the extensive commercial and recreational fishing, boating, and shipping activities with forecasts and warnings. They issue weather warnings and forecasts, in graphic, text and voice formats for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
  • Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) - Provides space weather alerts and warnings for disturbances that can affect people and equipment working in space and on earth.
  • Storm Prediction Center (SPC) - Tornado and severe weather watches for the contiguous United States along with a suite of hazardous weather forecasts, mesoscale guidance products and a continuous watch on mesoscale atmospheric processes.
  • Weather Prediction Center (WPC) - Provides guidance, analysis, and forecast products, including quantitative precipitation forecasts, real-time weather model diagnostics discussions, and surface pressure and frontal analyses.
Negative-tilt Trough
An upper level system which is tilted to the west with increasing latitude (i.e., with an axis from southeast to northwest). A negative-tilt trough often is a sign of a developing or intensifying system.
NEXRAD - NEXt-Generation Weather RADar
NEXRAD is a high-resolution Doppler radar with increased emphasis on automation, including use of algorithms and automated volume scans. NEXRAD units are known as WSR-88D.
NOAA
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
Nocturnal
Related to nighttime, or occurring at night.
NSSL
National Severe Storms Laboratory, in Norman OK. (Sometimes pronounced NES-sel.)
NWP
Numerical Weather Prediction.
NWS
National Weather Service.