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    • NOS Hydrodynamic Model Outputs of Operational Forecast System (OFS)

    Metadata Updated: May 27, 2025

    NOAA develops, operates and maintains a national network of operational nowcast and forecast hydrodynamic modeling systems referred to as Operational Forecast Systems (OFS) to further support its mission goals and priorities for safe navigation and understanding environmental conditions. The OFS have typically been the result of collaborations within the National Ocean Service (NOS). However, critical partners in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), other government agencies and academia have also resulted in the implementation of an OFS. Looking ahead, NOS will continue to work with its external research partners to enhance its modeling capabilities. An OFS consists of the automated integration of observing system data streams, hydrodynamic model predictions, product dissemination and continuous quality control monitoring. State-of-the-art numerical hydrodynamic models driven by real-time data and model forecast guidance form the core of these end-to-end systems.

    The models generate nowcast and forecast guidance outputs for four environmental parameters: water levels, water temperatures, salinity and currents. The web pages display time series and animations of the aforementioned four parameters along with the NWS forecasted winds used to force the latest OFS nowcast and forecast runs.

    The OFS are implemented in critical ports, harbors, estuaries, the Great Lakes and coastal waters of the United States, and join NOS' operational oceanographic capabilities to form a national backbone of real-time data, tidal and tidal current predictions, data management and operational modeling. The OFS provide nowcast and short-term (0 - 120 hour) forecast guidance.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date May 15, 2025
    Metadata Created Date October 31, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date May 27, 2025
    Reference Date(s) 2001 (creation), 2001 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOS CO-OPS

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Model
    Metadata Date May 15, 2025
    Metadata Created Date October 31, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date May 27, 2025
    Reference Date(s) 2001 (creation), 2001 (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact, Custodian)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:69283
    Access Constraints Cite As: Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, [Date of Access]: NOS Hydrodynamic Model Outputs of Operational Forecast System (OFS) [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69283., Access Constraints: None, Use Constraints: Nowcast and Forecast Guidance outputs are based on preliminary data observations from active sensors. Preliminary data have not been subjected to the National Ocean Service's quality control or quality assurance procedures and do not meet the criteria and standards of official National Ocean Service data. They are released for limited public use as preliminary data to be used only with appropriate caution. Historical data are only good for observations and may not reflect present day conditions. These data are only representative of the geographic location of the observation., Distribution Liability: Raw data have not been subjected to the National Ocean Service's quality control or quality assurance procedures and do not meet the criteria and standards of official National Ocean Service data. They are released for limited public use as preliminary data to be used only with appropriate caution.
    Bbox East Long -61
    Bbox North Lat 65
    Bbox South Lat 18
    Bbox West Long -157
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Harvest Object Id 33ba56aa-84c5-44ad-b247-874793fad897
    Harvest Source Id 217272a2-c20f-4b9e-a0e1-e42a6d539971
    Harvest Source Title NOS CO-OPS
    Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
    Lineage Data from active sensors are recorded and transmitted; then they go through a quality control procedure and are loaded into a database. Model output files include 2-dimensional fields of wind speed and direction and water level elevations, and 3-dimensional fields of tidal currents, water temperature, and salinity. These hourly fields are updated four times per day. Time series at specific points are also outputted on a six-minute interval with most locations coinciding with CO-OPS observational stations. All of these outputs cover a 6-hour nowcast period and at least a 48-hour forecast. Wind model output are derived from products of National Weather Service's operational weather models, such as North American Mesoscale (NAM), Global Forecast System (GFS), High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR), or National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD).
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-157.0, 18.0], [-61.0, 18.0], [-61.0, 65.0], [-157.0, 65.0], [-157.0, 18.0]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2001

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