Precipitation forecast improvement program

(a) In general Title VI of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8561 et seq.) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 603 as section 604; and (2) by inserting after section 602 the following: 603. Precipitation forecast improvement program (a) In general The Under Secretary, in collaboration with the United States weather industry, other Federal agencies, and academic partners, shall maintain a program to improve precipitation forecasting across timescales. (b) Goal The goal of the program under subsection (a) shall be to provide more accurate, reliable, and timely precipitation forecasts across timescales through the development and application of a fully coupled Earth system prediction model in order to reduce the loss of life or property related to precipitation extremes, with a focus on the following: (1) Improving the understanding and prediction of precipitation extremes from a variety of weather systems, including atmospheric rivers. (2) Evaluating and incorporating, as appropriate, innovative observations into operational monitoring and forecast systems to improve precipitation forecasts. (3) Improving Earth system model predictions of precipitation extremes from atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones, summertime thunderstorms, winter storms, and other phenomena, in coordination with relevant programs. (4) Enhancing research-to-operations transition through testbeds, including the evaluation of physical and social science, technology, and other research to develop products and services for implementation and use by relevant stakeholders. (5) Incorporating best practices from the social, behavioral, and economic sciences into operations for more effective and actionable watch and warning products that support public safety and damage mitigation decisions in coordination with the programs established in accordance with this Act. (6) Ensuring data and metadata management processes are in place to support data access and archive for long-term research and operations among multiple partners. (c) Activities In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall support research-to-operations work, including the following: (1) Implementing key strategies and following priorities and objectives outlined in the Precipitation Prediction Grand Challenge Strategy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) Improving the physical science, operational modeling and tools, and technology related to better forecasting precipitation extremes across timescales. (3) Improving the social, behavioral, and economic sciences related to risk communication, and delivery of information critical for reducing the loss of life or property related to extreme precipitation. (4) Conducting the research necessary to develop and deploy probabilistic weather forecast guidance technology relating to precipitation extremes in operational practice. (5) Enhancing the operational capacity of the National Weather Service to deliver decision support for extreme precipitation. (6) Expanding computational resources to improve precipitation modeling. (d) Annual budget The Under Secretary shall submit to Congress, with the budget of the President submitted under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year, a proposed budget for activities to carry out this section in that fiscal year. (e) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that improved precipitation forecasts should support improved water resource management and resilience to extreme water related events, such as floods and drought, which may include the use of enhanced streamflow prediction.. (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended by striking the item relating to section 603 and inserting the following: Sec. 603. Precipitation forecast improvement program. Sec. 604. Definitions..

(a) In general Title VI of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8561 et seq.) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 603 as section 604; and (2) by inserting after section 602 the following: 603. Precipitation forecast improvement program (a) In general The Under Secretary, in collaboration with the United States weather industry, other Federal agencies, and academic partners, shall maintain a program to improve precipitation forecasting across timescales. (b) Goal The goal of the program under subsection (a) shall be to provide more accurate, reliable, and timely precipitation forecasts across timescales through the development and application of a fully coupled Earth system prediction model in order to reduce the loss of life or property related to precipitation extremes, with a focus on the following: (1) Improving the understanding and prediction of precipitation extremes from a variety of weather systems, including atmospheric rivers. (2) Evaluating and incorporating, as appropriate, innovative observations into operational monitoring and forecast systems to improve precipitation forecasts. (3) Improving Earth system model predictions of precipitation extremes from atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones, summertime thunderstorms, winter storms, and other phenomena, in coordination with relevant programs. (4) Enhancing research-to-operations transition through testbeds, including the evaluation of physical and social science, technology, and other research to develop products and services for implementation and use by relevant stakeholders. (5) Incorporating best practices from the social, behavioral, and economic sciences into operations for more effective and actionable watch and warning products that support public safety and damage mitigation decisions in coordination with the programs established in accordance with this Act. (6) Ensuring data and metadata management processes are in place to support data access and archive for long-term research and operations among multiple partners. (c) Activities In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall support research-to-operations work, including the following: (1) Implementing key strategies and following priorities and objectives outlined in the Precipitation Prediction Grand Challenge Strategy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) Improving the physical science, operational modeling and tools, and technology related to better forecasting precipitation extremes across timescales. (3) Improving the social, behavioral, and economic sciences related to risk communication, and delivery of information critical for reducing the loss of life or property related to extreme precipitation. (4) Conducting the research necessary to develop and deploy probabilistic weather forecast guidance technology relating to precipitation extremes in operational practice. (5) Enhancing the operational capacity of the National Weather Service to deliver decision support for extreme precipitation. (6) Expanding computational resources to improve precipitation modeling. (d) Annual budget The Under Secretary shall submit to Congress, with the budget of the President submitted under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year, a proposed budget for activities to carry out this section in that fiscal year. (e) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that improved precipitation forecasts should support improved water resource management and resilience to extreme water related events, such as floods and drought, which may include the use of enhanced streamflow prediction.. (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 is amended by striking the item relating to section 603 and inserting the following: Sec. 603. Precipitation forecast improvement program. Sec. 604. Definitions..