Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop A UFS Collaboration Powered by EPIC Monday, July 20, 2026 – Friday, July 24, 2026 Boulder, CO Join us this July at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in College Park, Maryland or online for the Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop 2026 (UIFCW26). This event is…
Wildfires have grown increasingly destructive in recent decades, with impacts felt nationwide. Forecasters rely on fire weather metrics — such as wind speed and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which indicates atmospheric dryness — to assess when and where conditions may intensify wildfire behavior and strain suppression capacity. WPO selected the “Subseasonal Predictability of Fire Weather…
This fall, the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Unified Forecast System (UFS) community will deliver a four-day Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop (UIFCW25) at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Center Green in Boulder, Colorado or online, September 8-12, 2025. Registration and abstract submissions are FREE! Abstracts for UIFCW 2025 are…
Building a Stronger UFS Community Through Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing UIFCW25 is a collaborative event bringing together experts in the forecasting community to present research findings, learn about the latest updates on the UFS, and engage in meaningful discussions. This workshop is set to take place from Monday, September 8, 2025 to Friday, September 12,…
The Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) has released the latest update to the Unified Forecast System (UFS) Short-Range Weather Application, adding new capabilities for modeling wildfires, smoke, and dust for weather model developers and researchers. These additional features are designed to improve forecasts of wildfires, air quality, and the spread of smoke and dust. This…
NOAA’s newest hurricane model, the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS), was instrumental in providing forecasters with accurate predictions of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton during the 2024 hurricane season, according to a recent story from the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC). HAFS provided skillful track, rainfall, and wind forecasts. WPO supports HAFS through its…
The 2025 American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting hosted the 4th Symposium on Community Modeling and Innovation (4CMI) in early January in New Orleans. The Symposium brought together top minds in Earth sciences for an energetic exchange of ideas and was a hub for groundbreaking discussions on the future of forecasting. One standout session focused…
The fifth issue of UFS Insights, a collaborative effort between NOAA’s Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Unified Forecast System (UFS) community, is available to read here. In this issue, you’ll find an in-depth look at the UFS, including updates on key components, innovators, partnerships, and initiatives shaping the future of weather, water, and…
Applications are open for the second cohort of the WINGS Ph.D. Dissertation fellowship, hosted by NOAA’s Weather Program Office and UCAR’s Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), and is designed for PhD candidates to focus their dissertation research on an area of scientific importance for the broader Weather, Water and Climate…
The Weather Program Office EPIC team continues their collaboration with the UK MetOffice to advance the Data Assimilation Science! Check out the new and updated web page talking about the Transatlantic Data Science Academy as well as this video which takes a look behind the scenes at both NOAA and the Met Office. Read more…