A Training Ground for Forecasters

Traditionally the results of weather research took years to flow into the practice of forecasting. UOP has been working to speed the pace of this progress. Since 1990, it has operated the Cooperative Program for Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET) with funding from the U.S. civilian and military weather services and other national and international weather agencies.

The COMET program was originally created to serve the continuing education needs of the nation's operational forecasters. Its materials have since been embraced by meteorology education programs in universities and meteorological services throughout the world.

The outreach branch of the program is designed to support collaborative research projects, which typically team university professors with forecasters. Together they study local or regional forecast problems, such as heavy snowfall along the shore of the Great Lakes or flooding from hurricanes that strike the Southeast.

Each year, hundreds of forecasters attend COMET training in a specially equipped classroom at our Foothills Laboratory. They learn about the latest research from NCAR scientists and other expert lecturers, and then practice forecast exercises before applying their skills on the job. Thousands more access COMET expertise at their workplace, classroom, or home through training available on the program's MetEd website.

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