National high frequency radar network: Update

One of the primary efforts for the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS (R)) Program office is the development of a national high frequency radar (HFR) network for measuring ocean surface currents throughout the coastal United States. After experiencing rapid growth for several years, the number of HF radars deployed in the United States is now approximately 100 with modest annual growth. NOAA IOOS has funded the development and deployment of a trio of redundant data servers located at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Rutgers University and the NOAA National Data Buoy Center that deliver data files in standard format (netCDF) and are Climate and Forecast (CF) metadata conventions-compliant. In keeping with the IOOS intent to deliver data in standardized ways that allow for interoperability and ease of access, NDBC delivers the HF radar data via Web Coverage Services (WCS). As the NOAA IOOS Program continues to support the development and enhancement of a national HF radar data management and distribution system, new capabilities are developed and implemented by Scripps prior to national deployment, allowing for the system to evolve in a build-test-build environment, yet retain pre-operational status. Numerous success stories over the past several years in the application of HF radar-derived surface currents to real-world problems have spurred the creation of a plan, published September 2009, to build a comprehensive national ocean surface current mapping system based on HF radar. The success stories and the scope of the national plan will be discussed.