Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology
Name	Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology
Abbreviation	OFCM
Formation	1990
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Jurisdiction	United States federal government
Parent agency	Executive Office of the President

Contents

Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology is a federal office established to coordinate meteorological and atmospheric science activities across United States departments and agencies. It acts as an interagency forum linking agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The office supports implementation of national strategies shaped by entities like the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the White House.

History

The office emerged after high-level reviews following events involving Hurricane Hugo, Exxon Valdez oil spill, and concerns that prompted the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to recommend an interagency coordinator. The establishment traces to directives associated with the Weather Service Modernization Act of 1992 and earlier memoranda from the Clinton administration that followed consultations with the National Research Council and the United States Congress. During the 1990s the office collaborated with stakeholders including the National Weather Service, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the National Academy of Sciences to harmonize programs influenced by reports from the U.S. Global Change Research Program and inputs from regional actors like the New York City Office of Emergency Management.

The office's mission encompasses coordination of observational infrastructure, modeling, and services across federal entities such as the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Transportation. It develops consensus on priorities referenced by the National Integrated Drought Information System, the National Climate Assessment, the Joint Polar Satellite System, and collaborations with the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Functions include convening panels with representatives from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Management and Budget, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Geological Survey to align investments in radar, satellite, and buoy networks used by partners like the American Red Cross and regional services such as the Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

The office convenes interagency committees that guide initiatives such as modernization of the Next Generation Weather Radar program with collaboration from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense. It coordinates with international partners including the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the Group on Earth Observations on satellite data sharing like GOES-R Series and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Programs link capabilities from the National Weather Service, the Integrated Ocean Observing System, and the Hydrologic Research Center while advising policy architects at the Office of Management and Budget and legislative staff in the United States Congress.

Although not a regulatory agency, the office influences policy through advisories and strategic frameworks used by the Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Transportation for rulemaking processes under statutes such as the Weather Service Modernization Act of 1992 and executive orders issued by the President of the United States. It provides technical assessments that inform decisions by the Federal Communications Commission regarding spectrum use for meteorological sensors and by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on satellite communications. The office also supports compliance dialogues involving the National Environmental Policy Act and infrastructure investments authorized by legislative acts debated in the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Key initiatives facilitated by the office include coordination of the Integrated Earth Observation System, planning for the GOES-R Series and Joint Polar Satellite System, and support for the Next Generation Air Transportation System where meteorological integration intersects with the Federal Aviation Administration. It played roles in interagency responses to incidents like Hurricane Katrina and extreme events analyzed in the National Climate Assessment, and has coordinated data exchange standards aligned with the World Meteorological Organization and the Group on Earth Observations. Collaborative projects include partnerships with the National Center for Atmospheric Research on modeling frameworks, joint studies with the U.S. Geological Survey on hydrologic hazards, and engagement with the American Meteorological Society on workforce development and public communication strategies.