Office of Water Prediction

The Office of Water Prediction (OWP) is a geographically distributed organization which includes elements in Maryland, Minnesota and Alabama. The OWP is designed to support a consistent and unified hydrologic program while maximizing efficient use of resources helping to ensure the NWS excels as a science-based service organization. The OWP will conduct development, field support and operational functions through projects and programs that address national, regional, and local needs and are led and supported by staff in multiple offices across the country. Initial activities of the OWP will be focused on support and development; operational functions will be identified and developed over time. Functional roles have been established in the OWP structure to coordinate and support this framework.

OWP envisions a Nation strengthened by equitable and actionable intelligence that informs water-related decisions, which enhances safety, resilience, security, and our economy.

Collaboratively research, develop and deliver timely and consistent, state-of-the-science national hydrologic analyses, forecast information, data, guidance, and equitable decision-support services to inform essential emergency management and water resources decisions across all time scales.

The OWP fosters a creative and collaborative environment supporting scientific leadership, workforce excellence, consistent mission execution, transparency, effective communication and partnerships to enable the NWS to collectively deliver impact-based decision support services to the larger water community at national, regional, and local scales.

The Office of Water Prediction launches a historic transformation and modernization of hydrology and water prediction services within NOAA’s National Weather Service. The OWP will play a critical role in enhancing water-related products and decision-support services across the country in support of the strategic objective to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The Office of Water Prediction provides an unprecedented opportunity to improve federal coordination and collaboration in the water sector to address 21st century water resource challenges, such as water security and analysis and prediction of hydrologic extremes.