The FY21 version of the WOC Flash Flood Track will be released in December of 2020. If you are a forecaster in your forecast office who wants to sign up for the next available WOC Flash Flood course, please complete the WOC Flash Flood Registration Form. Note: You should coordinate with your local training facilitators (e.g., SOOs) before completing this form.
Warning Decision Training Division
Office of Chief Learning Officer
The FY21 version of the WOC Flash Flood Track will be released in December of 2020. If you are a forecaster in your forecast office who wants to sign up for the next available WOC Flash Flood course, please complete the WOC Flash Flood Registration Form. Note: You should coordinate with your local training facilitators (e.g., SOOs) before completing this form.
The Warning Operations Course (WOC) Flash Flood Track is a course that consists of approximately 13 hours of training material on topics that are relevant to flash flood warning decision-making. The Flash Flood Track consists of:
Topics covered by the on-line lessons include conceptual models of flash flood events, how to use a variety of flash flood forecasting tools, and best practices related to flash flood warning decision making, FFW text and polygonology, and enhanced wording for Flash Flood Emergencies. There are also 9 prerequisite lessons (all of which are from the Radar & Application Course) that students should complete prior to attempting the WOC Flash Flood Track.
The WOC Flash Flood Track includes a combination of learning technologies including web-based training, Weather Event Simulator - 2 (WES-2) simulations, and printed material. The course is designed to allow every NWS Forecaster (Meteorologist and Hydrologist) to participate with the assistance of an on-site facilitator (SOO, DOH, or locally appointed training officer). The Flash Flood Track content for NWS employees are tracked by the WOC on-site facilitator using the Commerce Learning Center (aka: the LMS).
The WOC Flash Flood Track is designed to improve the performance of NOAA’s NWS offices in issuing Flash Flood Warnings. For more information on the WOC Flash Flood Track implementation, please e-mail 
.
Click on the panels below to access the content for each topic of the course. For most lessons, there will be two ways to access the training materials:
The lesson content is the same for each link. NWS employees enrolled in the WOC Flash Flood Track should use the LMS Version to ensure they receive completion credit.
Brief Description: These pre-requisite materials (from the RAC) address learning objectives dealing with the identification of the characteristics, limitations and applications of several rainfall products, including the dual-pol products (QPE), legacy products (PPS), and the High-Resolution Precipitation Estimator (HPE). In addition, instruction is provided on mesoscale and storm-scale objectives, and meteorological variables related to precipitation rate and duration that contribute to the flash flood process.
Delivery Methods: Web modules
Approximate Completion Time: 3 hours
Brief Description: These lessons will discuss various conceptual models related to flash flood events. The conceptual models are discussed in the framework of synoptic-scale patterns, ingredients-based methodology, and other physical mechanisms that can trigger flash floods.
Delivery Methods: Web modules
Approximate Completion Time: 3 hours
Content:
General Topics for Flash Flood Conceptual Models:
Topics for Severe-Driven Flash Flooding:
[Optional] Topics for Western U.S. Flash Flooding:
Brief Description: These five lessons discuss various tools that may be useful to forecasters when forecasting potential flash flood events. Some of these tools are web-based while others (e.g., average recurrence intervals) are tools available in AWIPS.
Delivery Methods: Web modules
Approximate Completion Time: 2.25 hours
Content:
Brief Description: These lessons discuss some basic best practices of issuing Flash Flood Warnings. Topics covered include how to pick an appropriate precipitation source for flash flood decision making; best practices related to FFMP, Flash Flood Warning polygonology, and text; and knowing when to use enhanced wording to indicate a Flash Flood Emergency.
Delivery Methods: Web modules
Approximate Completion Time: 3 hours
Content:
Brief Description: Forecasters will apply WOC Flash Flood concepts in an operational context in a two-part simulation. The first application focuses on applying meteorological conceptual models and ingredients for a short-term forecast. The second application focuses on the warning decision-making process and conveying the threat in Flash Flood Warning products in a displaced real-time (DRT) environment. Forecasters will use a variety of tools and products to perform the tasks, including GFE, WarnGen, FFMP, MRMS, and FLASH. To request this simulation, please contact the WDTD WOC Flash Flood Team.
Delivery Methods: Weather Event Simulator - 2 (WES-2) simulations
Approximate Completion Time: 5 hours
Content:
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