Status Complete Groundbreaking November 2002 Floor area 2 ha Cost 69 million USD Floor count 5 | Opened Summer 2006 Construction started August 2003 Lifts/elevators 3 | |
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Address 120 David L. Boren Boulevard Current tenants NOAAUniversity of OklahomaState of Oklahomaand others Similar Barry Switzer Center, Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art, Lake Thunderbird State Park, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum, Gaylord Family Oklahom | ||
The National Weather Center (NWC), located on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, is a confederation of federal, state, and academic organizations that work together in partnership to improve understanding of events occurring in Earth's atmosphere over a wide range of time and space scales. The NWC partners give equal attention to applying that understanding to the development of improved observation, analysis, assimilation, display, and prediction systems. The National Weather Center also has expertise in local and regional climate, numerical modeling, hydrology, and weather radar. Members of the NWC work with a wide range of federal, state, and local government agencies to help reduce loss of life and property to hazardous weather, ensure wise use of water resources, and enhance agricultural production. They also work with private sector partners to develop new applications of weather and regional climate information that provide competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Contents
National weather center tour
National Weather Center Partners
The National Weather Center building houses many organizations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Oklahoma, as well as several other organizations outside either NOAA or OU.
2015 security incident
On the afternoon of April 23, 2015, a car rammed through the gates protecting the loading dock on the east side of the building and drove toward the building, then burst into flames approximately halfway between the gates and the building. Firefighters and a bomb squad were called to the scene. Responders extinguished the fire with no damage done to the building, and the body of the driver, apparently male, was found inside the car.
The University of Oklahoma Police Department stated that the incident is being investigated as a suicide. The FBI has joined the investigation. The bomb squad did three controlled detonations in the evening following the incident. The intent of the driver, including whether he only meant to hurt himself or others as well, remains unknown.