CIRA Review 2023
Purpose of the Review
Pursuant to NOAA Policy NAO 216-107A, Section 4,
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere has entered into the period for a CI Renewal Review. Supporting this process, this webpage provides relevant documentation, links to research reports, and other materials needed for the external review panel to appropriately assess performance metrics pursuant to the Renewal Review.
Agendas for the Administrative and Science Reviews, bios for our review panel, information about CIRA locations, here at CSU and at NOAA facilities across the country, supporting University CIRA policy documents, links to our satellite library products, and local information can be found on this page. Please contact CIRA if you have additional needs or requests.
Our Locations
CIRA’s primary headquarters is at the Foothills Campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Co-located with the Department of Atmospheric Science, CIRA Fort Collins contains the senior leadership for CIRA, including the Director of CIRA, Prof. Steve Miller. CIRA Fort Collins hosts many of CIRA’s main research teams, including the Meteorological Satellite (MetSat) Applications, Satellite Training, the Air Quality, Atmospheric Carbon, Artificial Intelligence /Machine Learning, Data Assimilation, and a large portion of the Tropical Cyclone research team. CIRA Fort Collins also hosts the NOAA Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch (RAMMB), as well as the education, outreach, and social science components of CIRA, and several independent researchers.
The Boulder, CO, location involves a number of collaborative research activities in partnership with the NOAA Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) and the NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL). CIRA’s Boulder research improves environmental prediction models, develops state-of-the-science decision support tools, visualization systems, and uses high-performance computing technology to support a Weather-Ready Nation.
Based within NOAA/NESDIS/STAR in College Park, MD, the NESDIS Environmental Applications Team (NEAT) converts satellite observations into actionable ocean, land, and atmospheric parameters and improves forecast model performance. A newer emphasis is on modern visualization, coastal studies, and trend analysis. We are also extending our activities to the cryosphere (polar Cal/Val and sea-ice) by including high-resolution airborne images. These efforts involve substantial national/international collaboration, align with NOAA’s Next-Gen strategic plan, and strengthen mission-critical capabilities.
The Kansas City, MO, location involves CIRA staff who are co-located with National Weather Service (NWS) Aviation Weather Center (AWC), Environmental Modeling Center (EMC), and the National Weather Service Training Center (NWSTC) personnel. CIRA personnel at AWC and EMC work within the Aviation Weather Testbed to perform innovative research into aviation weather hazards, and use this research to develop and test aviation products and services with forecasters and end users, while personnel at the NWSTC are focused on development of technical training materials and modules for a variety of NWS groups.
The Silver Spring, MD location involves collaborations with the NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory and its parent office, the Office of Science and Technology Integration (OSTI). At the MDL, CIRA keeps abreast of and applies advanced methodologies and technologies to expand and improve diagnostic and prognostic weather information; data depiction and utilization; warning and forecast product preparation and dissemination; forecast evaluation; and impact-based decision support services. Emphasis is placed on integrated suites of guidance and products for Weather Forecast Offices, River Forecast Centers, National Centers, and NWS Core Partners. In OSTI, CIRA plays a central role in creating and enhancing the Virtual Laboratory (VLab), which is both a set of services and an IT framework that enables geographically diverse NOAA employees and their partners to share ideas, collaborate, engage in software development, and conduct applied research using software development best practices. CIRA also brings Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBES) expertise to OSTI, where CIRA is playing a foundational role in OSTI’s fledgling SBES Program, which seeks to apply the social sciences and an understanding of human factors so that NWS forecasts can be communicated and acted upon better.
CIRA scientists located in Miami, FL, work with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to help to facilitate the Hurricanes and Ocean Testbed (HOT) by coordinating with developers supported by the HOT and assisting with real time product demonstrations and evaluations. They also work with NHC forecasters and technical staff on evaluation of model upgrades, including the National Weather Service global model (Global Forecast System, GFS) and regional hurricane models such as the new Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS). CIRA staff at NHC also help to update and improve existing operational guidance models run by NHC including their wind speed probability model and several statistical models for intensity forecasting, with emphasis on increased use of satellite data and more advanced machine learning techniques.
Local Fort Collins, Colorado information
Recommended Hotel:
Due to it’s proximity to the Fort Collins Max line we recommend staying at the Hilton.
Hotels by location:
HOTEL |
MILES FROM
|
GOOGLE MAP |
| Walking Distance to CSU Lory Student Center | ||
| Hilton | 0.7 | Map |
| Old Town Fort Collins (longer walk; transportation maybe needed) | ||
| The Armstrong Hotel | 1.1 | Map |
| The Elizabeth Hotel | 1.4 | Map |
| Along the MAX Line (MAX transportation to campus station then walk to LSC) | ||
| Quality Inn and Suites | 3.3 | Map |
| Harmony/I-25 Corridor (Car Needed) | ||
| Hilton Garden Inn Fort Collins | 6.5 | Map |
| Holiday Inn Express | 5.9 | Map |
| Residence Inn | 5.3 | Map |
| Home2 Suites by Hilton | 5.5 | Map |
Driving Directions
From the Lory Student Center:
- Take Laurel west to Shields
- Turn left onto Shields and then right onto Elizabeth
- Take Elizabeth west to Overland Trail
- Turn right onto Overland Trail
- Turn Left onto Laporte Ave
- Travel west on Laporte until you see a sign for Atmospheric Science Center (this is past the Colorado State Forestry Service sign)
- Turn left into the Atmospheric Science Center driveway.
- At the fork in the driveway, you will bend left with the road and head up a small hill
- Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
- Take Pena Blvd from DIA to northbound Tower Road.
- Continue on Tower Road to 104th Avenue and turn left (West, towards the mountains).
- Take 104th Avenue to I-25 Northbound towards Fort Collins.
- Continue on I-25 north for about 65 miles.
- Take exit number 269 (Mulberry Street and CO-14) and head west.
- After passing through downtown Fort Collins, Mulberry Street will dead end at Overland Trail.
- Make a right turn on Overland Trail and head north for about a 1/2 mile until you arrive at Laporte Avenue.
- Make a left on Laporte Avenue and head west for about a 3/4 mile. You should see the main building appear on the left side of the road.
- While the Forest Service entrance looks tempting, keep going past it until you see the sign for Atmospheric Science.
- Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
- From the parking lot, follow the path down to the building that says CIRA. The main entrance is on the Northside of the building.
- Take Pena Blvd from DIA to northbound E470 (toll charges apply).
- Take E470 to northbound I-25 toward Fort Collins.
- Take I-25 north for about 60 miles.
- Take exit number 269 (Mulberry Street and CO-14) and head west.
- After passing through downtown Fort Collins, Mulberry Street will dead end at Overland Trail.
- Make a right turn on Overland Trail and head north for about a 1/2 mile until you arrive at Laporte Avenue.
- Make a left on Laporte Avenue and head west for about a 3/4 mile. You should see the main building appear on the left side of the road.
- While the Forest Service entrance looks tempting, keep going past it until you see the sign for Atmospheric Science.
- Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
- From the parking lot, follow the path down to the building that says CIRA. The main entrance is on the Northside of the building.
- Take I-25 north to exit number 269 (Mulberry Street and CO-14) and head west.
- After passing through downtown Fort Collins, Mulberry Street will dead end at Overland Trail.
- Make a right turn on Overland Trail and head north for about a 1/2 mile until you arrive at Laporte Avenue.
- Make a left on Laporte Avenue and head west for about a 3/4 mile. You should see the main building appear on the left side of the road.
- While the Forest Service entrance looks tempting, keep going past it until you see the sign for Atmospheric Science.
- Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
- From the parking lot, follow the path down to the building that says CIRA. The main entrance is on the Northside of the building.
- Take I-25 south to exit number 269B (Mulberry Street and CO-14) and head west.
- After passing through downtown Fort Collins, Mulberry Street will dead end at Overland Trail.
- Make a right turn on Overland Trail and head north for about a 1/2 mile until you arrive at Laporte Avenue.
- Make a left on Laporte Avenue and head west for about a 3/4 mile. You should see the main building appear on the left side of the road.
- While the Forest Service entrance looks tempting, keep going past it until you see the sign for Atmospheric Science.
- Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
- From the parking lot, follow the path down to the building that says CIRA. The main entrance is on the Northside of the building.
Parking Information
Parking at CIRA on the CSU Foothills Campus:
Parking on campus requires a permit. You can purchase hourly or daily parking. https://pts.colostate.edu/visitors/parking/
Hourly parking costs $1.50/hour and can be purchased in the parking lot using the hourly pay machines. The machine for the Foothills Campus is located down off Laport by the Colorado National Guard building. You can also access these pay stations through the Park Mobile application on your mobile phone zone 2017. Have your license plate number ready.
Daily parking permits can be purchased online or at the Parking and Transportation Services located in the Lake Street Garage for $8/day for a Foothills Only Pass