Name: James Wagner

Q: Where in NOAA do you work now?
A: I started by work in what was then still called the Weather Bureau back in 1965, in the Extended Forecast Division under Jerome Namias, one of the fathers of long range weather forecasting. I worked in FOB4 in Suitland, and was there until many of the operations were transferred to the World Weather Building in Camp Springs in the early 1970's. I now have the position of Senior Forecaster in the Climate Operations Branch of the Climate Prediction Center of NCEP, and still spend most of my time participating in the various types of extended and long range forecasts issued by the Center.

Q: Looking back, what events stand out as the most memorable during your time with NOAA?
A: It is hard to pick a single event that stands out, but the increased awareness of the importance of climate and weather on our economy and way of life has boosted the awareness in and importance of our products to the general public.

Q: From your point of view, what have been the most significant changes NOAA has experienced during the past 30 years?
A:  At least within the area of long range forecasting with which I am most familiar, the most significant event or series of related events is the discoveries of how anomalies of sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific influence the climate over the U.S. and may other parts of the world. This ENSO (El Nino - Southern Oscillation) phenomenon, as it is called, is not only quite well understood now but can actually be predicted with a fair degree of accuracy several months in advance, giving a sounder physical basis to more accurate long range weather and climate forecasts then ever thought possible in the past.

This page updated on: Monday, 07-Jan-2002 21:42:02 GMT
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