Road Weather Management Program
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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

Title:

Development of ARROWS: Automated Real-Time Road Weather System

Abstract:

Under contract to the Washington State DOT, researchers at the University of Washington developed a capability to gather data from the many networks of weather instrumentation around the state. They integrated these data into a user-friendly format and developed a website for data display. The original website, called rWeather, is available on the Internet for public viewing, as well as for use by maintenance personnel. The second generation of this product is available as the WSDOT Traffic and Weather page, also on the Internet. However, neither rWeather nor the Traffic and Weather websites provide key forecast information needed by decision makers. The university researchers developed a new capability for maintenance operations decision making. The product, the Automated Real-Time Road Weather System, takes numerical weather prediction output and presents the forecast information in a format for easy use and understanding by maintenance personnel. The high-resolution modeled output, the integration of other weather information sources, and the development of the presentation format are described. Initial results from the first winter's operational use by WSDOT personnel are also discussed.

Source(s):

6th International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology, Transportation Research Circular, No. E-C063

http://trb.org/publications/circulars/ec063.pdf

Date: 2004

Author:

Boselly

Keywords:


Road Weather Information System (RWIS)
Internet/web site
Forecast/Prediction
Decision support
Winter maintenance
Observing network

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