National Weather Center, Research center in Norman, United States
The National Weather Center is a research facility in Norman, Oklahoma, with a five-story building containing about 250,000 square feet of space dedicated to weather research and forecasting operations. The complex houses offices, laboratory facilities, and control rooms where multiple organizations work together daily to produce weather forecasts and monitor severe weather events.
The facility opened in 2006 through a partnership between federal agencies and the University of Oklahoma to bring together weather researchers and operational teams under one roof. This consolidation marked a turning point in pooling resources for national weather and severe weather operations.
The center brings together scientists, researchers, and students from multiple organizations to advance meteorological understanding and improve weather predictions. This collaboration between different institutions shapes the daily operations and research culture at the facility.
The center is located on the University of Oklahoma campus and is easily accessible from the parking area. Visitors should know that daily operations take priority, so access options and visiting hours may be limited.
The Storm Prediction Center housed in the building monitors and forecasts severe weather events like tornadoes and thunderstorms across the continental region. This unit is known for issuing alerts that protect millions of people daily, often with only hours of advance notice.
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