§8514 Hurricane forecast improvement program

Summary

Run a project to make hurricane forecasts and warnings better. The Under Secretary must do this with help from the U.S. weather industry and suitable universities. The project must aim to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic damage by making forecasts more accurate. It must focus on predicting rapid intensification and storm tracks, improving storm surge forecasts and how they are communicated, using risk-communication research to make clearer watches and warnings, and testing new kinds of observations like acoustic or infrasonic sensors. No later than 1 year after April 18, 2017, the Under Secretary, through the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and after consulting the National Weather Service director, must make a plan that lists the needed research, development, technology transfer, resources, and timelines to meet these goals.