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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →NOAA’s February 20, 2020 announcement described a planned upgrade to its operational weather and climate computing: two Cray supercomputers, each designed for 12 petaflops, with one in Manassas, Virginia, and a backup in Phoenix, Arizona. NOAA said the systems would triple operational computing capacity and double storage and interconnect speed. Later agency updates reported different operating figures, so the 2020 plan should not be mistaken for a current specification—or for proof that hardware alone improved forecast accuracy.
What NOAA announced in 2020
NOAA’s February 20, 2020 announcement called for two Cray systems in its Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System (WCOSS): a primary system in Manassas, Virginia, and a backup in Phoenix, Arizona. Each was planned for 12 petaflops. NOAA also projected 40 petaflops in combined capacity for operational prediction and research.
The agency said the planned upgrade would triple operational computing capacity while doubling storage and interconnect speed. NOAA expected the systems to be ready to implement model upgrades by early 2022, after software migration and testing. Those were plans and targets stated in 2020, not descriptions of the systems’ later operating configuration.
What more computing capacity was intended to enable
Weather models perform calculations over a three-dimensional grid of the atmosphere and other parts of the Earth system. More computing capacity can support finer-resolution simulations, larger ensembles of forecasts, more complex model physics, and improved data assimilation—the process of incorporating observations into a model’s starting conditions.
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NOAA presented the upgrade as infrastructure for putting research and development into operational forecasting, including advances to the U.S. Global Forecast System (GFS). The agency also connected the added capacity to the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC), intended to help the wider weather community contribute to model development. NOAA’s Weather Program Office described EPIC as using cloud computing and the Unified Forecast System community modeling approach to make contributions easier across sectors; see its EPIC partnership description.
These are capabilities and goals, not a quantified promise of better forecast skill. More computing power can make certain modeling approaches practical, but forecast performance also depends on the model’s science, observations, data assimilation, and operational changes. NOAA’s cited announcements do not isolate how much any change in accuracy resulted from the hardware alone.
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How the reported capacity changed
NOAA published updated figures as the systems were inaugurated and later upgraded. The numbers refer to different dates and scopes; in particular, combined totals include research systems as well as operational prediction computing, and should not be treated as the capacity of one machine.
| NOAA report | Operational systems | Combined operational and research capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 plan, announced February 20, 2020 | 12 petaflops planned for each of two systems | 40 petaflops planned |
| 2022 inauguration, reported June 28, 2022 | 12.1 petaflops per system | 42 petaflops |
| 2023 update, reported August 10, 2023 | 14.5 petaflops per operational system after a reported 20% WCOSS capacity expansion | 49 petaflops |
The 2022 report named the Manassas system Dogwood and the Phoenix system Cactus, describing them as the primary and backup systems respectively. It identified them as Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Cray supercomputers designed and operated by General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). NOAA’s June 28, 2022 inauguration report gives the 12.1-petaflop and 42-petaflop figures. Its August 10, 2023 update reports the later expansion and 14.5- and 49-petaflop figures. These are dated agency reports, not verified specifications for 2026.
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What the systems supported after the announcement
NOAA’s 2022 inauguration report said the systems would enable a GFS upgrade and support the planned Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS). In 2023, NOAA reported that HAFS had become operational in July and also described an upgrade to storm-surge forecasting. Together, these reports show how the infrastructure was intended to make model changes possible and how NOAA later connected capacity to operational modeling work; they do not measure the hardware’s independent effect on forecast outcomes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who procured and operated the systems
In 2020, NOAA said the National Weather Service conducted a full and open competition and awarded the managed-service contract to CSRA LLC, a General Dynamics Information Technology company. Rather than purchasing only machines, NOAA described an arrangement in which the contractor would own and provide the supplies and services, including labor, facilities, and computing components.
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The announced contract had an eight-year base term and a two-year optional renewal. The first task order covered five years of products and services. NOAA’s later reporting refers to GDIT and identifies the systems as HPE Cray supercomputers.
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What the capacity figures do—and do not—tell you
- Petaflops describe computing throughput. They are a measure of potential floating-point operations per second, not a direct score for forecast quality.
- Operational and combined totals have different scopes. The 2020, 2022, and 2023 combined figures include research computing as well as operational prediction; they are not per-system figures.
- Primary and backup are complementary roles. NOAA described the Manassas and Phoenix systems as a paired operational arrangement, not two unrelated products being compared.
- Capacity is an enabler, not an accuracy guarantee. The cited NOAA announcements do not provide a causal estimate of forecast-skill improvement attributable solely to the computer upgrade.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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