Applications of PSL Science from across the Lab

Andrea Ray

NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory

Tuesday, Jun 23, 2026, 2:00 pm MT
DSRC Room GC402

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Abstract

The Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL)'s research portfolio includes a wide range of use-inspired research and has a rich history of this work being transitioned into use. This knowledge and technical research findings range across several themes and types of applications. They are used across all NOAA line offices and externally by academia, other agencies and organizations.

This seminar will look across PSL at the ways our work is being applied and transitioned. These include innovations currently or in the process of formally transitioning to the National Weather Service (NWS) operations including to the Unified Forecast System, new product types such as the Evaporative Demand Drought Index now at the Climate Prediction Center, a suite of contributions to wildfire predictions; and developing enhanced subseasonal to seasonal high tide flooding outlooks expected to transition to the National Ocean Service. In addition to operational transitions, a significant type of transfer is applications of research and knowledge, including experimental predictions and guidance which push the envelope on NOAA’s forecast capabilities and are often available directly to users products that support decisionmaking in and beyond NOAA. Other research to applications (R2A) examples include experimental products being considered by practitioners and decision makers including marine heat waves and S2S ocean forecasts used by NOAA Fisheries and Arctic sea ice used by the NWS. Analysis tools developed by PSL are widely used to diagnose, analyze and visualize observations and model output – which themselves are provided to the research & operations communities. Furthermore, PSL’s field programs and observations contribute to understanding of physical processes and model improvements.

The presentation will also discuss how PSL’s applications can be categorized across themes including NOAA Research (OAR) and NOAA science and strategic priorities, in particular, too much and too little water. Furthermore, there are often unexpected outcomes and spinoff benefits beyond the anticipated outcomes. PSL often gets asked how its work is used. The intent of describing PSL research in these ways is to tell a comprehensive story about the impact of PSL research.

Bio: Andrea Ray is a scientist at the NOAA Research Physical Sciences Lab (PSL), a coordinator for the NWS/OAR Hydrometeorological Testbed, and serves on the NOAA West Regional Collaboration Team. She conducts interdisciplinary studies of the needs of natural resource and other decision makers for weather, water and climate knowledge to better inform them about critical environmental vulnerabilities. She works to apply NOAA research in applications and use in a variety of contexts (R2X), as well as feeding back needs to research and (X2R). Dr. Ray often serves as a connector or translator between the weather and climate research/info and the practitioners and researchers who use/could use it, including serving as a technical expert and participant in planning and policy teams. She holds a PhD in Geography and an Environmental Policy Certificate from the University of Colorado.