Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act

This bill aims to make U.S. weather and climate forecasts more accurate and timely by having the Department of Energy and NOAA work together and invest in advanced computing. It directs NOAA to use artificial intelligence and machine learning, build “centers of excellence,” and, where useful, explore quantum computing to improve forecast accuracy and detail . It focuses on dangerous weather and water events—like hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, winter storms, extreme heat or cold, wildfires, drought, fog, high winds, and river or coastal flooding—so communities can get better warnings and information.

The bill also requires long-term planning and public input. NOAA must publish a 10-year plan within one year, update it every five years until 2035, and brief Congress each year until 2030. The plan must cover computing needs for things like fisheries management, ocean and ecological forecasting; current resources and partnerships; use of cloud and AI; workforce needs; and even products delayed because of limited computing power. Within two years, NOAA and the Department of Energy must report on the value of more detailed, risk-focused forecasts for hazardous events, what computing and data systems are needed, and a timeline to put them in place. The bill also allows multi-year contracts to maintain and improve high-performance and cloud computing systems that support this work.

Key points

• Who is affected: People in areas hit by severe storms, winter weather, extreme heat or cold, wildfires, drought, fog, high winds, and flooding; users of ocean and ecological forecasts; and NOAA’s science and tech workforce .
• What changes: More use of AI and advanced computing; new or expanded centers of excellence; possible quantum computing partnerships; a detailed 10-year computing plan; and regular updates and briefings .
• When: Plan due within 1 year; yearly briefings through 2030; plan updates every 5 years through 2035; major report due within 2 years .