The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has collaborated with General Dynamics‘ information technology business to expand the computing power and storage capacity of NOAA’s Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System by 20 percent.
Updates to WCOSS machines Dogwood and Cactus will allow users to process complex forecast models, with both machines working to process 29 quadrillion calculations per second at a speed of 14.5 petaflops, NOAA said Thursday.
General Dynamics Information Technology architected the identical supercomputers under a potential 10-year, $505 million contract announced in February 2020.
The enhancements were made to accommodate future additions such as a higher resolution image of the U.S. Global Forecast System and the launch of a Rapid Refresh Forecast System.
“As we continue to experience increasingly extreme weather events, every advancement in weather forecasting is critical,” said Mariano Alicea, vice president and general manager for aerospace and atmospherics at GDIT. “This expansion enables the National Weather Service to further improve its forecasts, better respond to severe weather events, and build the nation’s climate resilience.”
GDIT-operated Dogwood and Cactus are on the world’s fastest supercomputers list, as compiled by technology website Top500.
