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Operations of the Lincoln National Weather Service
The short term forecaster has the following responsibilities:
- Issues aviation terminal forecasts for airports at Bloomington, Champaign, Decatur, Peoria, and Springfield, and the air route forecast for the Chicago to St. Louis corridor.
- Monitors the forecast for the next few hours for accuracy, updating as necessary.
- Issues Short Term Forecasts for adverse weather conditions across the Lincoln coverage area.
- Issues the Hazardous Weather Outlook, transmitted 3 times a day.
- Issues river forecast products.
The short term forecaster is also responsible for monitoring thunderstorm development for the possibility of severe weather or flash flooding. Usually, this will be expected in advance, and off-duty personnel (or people at the office who are not assigned forecast shifts that day) will be called in to assist with (or take over) this function. This position is staffed 24 hours a day, using 8-hour shifts (midnight to 8 AM, 8 AM to 4 PM, and 4 PM to midnight).
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