DTC - Developmental Testbed Center

A joint NCAR-NOAA facility supporting the NWP community through tools, testing, and evaluation of new models and techniques for use in research & operations. Fundamental Purpose Of DTC: To serve as a bridge between research and operations to facilitate the activities of both halves of the NWP Community in pursuit of their own objectives: • Research community gets a functionally similar operational environment to test and evaluate new NWP methods in retrospective extended period tests using advanced tools • Operational community benefits from DTC testing and evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of new NWP advances prior to consideration for operational implementation DTC's Goals Are To: • Link Research and Operational Communities • Speed transition of research results into operations • Accelerate improvement in weather forecasts • Develop and test promising new NWP techniques • Provide an opportunity for NWP community to perform cycled or real-time tests of model and data assimilation systems