NOAA Shifts Weather Modeling to Cloud Computing
The agency is moving its high-performance supercomputing operations to the cloud to modernize weather forecasting systems.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Forecasts
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NOAA is migrating its high-performance computing operations to Google Cloud to overcome data storage limitations. This transition aims to improve the agency's ability to process complex climate models and weather data.
Why it matters
Current physical infrastructure forces NOAA to delete vital data due to transmission limits. Moving to the cloud provides the flexibility required to support evolving modeling technologies.
NOAA currently operates two physical WCOSS supercomputers, each capable of 14.5 petaflops. These systems support 122 local weather forecast offices that currently rely on physical Linux workstations to process data.
The players
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a United States federal agency that manages weather forecasting and climate research.
Google Cloud
Google Cloud is a suite of cloud computing services that serves as the primary provider for the WCOSS modernization project.
Neil Jacobs
Neil Jacobs is an expert who recently addressed the data limitations of the current weather infrastructure at a industry summit.
The details
The agency is moving away from on-premises hardware to a more scalable cloud environment. This infrastructure shift will eventually replace the reliance on local workstations for data processing at regional forecast offices.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Neil Jacobs discussed current data deletion issues at a Google summit in Washington, D.C.
End of 2026: The agency aims to have a full-scale cloud system for high-performance computing available.
End of 2027: The new high-performance computing system is expected to go live.
Early 2028: NOAA plans to migrate the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System to the cloud.
Seasonal Patterns
The transition represents a fundamental shift for the Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System. This update marks a move away from static physical infrastructure toward dynamic, high-capacity digital frameworks.
The modernization will enable more accurate and faster weather forecasting capabilities for the 122 local offices nationwide. This initiative ensures that vital weather data is preserved rather than deleted, leading to better safety information for the public.
The takeaway
Cloud migration allows the agency to eliminate data deletion bottlenecks that currently hinder operational efficiency. This shift ensures researchers can better leverage modern computing power to track and predict weather patterns.
What happens next
NOAA expects the cloud-based high-performance computing system to go live by the end of 2027, followed by the migration of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System in early 2028.
Further reading
For more on the latest atmospheric models and forecasting initiatives, visit the United States Forecasts section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nextgov.
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