EMC Verification, Post-Processing and Product Generation (VPPPG) Branch The Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) Verification, Post-Processing and Product Generation (VPPPG) Branch works collaboratively with the community to conduct diagnostic verification studies of model performance on weather and climate time and space scales; processing and quality control of observations; evaluation of new observing systems for the atmosphere, ocean, land surface and cryosphere; data impact studies to evaluate potential improvements in forecast skill with new or improved observing systems; production of ensemble products using models from EMC and external partners; post-processing of model output and generation of products for use by internal and external users and partners. The VPPPG Branch publishes research results in various media for dissemination to the world oceanographic and meteorological community.

VPPPG BRANCH OBJECTIVES:
- To consolidates verification and evaluation functions to more efficiently and consistently support all modeling groups
- Removes evaluation functions from model science chain of command, insuring independent evaluations

VPPPG BRANCH FUNCTIONS:
- Conduct diagnostic verification studies of model performance on weather and climate time and space scales
- Processing and quality control of observations
- Evaluation of new observing systems for the atmosphere, ocean, land-surface and cryosphere
- Data impact studies to evaluate potential improvements in forecast skill with new or improved observing systems
- Ensemble products using models from EMC and external partners
- Post-processing of model output and generation of products for use by internal and external users and partners

LEADERSHIP

VPPPG BRANCH CHIEF, JASON LEVIT

Jason Levit had his start as an undergraduate researcher at the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms in 1991, Jason’s career focus has been on creating tools and technologies to assist scientists and information technology professionals in solving problems related to hazardous weather prediction. Jason’s career focus has been on creating tools and technologies to assist scientists and information technology professionals in solving problems related to hazardous weather prediction. He joins EMC from the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), where he has been leading the development of the new Weather Information Statistical Post-processing System (WISPS) for the Meteorological Development Lab (MDL) at NWS HQs. Prior to his job at CIRA working with MDL, Jason held private sector positions at Weather Analytics as the Director of Data Science, and at Mitre as a Development Meteorologist. Before that, Jason held positions at several organizations in the NWS, including the Office of Science and Technology (OST), the Aviation Weather Center, and the Storm Prediction Center. Prior to NWS, he held research positions at the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS) and Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS), both in Norman, OK on the campus of Oklahoma University, where he received a B.S. and M.S. in Meteorology.