Deadline: 27-Aug-2025
The Pacific International Training Desk (PITD), a long-standing initiative based at the University of Hawaiʻi in Honolulu, continues to serve as a critical training platform for developing the forecasting capabilities of hydro-meteorologists across the Pacific Islands.
Originally established in 2001 by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), PITD is one of the United States’ key contributions to the World Meteorological Organization’s Voluntary Cooperation Program. Its core mission is to provide foundational weather forecasting skills with a special focus on tropical meteorology.
This program was designed to meet a pressing need in the Pacific, where trained forecasters are few, turnover is high, and communities are frequently exposed to severe weather events like tropical cyclones, tsunamis, and floods. Over the years, PITD has grown into a multi-faceted training initiative offering one-on-one forecasting mentorship, e-learning modules, instructor-led training at NOAA’s Weather Forecast Office in Honolulu, regional roving workshops, and communications technology deployment and training.
The training journey begins with e-learning courses tailored for weather forecasters, ensuring all participants arrive at the instructor-led sessions with a solid base of knowledge. Those who complete the standard training program receive not only advanced forecasting instruction but also a laptop preloaded with critical forecasting tools and resources. Graduates then benefit from in-region workshops that deliver hands-on, location-specific training to enhance their skills further.
One of the program’s unique and vital aspects is the focus on improving communication capabilities throughout the vast and remote Pacific region. In collaboration with emerging technologies like the Sponberg Chatty Beetle, PITD helps ensure that even the most isolated communities can receive timely weather updates and warnings. These devices also allow remote islands to transmit daily observations, contributing essential data to the regional forecasting system and improving response coordination during emergencies.
With a projected funding envelope of approximately $3 million over five years—contingent on federal appropriations—the program is expected to expand its reach and impact. However, initial funding is currently confirmed only for the first three years. Selected applicants may be awarded multi-year grants that are incrementally funded, with continued support dependent on federal budgets.
Institutions eligible to apply for funding include U.S.-based higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, state and local governments, tribal entities, commercial organizations, U.S. territories, and federal agencies with the authority to conduct research of this nature. The initiative aligns with NOAA’s broader mission to enhance global weather resilience and ensure that all communities, regardless of their remoteness, have access to timely and reliable weather forecasts.
In a region as dispersed and vulnerable as the Pacific, the Pacific International Training Desk continues to be an essential bridge between science, policy, and preparedness—helping to save lives, protect property, and build long-term climate resilience across island nations.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
