National Weather Center Visitor FAQ
Answer: All visitors to the National Weather Center (NWC) must check in with NWC Security staff and be met by a unit representative (point of contact) to be allowed beyond the first floor areas. This security is in place because the NWC follows federal security regulations due to the housing of federal entities in the building.
The easiest way to visit someone who resides in the NWC is to arrange your visit with them. The NWC resident can either meet you at the security desk or alert security to contact them upon your arrival.
Answer: Yes! The NWC Library supports the wider meteorology community in Norman. If you are a visitor to the NWC without approved credentials, (OU, NOAA, or Research Campus ID) you should arrange your visit with the NWC Librarian.
Answer: Anyone and everyone is welcome to eat at the Flying Cow Café. The "Cow" is open to the public during regular operating hours. If you don't have approved identification, (OU, NOAA, or Research Campus ID) simply check in with NWC Security upon your arrival and they will provide you with a visitor badge which must be displayed during your visit.
Answer: The NWC follows federal security regulations due to the housing of federal entities in the building. Visitors, residents, and students must display approved identification while in any public area of the NWC. The NWC Security staff is knowledgeable regarding these types of identification. If you don't have an approved OU, NOAA, or Research Campus ID, a visitor badge will be provided to you upon checking in with NWC Security with a government issued photo ID.
Answer: The NWC prohibits discrimination and/or harassment of anyone regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran, as well as any other characterstics protected under state or federal law.
We expect all students, employees, and participants (inlcuding those not directly affiliated with OU/NWC partners) to abide by the NWC Protocol (pdf) when operating in the NWC or during any NWC-related event.
Answer: There are a limited number of visitor and handicap parking spaces available along the first two rows of the parking lot, closest to the NWC first floor entrance. Signs designate these spaces. The remaining parking spaces at the NWC require a University of Oklahoma-approved parking permit.
Event organizers may work with that NWC Event Coordinator to request special parking accommodations. If you are attending an event at the NWC, check with your event organizer for specific parking options.
Answer: No. Smoking or use any tobacco and/or marijuana product is not permitted in any facility or grounds controlled by the University of Oklahoma.
Answer: Yes. Food arrangements (including delivery and catering) must be coordinated with the NWC Event Manager prior to the event date.
Answer: The tour coordinator will officially confirm your tour once the request is received. You will receive a tour confirmation email with specific tour details (location, parking, regulations, etc.) once your tour is confirmed.
Make sure that you have reviewed the tour descriptions below to select an appropriate tour for which to register your tour party.
1st Floor
- NWC Security
- NWC Atrium
- Science on a Sphere
- Tour Check-In
- Oklahoma Weather Lab (OWL)
- Flying Cow Café
- Vehicle and Equipment Bay
- David L. Boren Auditorium
- NWC Seminar Room
- Founder's Foyer
- NWC Boardroom and Outdoor Patio
2nd Floor
- National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWS)
- Storm Prediction Center (SPC)
- National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
- Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS)
- Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS)
- Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS) scientists and administration
3rd Floor
- NWC Director/A&GS Dean's Office
- A&GS IT Services
- Don Nickels Conference Room
- Bill Nations Distance Learning Lab
4th Floor
- NWC Library
- Center for Autonomous Sensing and Sampling (CASS)
- J.C. Watts Jr. Radar Development Lab
- Ernest J. Istook Jr. WDTB Lab
5th Floor
- OU School of Meteorology
- Jim Giles Synoptic Classroom
- Jonathon Nichols Computing Laboratory
- Frank A. Keating Conference Room and Classroom
Observation Deck
- Mark and Kandi McCasland Roof Top Observatory
