A winter storm warning provides NOAA customers and partners advanced notice of a hazardous winter weather event that endangers life or property or provides an impediment to commerce. Winter storm warnings are issued for winter weather phenomena like blizzards, ice storms, heavy sleet, and heavy snow. This performance indicator measures the accuracy of winter storm events. Improving the accuracy and advance warnings of winter storms enables the public to take the necessary steps to prepare for disruptive winter weather conditions.

This indicator reflects the value, relevance, and usefulness of NIST research facilities to industry users. NIST research facilities are unique capabilities that can be leveraged through partnerships with businesses, especially manufacturers, to accelerate discovery and commercialization of innovative products. This indicator counts the number of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements between industry and NIST laboratories, as well as the number of industrial institutions that use the NIST user facilities (NIST Center for Neutron Research and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology).

This metric measures the level of customer service provided by the Office of Space Commerce to the U.S. commercial space industry and other external stakeholders in response to specific requests for support. This metric applies only to major requests requiring application of labor hours or other resources towards the investigation, coordination, and resolution of policy/regulatory issues or achievement of activities that promote the interests of U.S. space companies.