forecasting was done nationally to 54 hours in the future. Charts and maps were created at this facility for national distribution. In July 1954 the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit (JNWPU) was created to test out numerical weather prediction (NWP) techniques by computer. This unit co-located with the WBAN analysis center to form the National Weather Analysis Center, which was located in Suitland, Maryland. When the two units merged, the name changed to the National Meteorological Center (NMC) in January 1958. When the JNWPU dissolved in 1961, NMC became an independent organization from Global Weather Central and Fleet Numerical Weather Central. Research and computer processing abilities increased over the years, which allowed for the first global forecast model to run by June 1966. By January 1975, much of the facility, minus the computers, moved to the World Weather Building, located in nearby Camp Springs, Maryland. NMC changed its name to NCEP, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction on October 1, 1995. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center became a subunit of NCEP, as did a number of other national centers such as the Climate Prediction Center (CPC), Environmental Modeling Center (EMC), National Hurricane Center (NHC), Ocean Prediction Center (OPC), Storm Prediction Center (SPC), Aviation Weather Center (AWC), NCEP Central Operations, and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). During August 2012, HPC moved to a new building, the National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP), in College Park, Maryland. The following year, on March 5, 2013, HPC changed its name to the Weather Prediction Center. Mission The mission of the WPC is to provide forecast, guidance, and analysis products and services to support the daily public forecasting activities of the NWS and its customers, and to provide tailored support to other government agencies in emergency and special situations. Products and services Quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) The QPF desks prepare and issue forecasts of accumulating (quantitative) precipitation, heavy rain, heavy snow, and highlights areas with the potential for flash flooding, with forecasts valid over the following five days. These products are sent to the National Weather Service forecast offices and are available on the Internet for public use. Heavy snow forecast products, in association with the short-range public forecast products (described below), serve as a coordinating mechanism for the national winter storm watch and warning program. One desk of the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) is co-located with the WPC