or marine environmental data, or quantifiable gaps in such data, to improve the understanding of air-sea interactions. (8) Support the National Weather Service in reaching its target of a 30-minute warning time for severe weather through better predictive model algorithms driven by increasingly effective observations. (9) Coordinate with existing Administration data used for forecasts, including data from the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, the Integrated Ocean Observing System, the Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program, the National Data Buoy Center, and the National Ocean Service. (10) Identify and communicate to the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and other partners priorities of research and development needed to advance observations in the Program. (11) Support the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network in acquiring soil moisture and related data to support the development of decision-support products and other information services. (c) Financial and technical assistance (1) In general In furtherance of the Program, the Under Secretary may, to the extent amounts are made available, award up to 15 percent of the Program’s annual appropriations for financial assistance to State, Tribal, private, and academic entities seeking to build, expand, or upgrade equipment and capacity of mesonet systems. Financial assistance under this subsection may be made in coordination with and in addition to awards from other Federal agencies. (2) Agreements Before receiving financial assistance under paragraph (1), the State, Tribal, private, or academic entity seeking financial assistance under this subsection shall enter into an agreement with the Under Secretary to provide data to the Program, subject to verification by the Program of the relative operational value and evaluation of the cost of such data, for use in weather prediction, severe weather warnings, and emergency response. (3) Assistance and other support The Under Secretary may provide technical