The National Severe Storms Laboratory (or NSSL) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather research laboratory located at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. NSSL investigates all aspects of severe weather to improve severe weather warnings and forecasts in order to save lives and reduce property damage. Research areas include weather radar, automated algorithm detection tools for use with weather radar, and basic tornado research to understand how tornadoes form.
NSSL scientists developed the first Doppler weather radar, and have since contributed to the development of NEXRAD, as well as research mobile radar systems.
NSSL also works with the Storm Prediction Center to help verify and improve severe weather forecasting.