🚀 go-pugleaf

REORGANIZE RACES and SKYWARN?

A point was raised during the FEMA Tornado Emergency seminar broadcast
this morning on C-SPAN2 that relates directly to the current
organization of SKYWARN at the local level.

Don Burgess and Joseph Golden both pointed out that spotters are most
needed in rural areas.  This is because WSR-88D coverage is best near
larger cities, where the radars are located.  Due to the characteristics
of the radar beam, doppler resolution of wind speeds and reflectivity
signatures degrades with increased distance from the radar.  The
probability of detecting a tornado using doppler radar is directly
effected by these factors.

Currently, most SKYWARN organizations, especially those organized under
RACES, are under either county or city control.  In many cases, such as
with Dallas County RACES, the focus of the group is within the county.
Typically, SKYWARN nets are shut down when storm activity moves out of
Dallas County into the surrounding rural counties.  (There are a few
dedicated spotters from Dallas County who will track stronger storms
outside of the county.)

Since the probability of detecting a tornado using the WSR-88D is lower
outside of the Metroplex (DFW) area and decreases as the distance from
the radar site increases, the need for trained SKYWARN spotters is
greater in the rural areas where spotter resources are less.  (I use the
DFW area only as an example and assume that there are other SKYWARN
groups that behave in a similar fashion.)

As a result of these factors, it is time to consider a basic
reorganization of RACES and SKYWARN, changing from a local organization
controlled by a city or county government to a regional organization.
The governmental focus of responsibility should be either the National
Weather Service Forecast Office (NWSFO) with warning responsibility for
the location or a state controlled multi-county organization that
parallels NWSFO responsibility.

In some areas of the country, this regional approach is already
practiced.  But, in many areas it is not.  A standard approach is
needed.

Comments?

Sam Barricklow K5KJ

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