🚀 go-pugleaf

Kevin Heyboer <kd4uyr@gte.net> wrote...

>Regarding the radar pic...there are only four vendors in the world that
>can provide real time NEXRAD because of the contract between the NWS and
>those companies....WSI and Accuweather are two those companies.

This government agreement is about to expire.  It's very possible that
NWS offices will be allowed to release their radar images via FTP after
the new agreement is negotiated.  The big vendors will still have a
greater range of value-added products to provide but at least the public
will have access to some (if not most) of the radar images for free.

>However, please explain the purpose of having real time radar at an
>EOC....few, if any, emergency managers have the training to properly
>interpret what they are seeing, and typically the only "real time"
>product you can receive is the base echo.....NWS forecasters use several
>different modes to interpret the incoming weather.

There is a real danger in releasing data without proper training.  However,
my biggest reason for supporting the release of radar data is that it allows
emergency managers to know where there storms are, which way each storm
is actually moving, and when they will impact the area.  TWC radar is often
15 or more minutes behind the radar feed we receive at our EOC.  Live radar
data allows EMs to better position spotters so they're not wasting their
time watching "wimpy" cells.  In my part of the country we rarely see
storm structure.  We often have a stratiform overcast and poor visibility
due to haze and evapotranspiration byproducts.  This makes visually
distinguishing between weak and strong storms very difficult.   Radar
provides a clear view  --allowing EMs to position spotters on those storms
most likely to be producing severe weather.

>And, finally, on the average day, do you have someone in the EOC?  Our
>EOC is connected to the 911 Emergency Communication Center, but the
>actual EOC is not manned...

We are mandated to activate the EOC for all watches and warnings.  We have
the authority to stand down if we feel the threat has passed but we are
required to activate upon initial notification.

>.....and in a state that has thunderstorms every
>third day on average....and virtually every day in the summer...they
>don't get real concerned about the weather until AFTER damage and/or
>injuries have occurred, with the exception of hurricanes.

It all has to do with threat perception.  A minor earth tremor sends
people panicking around here  --we're all still waiting for Iben Browning's
8.5 to swallow Memphis.   In L.A. I would imagine minor tremors are just a
part of living in California.  I know of a number of EOCs that do not open
until after a disaster strikes.  They feel that fire and police can handle
the initial response to any "weather emergency" and only when things
exceed the response capability (either in terms of resources or duration)
does the EOC open and the situation becomes a "disaster operation".

..Chris..
*====================================================================*
Chris Hayes Novy - WA9V   Internet: chris@siu.edu
Southern Illinois Univ.             chris@lib.siu.edu
Sr. Systems Analyst          Phone: (618) 453-1683 (work)
Morris Library                      (618) 457-6149 (home)
Carbondale, IL 62901-6632      FAX: (618) 453-3440
*====================================================================*

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