🚀 go-pugleaf

Chris Novy <chris@LIB.SIU.EDU> wrote:


[. . .]
>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.
>

FWIW, one of the providers Kavorous has been purchased by the folks
who have that little "weather report in a box" is it IDT or DTN,
something like that? 

It would be nice if the NWS and the EM community could get together on
distribution of radar images.  Just having an FTP link may not be the
best answer.  When a lot of people are hitting the site through put
drops way off.

>>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.
Our EOC and 9-1-1 center are both underground.  Radar is a true help
to understand what's going on.  We have the basic NIDS product feeds
but mainly use the Base Reflectivity 0.5 tilt when nasty weather is
rolling through.  We know we aren't all that good at real time
interpretation of the other products.  

The R.A.C.E.S. Skywarn net have access to a local TV radar feed and
between that, the NWS being on net we think we do a fairly good job of
positioning spotters.  That is within the limitation of spotters
available at any one given time and where in the city they might be
and where the need is.  

The Police dispatchers use the radar to tell the motorcycle cops when
they should think about heading to the barn.
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