Weather Information for Transportation Safety · Starting with: Tornado climatology Tornadoes can...

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Personal Overview Charles Kuster

Leadville, CO

OU to study meteorology

Leadville, CO

OU to study meteorology

Graduated in 2014 and now work at CIMMS

Focus on weather radar:

Learn more about storms

Work with decision makers to improve science and products

Presentation Purpose:

Review sources of weather info

Weather aware

Prepared

Plan of action before the storms happen

Starting with: Tornado climatology

Tornadoes can happen any month of the year

Peak activity: last week of March through second week of June

Luckily, we have a lot of resources!

Storm Prediction Center (SPC) spc.noaa.gov

Convective Outlooks spc.noaa.gov

May 23, 2018

Convective Outlooks: Day 1 (Today) spc.noaa.gov

Categories

Tornado Probabilities

Severe Wind Probabilities

Severe Hail Probabilities

Issued at 1am CDT, 8:00am CDT, 11:30am CDT, 3pm CDT, and 8pm CDT

1am CDT: May 20, 2013 8pm CDT: May 20, 2013

Issued at 1am CDT, 8:00am CDT, 11:30am CDT, 3pm CDT, and 8pm CDT

8am CDT Tornado Outlook: May 20, 2013

Significant severe weather forecasted

Convective Outlooks: Day 2 (Tomorrow)

spc.noaa.gov

Issued at 1am CDT and 12:30pm CDT Forecast for May 24, 2018

Convective Outlooks: Day 3 (Day After Tomorrow)

spc.noaa.gov

Issued once per day 2:30am CDT Forecast for May 25, 2018

Convective Outlooks: Day 4-8 spc.noaa.gov

Issued once per day at ~3am CDT Forecast for May 2, 2018 (issued on 4/29/18)

Mesoscale Discussions spc.noaa.gov

Mesoscale Discussions

Threat summary

Summary

Likelihood of watch issuance (%)

Mesoscale Discussions

Threat summary

Summary Likelihood of watch issuance (%)

May 20, 2013

Watches spc.noaa.gov

Watches

Watch times

Hazard likelihood

Scroll down for text summary

Watches

More info on hazard probability

Watch: May 20, 2013

Watch times

Hazard likelihood

Scroll down for text summary

National Weather Service (NWS)

122 local offices across country

Daily weather forecasts

Warnings and advisories Tornado warning, severe thunderstorm warning,

winter storm warning, etc.

Oklahoma: Norman

Check back in on forecasts frequently! Forecasts change

Generally better idea as event nears

National Weather Service (NWS) weather.gov

National Weather Service (NWS) weather.gov/oun

National Weather Service (NWS) weather.gov/tsa

National Weather Service (NWS) Example: May 29, 2018

National Weather Service (NWS) Example: May 20, 2013

National Weather Service (NWS) Example: Winter weather

Local forecasts

Current weather

Forecast

Scroll down for detailed text forecast

National Weather Service (NWS): Warnings

Severe thunderstorm, tornado

Severe weather is happening now

Minutes before severe weather could impact you

Take last precautionary steps

Too late for major action

Also issue for other hazards

Flash flood, winter storm, heat advisory, etc.

Severe thunderstorm warning: May 20, 2013

60+ mph winds and/or 1.0” hail expected

Tornado warning: May 20, 2013

Tornado expected. See text for other hazards

Warning text

Warning type and affected counties

Warning time Time, location, movement

Hazard info

Potential impacts

Cities in warning

Action statements

Hazard tags

Warning text

Tornado warning text for May 16, 2017 Elk City tornado

Note that hazard tags indicate if tornado has been observed

Warning text

Severe thunderstorm warning text

Have multiple ways to get warnings

NOAA Weather Radio

In transport center and/or in busses

https://www.weather.gov/oun/radio

Have multiple ways to get warnings

NOAA Weather Radio

In transport center and/or in busses

Phone apps

Weather radio app (WDT)

National Weather Service website

weather.gov

National Weather Service social media

Twitter: @NWSNorman, @NWStulsa

Broadcast radio and/or television

Radar training class for public safety officials

OK-First

http://mesonet.org/index.php/okfirst/

okfirst@mesonet.org

Worth repeating: No overpasses!

Summary Have plan before storms develop (prepare)

SPC and NWS provide forecasts days ahead of storm event

Warnings multiple ways to receive

Lean on NWS and local emergency managers

Richard Smith e mail: richard.smith@noaa.gov

Weather briefing e mail list

Phone: (405) 325-3816 (Norman), 918-838-7838 (Tulsa)

NWS Chat: https://nwschat.weather.gov/

Thanks! charles.kuster@noaa.gov

Weather Information for Transportation Safety · Starting with: Tornado climatology Tornadoes can...

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