# Presentation: 939792

## Are You Ready forSevere Weather?

- Jeff Last
- NOAA National Weather Service

- Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act

- March 18, 2008

## Are You Ready?

- The National Weather Service
- Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act
- Watching the Storm
- Weather Terminology
- Receiving Weather Information
- What the NWS Can Do for You

**Today’s Presentation**

## Weather Decision Advisors:National Weather Service

## The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency in the Federal Government.  The NWS is in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Department of Commerce.

## The National Weather Service is responsible for issuing forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.

## The NWS in Wisconsin

**Minneapolis**

***Green Bay***

***Weather Forecast Office******and Doppler radar***
***locations***

**La Crosse**

***MN***

***IA***

- Five offices serve
- 72 counties, rivers, and marine areas of Wisconsin.
- Each office has a
- Doppler radar, which gives meteorologists a unique view of storms.

**Milwaukee/Sullivan**

**Duluth**

***Green Bay***

**The NWS in Wisconsin**

**National Weather Service:**

## The NWS in Green Bay

**The NWS in Green Bay**

**National Weather Service:**

## The NWS in Green Bay

- 22 staff members
- -12 meteorologists
- - 5 forecaster assistants
- - Electronics Technicians
- - IT Support

**The NWS in Green Bay**

**National Weather Service:**

## Are You Ready for a Storm:Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act

## Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act

**Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act**

- 	The key to saving lives and protecting property is preparing for  all weather hazards...

## Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act

**Parsons Manufacturing Plant**140 employees inside

**Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act**

**Notes:**
This is an example how trained spotters saved lives.
On July 13, 2004, a severe thunderstorm moved across central Illinois toward the city of Roanoke.

**F4 tornado!**

**Notes:**
An F4 tornado developed just west of the Parsons Mfg Plant.  Five minutes before it hit, spotters notified the plant, and over 120 employees sought shelter in pre-designated shelters.

## No deaths or injuries: Preparation, knowledge, and action saved lives!

**Notes:**
Nobody died in this storm.

## Plant had a weather safety plan.
Plant had designated weather watchers.
Weather safety plan was tested regularly – employees knew what to do and where to go when a real tornado threatened.

- Plant had designated weather watchers.
- Weather safety plan was tested regularly – employees knew what to do and where to go when a real tornado threatened.

**Plan, Practice, Monitor, Act**

## Storms on the Horizon:Watching the Storm

## Watching the Storm

- 	**Storm spotters** and **weather watchers** are volunteers that help communities and the NWS watch storms.  They provide valuable lead time to businesses, large gatherings, and the public.

## Storm Spotters

- The National Weather Service (NWS) has a network of trained storm spotters who keep an eye to the sky.
- Spotters report severe weather to NWS and local officials.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Storm Spotters

- NWS Doppler Radar shows forecasters where significant weather _might_ be occurring.
- Spotters tell NWS forecasters exactly what _is_ occurring.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Storm Spotters

- Note:  Spotters plotted on map are    those who accept phone calls     from NWS.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Storm Spotters

- Training, sponsored by local emergency management and the NWS, is held every spring across northeast Wisconsin.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Designated Weather Watchers

- Businesses, hospitals, schools, churches, and other places where a large number of people gather should designate a “weather watcher” when severe weather threatens.
- The weather watcher should have a weather radio handy, a view to the outside, and a method to alert building/area occupants.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Designated Weather Watchers

- When a warning is issued or a tornado is observed, the weather watcher can alert everyone of the hazard so protective action can be taken.
- Weather watchers don’t have to be trained spotters, but should consider it.

**Watching the Storm:**

## Storms in the Forecast: Weather Terminology

## NWS Watches and Warnings

- The National Weather Service uses **Watches**, **Warnings**, and **Advisories** to alert the public of weather hazards.
**Watch**:  Severe weather is _possible_.  Stay tuned to your weather info source for later forecasts.
**Warning**:  Severe weather is _likely_ or already occurring, possibly life threatening.
**Advisory**:  A weather hazard that will cause an inconvenience, but is not life threatening if proper precautions are taken.

**Weather Terminology:**

## Watches

| CONVECTIVE & HYDRO EVENTS | WHEN ISSUED |
| --- | --- |
| SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH | Thunderstorms with winds 50 kts and/or hail 3/4 inch or larger are possible in and close to the watch area |
| TORNADO WATCH | Severe thunderstorms with tornadoes are possible in or close to the watch area |
| FLOOD / FLASH FLOOD WATCH | Flooding that produces life/property threat is possible |
| COLD-SEASON EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| WINTER STORM WATCH | Winter weather conditions that pose a threat to life are possible |
| NON-PRECIPITATION EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| HIGH WIND WATCH | Sustained winds 40+ mph (35 kts) for 1 hr or more, or any gust 58+ mph (50 kts) are possible |
| EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH | Heat Index > 110°F for 3 or more hrs (80°F at night if prolonged event) is possible |

**Watches**

**Weather Terminology:**

## Warnings and Advisories

| CONVECTIVE & HYDRO EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| --- | --- |
| SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING | Winds 50 kts (58 mph or implied by damage), and/or hail 3/4 inch |
| TORNADO WARNING | Tornado occurring or developing |
| FLASH FLOOD WARNING | Flooding that produces life/property threat in 0-6 hrs |
| FLOOD WARNING | Flooding that lasts 6 hrs or more; flooding that affects mainstem rivers; usu. a threat to property |
| URBAN/SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY | Inconvenience flooding in 0-24 hrs  |

| MARINE EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| --- | --- |
| SPECIAL MARINE WARNING | Winds (convective or non-conv) 34 kts for 2 hrs or less  |
| GALE WARNING | Sustained winds 34 to 47 kts or freq gusts 38 to 47 kts |
| STORM WARNING | Sustained winds 48 to 64 kts or freq gusts 50 to 64 kts |
| HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING | Sustained winds 65+ kts |
| LAKESHORE WARNING | Significant lakeshore flooding, erosion, ice jam, or seiche |
| SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY | Winds 22-33 kts and/or waves > 4 ft |

**Warnings and Advisories**

**Weather Terminology:**

## Warnings and Advisories

| COLD-SEASON EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| --- | --- |
| WINTER STORM WARNING
Event-specific warnings such as: HEAVY SNOW WARNING, SLEET WARNING, LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING will be issued if only one event is expected | ☞ Winter Strm Warn: A combo of two of the following: heavy snow, sleet, and/or freezing rain/drzl
☞ Winter Strm Warn: Snow or lake-effect snow squall accms 6 inches within 12 hrs, or 8 inches within 24 hrs, with winds 25 mph, producing blowing snow
☞ Hvy Snow/Lk Effect Warn: Heavy snow with winds less than 25 mph and little/no blowing snow
☞ Forecaster Discretion: Winter Storm Warn for lesser amts in shorter time pd w/ blwg snow 
☞ Sleet Warn: Sleet accums of > 1 inch in 12 hours or less  |
| BLIZZARD WARNING | Sustained winds or freq gusts 35 mph and falling/blowing snow with vsby near 1/4 mile or less 
for 3 hrs (only blowing snow needed for ground blizzard) |
| ICE STORM WARNING | Ice accum over 1/4 inch in 12 hours or less |
| WIND CHILL WARNING | Wind chills 35 below or colder with at least 10 mph wind |
| WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
Event specific advisories such as: snow, lake-effect snow, sleet, freezing rain, blowing snow will be issued if only one event is expected  | ☞ Winter Wx Advy: Sig. mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain/drizzle
☞ Snow/Lk Effect Snow Advy: Snow accums 3 to 5 inches within 12 hrs
☞ Sleet Advy: Sleet accums 1/2 to 1 inch in 12 hours or less
☞ Freezing Rain Advy: Light freezing rn or freezing drzl with ice accum < 1/4 inch in 12 hr or less
☞ Winter Wx Advy: Wind driven snow, blowing snow, intermittent vsbys < 1/2 mile
☞ Blowing Snow Advy: Blowing snow reducing vsbys to 1/2 mile or less |
| WIND CHILL ADVISORY | Wind chills 25 to 34 below with at least 10 mph wind |

**Warnings and Advisories**

**Weather Terminology:**

## Warnings and Advisories

| NON-PRECIPITATION EVENTS | THRESHOLDS |
| --- | --- |
| HIGH WIND WARNING | Sustained winds 40+ mph (35 kts) for 1 hr or more, or any gust 58+ mph (50 kts) |
| EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING | For any 24 hr period: HI > 110°F for 3 or more hrs (80°F at night if prolonged event) |
| AIR QUALITY WATCH/ADVISORY | Major buildup of air pollution/particulate due to stable atmos. conditions (initiated by Wisc. Dept. of Natural Resources) |
| HEAT ADVISORY | For any 24 hr period: HI 105-110°F for 3 or more hrs (80°F at night if prolonged event) |
| WIND ADVISORY | Sustained winds 30+ mph (26 kts) for 1 hr or more, or any gust 45+ mph (39 kts) |
| DENSE FOG ADVISORY | Widespread vsby 1/4 mile or less for 3 hours or more |
| DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY | Smoke producing widespread or localized vsby 1/4 mile or less |
| BLOWING DUST ADVISORY | Widespread/localized vsbys less than 1 mile for 3 hrs or more with sustained winds 25 mph |
| FREEZING FOG ADVISORY | Fog, usually with vsby 1/2 mile or less, freezing on cold objects with deposits resulting in 
impact to commerce, transportation, people, etc.  |
| FROST ADVISORY | During growing season, widespread frost (temps usually 32-38°F)  |
| FREEZE WARNING | During growing season, widespread temps around 30°F or less |
| RED FLAG WARNING | Winds 15+ mph (20 ft level on NFDR sites), RH 25% or lower, temps 75+°F, and critically dry fuels combine to produce extreme fire danger and/or fire behavior |

**Warnings and Advisories**

**Weather Terminology:**

## Storms in the Forecast: Getting Weather Information

## NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

**Getting Weather Information:**

- NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts _all_ hazard emergency information, 24/7.
- This includes weather and non-weather emergencies
- When a warning is issued, specially designed radios automatically turn on and broadcast the information.
- “The smoke alarm for hazards and severe weather information.”

## NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

- The information comes directly from the local NWS office.
- When the weather is calm, the radios broadcast current weather conditions, forecasts, and climate information.

**Getting Weather Information:**

## NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

**Getting Weather Information:**

## NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

- As an “all hazards” radio network, NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts emergency messages about non-weather events in addition to weather emergencies.

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- The NWS has a comprehensive weatherweb site with the latest forecasts, watches, and warnings.
- www.weather.gov/grb

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- The NWS web site contains
- Forecasts and Current Weather

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- The NWS web site contains
- Watches and Warnings

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- The NWS web site contains
- Live Radar

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- All available at
- www.weather.gov/grb

**Getting Weather Information:**

## The Internet

- There are many web sites that offer free emergency e-mail, cell and pager messages.  For example, the **Emergency Email and Wireless Network** (www.emergencyemail.org)offers NWS warnings and forecasts for your portable device.

**Getting Weather Information:**

## Commercial TV and Radio

- All NWS watches and warnings are disseminated to commercial TV and radio stations.
- Many stations then broadcast the information to viewers/listeners.

**Getting Weather Information:**

## Private Weather Vendors

- The private weather industry takes NWS products and tailors them for the specific needs of their customers.

- For a list of private weather vendors:  www.weather.gov/im

**Getting Weather Information:**

## Methods to Receive Info

**NOAA Weather Radio**
- Pros:  Directly from NWS; 24/7; active; no fee for service
- Cons:  No pictures
**Internet **(NWS web site)
- Pros:  Pictures and text; 24/7; no fee for service
- Cons:  Generally passive
**Commercial TV and Radio**
- Pros:  Free; some images (TV)
- Cons:  Passive if device is turned off
**Private Weather Vendors**
- Pros:  Tailored weather information; 24/7; active
- Cons:  $$

**Getting Weather Information:**

**Summary**

## The National Weather Service:What We Can Do for You

## What the NWS Can Do for You

**Plan and Practice**
- Weather safety web sites
- Safety brochures

## What the NWS Can Do for You

**Monitor and Act**
- Weather info:  www.weather.gov/grb
- NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
- Attend storm spotter training

## Questions?

- 		    www.weather.gov/grb

- Jeff Last     Jeff.Last@noaa.gov
- NOAA National Weather Service