Hayes Delivers Keynote Address at NWA Annual Meeting

by Sean Potter
NWS Communications Office

National Weather Service Director Jack Hayes presented one of two keynote addresses at the 33rd National Weather Association (NWA) Annual Meeting, held October 11-16 in Louisville, KY. In keeping with the theme of this year's meeting, "Utilizing Our Past to Improve Our Future," Hayes discussed the evolution of NWS services by comparing recent operational successes during high-impact events with similar events from the past. For example, the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 killed between 6,000 to 8,000 people during an era with no satellites, radars, or wireless communications from ships at sea. As Hayes said, "the ability of the Weather Bureau to accurately forecast such storms and warn residents was drastically impaired. By contrast, Hurricane Ike, which struck the Gulf Coast near Galveston, TX, in September of this year, resulted in fewer than 100 deaths in the U.S." While Ike dealt a devastating blow to the Gulf Region, we know it could have been much worse without accurate and timely warnings by the NWS.

More recent advancements in science and technology have also led to dramatic improvements in our ability to save lives and property.When the so-called Super Outbreak of tornadoes — the largest in our Nation's history — ravaged 13 states from the Great Lakes to the Southeast during a 16-hour period on April 3, 1974, NWS forecasters were able to detect the telltale hook echoes of the tornadoes on radar and issue warnings, but often not until the tornadoes actually touched down. Despite the best efforts afforded forecasters in the field at the time, limitations in the technology available meant that the 148 tornadoes that touched down that day resulted in 330 fatalities and more than 5,000 injuries.

Fast-forward to February of this year, when the Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak struck some of the same areas that were hit in 1974. Due to advances in technology — from ASOS to AWIPS to NEXRAD — the average warning lead time for the 63 tornadoes that occurred was 17 minutes, several minutes above the national average at the time. Although 57 people lost their lives in the event, the number killed was much lower relative to the number of tornadoes than the 1974 event.

Looking ahead to the future of weather, water, and climate services, Hayes emphasized that continued advancements in science and technology are key to keeping pace with the demands on NWS services due to increasing populations, especially in vulnerable areas such as coastal regions, an increasingly-crowded National Air Space, and climate change.

The address and Hayes's participation in the meeting in general were well-received by those attending, according to John Gordon, Meteorologist-in-Charge, at Louisville and NWA Program Committee Chair. "I heard good comments, especially about the historical comparisons of 1974 and Super Tuesday and where the NWS is headed," he said.

Several NWS employees and partners were honored with NWA awards at the meeting. NWA awards recognize individuals and groups who perform day-to-day tasks of providing meteorological information and support services to the public. See the winners on the NWA's web site as well as in an article in NWS's Southern Region News.