NATIONAL WEATHER ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

No. 99-3 March 1999

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Working Together to Advance Weather Forecasting as an Applied Science

To advance weather forecasting as an applied science requires continuing education and training. Over the past decade we have seen major advances in training within all branches of our community. The Operational Support Facility (OSF), Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET), and the National Weather Service Training Center (NWSTC) all offer training through their Internet web pages, case studies, CD-ROM modules, and a limited number of residence courses. The US Air Force and Navy are continually upgrading their weather training programs making a continuum of specialty training and professional military education integral to career development.

Within the NWA, the Weathercaster Seal of Approval program requires recertification every three years through continuing education. Continuing education/training is provided during NWA Annual Meetings through special presentations and workshops. And, many NWA local chapters provide regional and special subject area continuing education/training conferences. Through the NWA Newsletter and Internet home page, meeting announcements and other education and training news are brought to the attention of all.

Although I am less familiar with private sector training programs I know that many companies support their personnel through regular updates of technical literature and special seminars by invited guests. In each case, these training exercises, which can incorporate seminars, workshops, case study post-mortems and literature review sessions, are critical to the continued professional development of the meteorologists and others on staff.

Being a teacher I have my own bias on the importance of education in ones’ career. Often training is the first line item to be cut when a financial emergency arises; this is incredibly shortsighted. Although conducting seminars and workshops for your employees takes them away from their daily duties it offers many long-term rewards. First, employees will see that management does care about their professional development as scientists, which enhances morale and fosters loyalty. Secondly, training on new forecast techniques, remote sensing applications, changes in numerical models and parameterizations, severe storm dynamics and other pertinent subjects will develop the forecaster’s competence and confidence. The science of forecasting the weather involves assimilating data from a wide variety of sources and trying to make a cohesive picture of the atmosphere. It is important for the forecaster to be competent enough to understand the subtleties of scale-interaction while "sipping" from the fire hose of data and also feel confident enough to make the tough decisions (e.g., whether to warn on a particular convective cell or not). By learning what new techniques and forecast parameters can be used under certain circumstances and practicing on "canned" case studies (including so-called "null cases"), forecasters will have a greater body of experience on which to base their forecasts. Thirdly, it is very important to give forecasters time to step back from their day-to-day routines in order to have the opportunity for self-evaluation of their forecast schema. It is absolutely critical that we talk about the forecast process as much as we talk about the forecast, especially in light of the new computer systems (e.g., AWIPS), numerical models, and data from various observational platforms that we need to grapple with each day.

Finally, I would ask administrators (federal and private) to examine their practices to see if they allow their employees time to do research, read journal articles, and attend conferences and training sessions to fully be professional meteorologists. Many employees do these kinds of activities on their own time, which is highly commendable, but I believe that organizations need to consider allowing their employees to pursue their continuing education/training at work as much as is feasible (one shift per 2-3 weeks?). I know that this may be difficult to do while keeping an eye on the bottom line. However, it is vital to the well being of today’s forecasters, the practice of weather forecasting as an applied science and in-turn to the quality of services/support to a growing and more knowledgeable customer base.

I welcome your comments on these issues.

- Jim Moore

Call for Papers NWA 1999 Annual Meeting

The National Weather Association’s twenty-fourth Annual Meeting will be held 16 – 22 October 1999 at the Isle of Capri Crowne Plaza Resort, 151 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Mississippi 39530.

The Program Committee welcomes papers on the 1999 theme, "Working Together to Advance Weather Forecasting as an Applied Science." A wide variety of topics will be accepted to include: weather analysis and forecasting, new research applications, technological advances, radar and satellite applications, tropical weather forecasting (it is the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Camille), operational support to users, education and training (including public education/awareness), and meteorology careers now and for the future.

The Annual Meeting program (18–22 Oct) will consist of oral and poster presentations, training workshops, panel discussions, and exhibits. The Annual Awards Banquet will be held Wednesday evening, 20 October. Program Co-Chairpersons are: Dr. Paul J. Croft, Jackson State University, Dept of Physics and Atmospheric Sciences, Jackson, MS (601) 968-7012; and Kevin J. Pence, Science and Operations Officer, NOAA/National Weather Service Forecast Office, Calera, AL (205) 664-3010.

Special workshops and presentations for weathercasters and all others interested will be conducted on 16–17 October. Broadcaster Workshop Chairperson is John B. McLaughlin, KCCI-TV, Des Moines IA.

Individuals and organizations who wish to give a presentation or workshop must submit a one page abstract before 30 June 1999 by e-mail to: Dr. Paul J. Croft at pcroft@stallion.jsums.edu Please indicate a preference for an oral or poster presentation and include a list of audiovisual requirements. Do not expect to have equipment that is not requested. Notification of abstract acceptance will be sent to primary authors by 15 August.

To provide or assist with the Broadcaster Workshop program (16–17 Oct), please contact: John McLaughlin, KCCI-TV, Des Moines IA, (515) 247-8888; e-mail: johnmc49@ecity.net

For information on exhibits, arrangements and the general program, please contact the NWA office Tel/FAX: (334) 213-0388; e-mail: NatWeaAsoc@aol.com

HOTEL INFORMATION:The Isle of Capri Crowne Plaza Resort room reservations can be made by calling 1-800-843-4753, pressing 1 for the Biloxi location and then ask for reservations at extension 8760, 8761 or 8762. Please inform the reservationist that you will be attending the National Weather Association conference and that your conference code is "NAT". The "NAT" single and double room discount rate is $71.82 per night plus state/local taxes (currently 10%). All reservations must be guaranteed by a major credit card and be made by individuals 21 years of age or older.

The deadline for making hotel room reservations is 1 October 1999. Cancellations will be accepted up until 72 hours prior to check in. Hotel check in is at 4:00 PM; checkout is at 12:00 noon.

AIRPORT INFORMATION:The hotel is 15 miles from the Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport and complimentary shuttle service is available departing the hotel at 5:15 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:30 PM and 4:15 PM. The Mobile AL Regional Airport is 45 miles east of Biloxi. The New Orleans International Airport is 85 miles west of Biloxi.

Make plans to attend NOW! The program will build on the very successful 1998 meeting where over 350 participated. The Biloxi area is near Keesler AFB, Stennis Space Center and other possible tour locations.

More information on this 24th Annual Meeting will be supplied in later Newsletters and posted on the NWA home page at http://www.nwas.org .

NWS MODERNIZATION COMMITTEE COMPLETING ITS WORK & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

In 1990, NOAA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to provide review and oversight for the NWS modernization and restructuring program. In response, the NRC established the National Weather Service Modernization Committee (NWSMC). The report summarized on page 3 is the last major review, under the auspices of that committee, on what has been achieved and what lies ahead now that the program is nearing completion. This report was developed in parallel with another NRC study prepared under the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) and released as, The Atmospheric Sciences Entering the Twenty-First Century (See http://www2.nas.edu/basc/). The committees worked independently, but both reports share a vision of exciting new opportunities in atmospheric science and atmospheric information services. They also agree on the main strategies to reach great benefits for the nation.

Greatly Improved National Weather Service Envisioned — but Strategic Partnerships, New Technologies are Needed

Weather forecasts and warnings have improved dramatically in the past several years, and major scientific advances and innovative technologies under development promise to enhance weather services significantly in the coming decades. As the National Weather Service gathers more sophisticated data and adapts advanced modeling systems for daily operations, better forecasting will likely spur new markets for weather and environmental information. For example, commercial providers might use the data to develop forecasts targeted toward the transportation, agricultural, or forestry industries. Forecasts could be developed to predict environmental hazards in the atmosphere, or solar storms and their impact on electric power distribution, communications, and navigational equipment.

To keep up with the rapid pace of scientific and technological innovation and ensure that services will be more useful and reliable in the future, the National Weather Service should develop a long-term plan to aggressively incorporate new developments in weather analysis and predictions, says a committee of the National Research Council in a new report, A Vision for the National Weather Service: Road Map for the Future. These advances have the potential to bring "enormous benefits to the nation" by greatly improving the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of weather forecasts and data, the report says. The report is the last in a series of major reviews conducted by the Research Council since 1990 on the National Weather Service modernization and restructuring efforts.

The success of the National Weather Service will depend largely on its ability to develop sophisticated models of the atmosphere, which will require state-of-the-art computers and modeling programs. Congress and the White House should provide support for procuring and maintaining high-level supercomputer capabilities. Several other countries already have such systems, which are fundamental for advanced weather forecasting.

Moreover, the National Weather Service should actively support and participate in national and international research enterprises in weather, hydrology, climate, and the environmental sciences, the committee said. The agency should continue taking the lead in encouraging international

cooperation in exchanging data, which will provide the foundation for global weather forecasting. In addition, strategic partnerships should be formed nationally with other government agencies, commercial weather services, and research laboratories, the committee said. Such partnerships would enable a much broader variety of users to benefit from weather data.

Rather than periodically overhauling operations, the National Weather Service should introduce new technologies gradually to avoid organizational upheavals and eliminate obsolete equipment as needed, the report says. An adequate research and development staff should be maintained at national weather centers to regularly evaluate alternative technologies and rapidly test new forecasting concepts. Independent engineers and scientists should provide guidance throughout the process.

The committee envisioned several types of services that might reasonably be available by 2025 if the National Weather Service builds on scientific and technological advances. Some examples are:

• Providing detailed global forecasts and models. Because improved satellite data would be more widely available at lower costs, a worldwide information network could be formed through which weather centers analyze atmospheric and ocean patterns to predict precipitation systems, tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, heavy rainfalls and snowfalls, turbulence, air pollution, and other phenomena. Short-term forecasts would be highly automated and their accuracy would be greatly improved.

• Predicting long-term climate conditions and monitoring air quality. Two-year forecasts of climate conditions would be made regionally. Such forecasts could be used to identify the best times for planting crops or an appropriate location for a business. In addition, modeling capabilities could track atmospheric movement of ozone, carbon monoxide, aerosols, and other chemicals that affect human health. Environment officials would use these data to create forecasts that help people avoid dangerously high levels of pollutants.

• Improving severe-weather warnings. Special high-resolution models will run in real time as hurricanes, blizzards, or other threatening storms move into an area. Although these models will be similar to those used today, they would be far more powerful, covering much larger areas and using more sophisticated data. Information from these models would be used not only for warnings, but also for environmental monitoring and water resources management.

The study was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Research Council is the principal operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. It is a private, non-profit institution that provides independent advice on science and technology issues under a congressional charter.

A Vision for the National Weather Service: Road Map for the Future is available from the National Academy Press for $18.00 (prepaid) plus shipping charges of $4.00 for the first copy and $.50 for each additional copy; tel. (202) 334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242. This announcement is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.nas.edu

MEMBER NEWS

Welcome! New Corporate member:

Windy City Weather Company, 1555 Sherman, Suite 315, Evanston, Illinois 60201; Tel: 847-328-7100; Fax: 847-328-9155. POC: Thomas G. Bobula e-mail: tgbobula@interaccess.com

LOCAL CHAPTER NEWS

The Arkansas Chapter of the NWA met on 16 February. The meeting was opened by incoming President George Wilken at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in North Little Rock with 28 people in attendance. He mentioned that this was the first chapter meeting of 1999 because the January meeting was canceled due to a major tornado outbreak in Arkansas on the 21st. He then announced the chapter officers for 1999: President - George Wilken; Vice President - Jerry Reynolds; Secretary-Treasurer - George Hoelzman; and Corresponding Secretary - Newton Skiles.

President Wilken concluded the business portion encouraging members to help the chapter be successful by volunteering to serve on committees. He began the meeting presentations with a slide program detailing the tornado outbreak that occurred on 21 January 1999. To date, there had been 20 tornado paths identified in the Little Rock NWSFO county warning area. Many of the slides showed WSR-88D radar images of the different storms. Next on the program was Jerry Roberson, chapter member from Oil Trough, AR. Mr. Roberson showed impressive home video that he had taken of tornadoes that occurred in his area on 17 and 21 January. A question and answer session followed the two presentations.

A drawing was held for two door prizes. Daryl Stout won a Weather Wizard II weather station donated by chapter members Jerry Roberson and Eric Walker. George Hoelzman won a one-year free membership to the chapter.

- Newton Skiles, Corresponding Secretary

The Central Iowa NWA Chapter kicked off their new season on 11 November. Eighteen members and new members attended a dinner at the Best Western in Ankeny, Iowa followed by a fine presentation by Dr. James Liljegren, a researcher at the Ames Laboratory, Center for Non-destructive Evaluation at Iowa State University (http://www.cnde.iastate.edu). Dr. Liljegren presented an entertaining and educational slide show of his 6-week trip to the arctic aboard a Canadian icebreaker locked into the polar ice cap northwest of Barrow, Alaska. His research focused on atmospheric radiation and arctic cloud cover, and participation in the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) project and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program (ARM) http://www.arm.gov.

On 2 February 1999, 25 members and interested parties from a varied group involved in weather attended a pizza dinner and presentation by Senior Forecaster, Chuck Myers at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Johnston, Iowa. Thanks to several members of Iowa State University's student chapter of the American Meteorological Society for attending. The NWA chapter meeting began at 6:00 PM with a social. At 6:45, the chapter business was performed with the following votes: Motion approved to allow Adam Frederick, ISU AMS president, to develop a design for an NWA/AMS shirt to sell at the Severe Storms Conference in March. Funds would be split between chapters. Adam will present the design on the AMS chapter web site for officers/members to comment on. Motion approved to discuss with the ILLOWA NWA chapter and Omaha NWA/AMS chapter about alternating the Severe Storms conference year to year. Adam Frederick will be contact point. Motion approved to develop a form letter sponsored by the NWA chapter to send to the state of Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) and other involved parties to upgrade the IDOT Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) equipment at Iowa airports to fully accommodate precipitation data. Chuck Myers' presentation on winter weather forecasting included conceptual models of baroclinic disturbances and extra-tropical cyclones using satellite imagery, focusing on configuration of snow bands. Chuck emphasized the use of satellite imagery in making short-term snowfall forecasts, and verifying model solutions in the forecast process utilizing two case studies. Photos of this meeting are at www.ecity.net/~iowanwa.

Scheduled Events: Doppler Radar Course instructed by Leslie R. Lemon, 6-7 March which was attended by 65. The 3rd Annual Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference, 26-28 March and 300 are registered to attend.

Future Events and Potential Projects: I am in the process of arranging a field trip to one of Iowa's growing number of wind farms this summer. The chapter will also be involved in developing support for instrumenting one of central Iowa's 2,000 ft communications towers with weather equipment to study the low-level jet and fluctuations of boundary layer moisture during the growing season. Data would be provided to all interested groups including hot air balloonists, air quality modelers, and weather forecasters. - Andy Kula, Vice President

The Weather MINDS officers for 1999 are: President - Larry Browning; Vice President - Joanne Anderson; Treasurer - Phil Schumacher; and Secretary - Tim Masters. Phil Schumacher, the new Science & Operations Officer (SOO) at the NWS Office in Sioux Falls, SD spoke on the 1997 flood in Grand Forks at the 9 February meeting. - Michael Dircksen, Newsletter Editor

(Exec. Dir. We often hear that Spring is a time for new beginnings and this short story found on the Internet, author unknown, may give us food for thought regarding our busy lives.)

THE MANAGEMENT EXPERT

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He placed a one-gallon, wide mouth Mason jar on the table in front of him. Then he brought forth about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!" "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your dreams, your health? Your continued education/training? Teaching or mentoring others? A worthy cause? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

These are the three most important words in Real Estate and they are becoming more and more important in weather broadcasting. With Americans travelling more and radio and television stations increasing in number and coverage (via cable, etc.), it is imperative that forecasters and weather broadcasters in all media be extremely clear and specific especially regarding locations of severe weather. For example, in a recent Atlas, there are 18 Montgomery counties and nine Montgomery cities and villages in the 48 contiguous United States. Are there any cities/villages that cross county lines?

NOAA/NWS BUDGET FOR FY 2000

NOAA announced its FY 2000 budget request of $2.5 billion, a 13 percent increase of about $290 million over the current FY 99 appropriation. The President's request includes a total of $687.5 million for the National Weather Service, a $25 million (3.5 percent) increase over the FY99 appropriation. The President's Budget Request enables NWS to perform an essential role in a number of departmental, interagency and presidential initiatives, including the Climate in the 21st Century Initiative and the Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative. Overall the NWS budget provides strong support for the NWS base operations, continues the NWS modernization and critical technology infusion programs, and provides important improvements to flood forecasting in certain sections of the country. The request includes funding to support the NWS' labor requirements including the 4.4 percent Federal pay raise. Additional highlights of the NWS budget request include:

• Continues mitigation actions per the Secretary's Report Team recommendations on the adequacy of NEXRAD Coverage and Degradation of Weather Services under NWS modernization for: Caribou, ME; Key West, FL; and continue current operations at Erie, PA; and Williston, ND.

• Includes funding to begin national implementation of the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System (AHPS). In FY 2000 NWS plans to implement AHPS in certain sections of the upper Mississippi River and the Ohio River.

• Provides funding to fully operate and maintain the AWIPS network and implement Build 5 of AWIPS.

• Includes funding to begin a five-year program to replace and modernize the upper-air radiosonde network.

• Supports the current network of 107 C-MAN and buoy stations, including the 36 stations which were restored in FY 98.

• Includes base funds to replace critical field office equipment, increase training for field forecasters and maintain centralized communication and dissemination services.

• Maintains the current structure of six regional headquarters offices and provides additional staffing for the Jackson, KY, and Guam weather forecast offices.

• Provides $1.5 million to begin replacing critical Cooperative Network equipment, including obsolete rain gauge recording devices and maximum temperature sensors.

• Includes increases for WFO maintenance, NEXRAD product improvement and ASOS product improvement.

The full NOAA budget proposal is available on the Internet at: http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/budget2000/ and http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/budget.htm

This announcement was posted by Irwin T. David, CFO/CAO of NWS and released by NOAA.

MEETINGS OF INTEREST

• 1999 TESSA National Meeting is scheduled for 17 April in Plano, Texas. This Sixth Annual Meeting is slated for Saturday, 17 April 1999 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. As in recent years, the meeting will take place in the Plano Council Theater at 1520 Ave. K. This year's speakers include Dr. Charles Doswell of the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) "Forecasting and Storm Chasing in Fact and Fantasy;" Alan Moller of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Ft. Worth "20 Year Retrospective of the 1979 Wichita Falls Tornado and Storms that I have Loved and Lost;" WFAA-TV meteorologist Kristine Kahanak "Safety, Not Complacency;" and TESSA Chairman Martin Lisius "Needle in a Haystack; the Spencer, South Dakota Tornado Intercept." As always, the TESSA Store will open immediately after the meeting to sell T-shirts, videos, books and other storm paraphernalia. The meeting is free and open to the public. Arrive early, seating is limited. Details are available on the TESSA home page at http://www.tessa.org

• The first Workshop on the Use of the WSR-88D in Quantitative Precipitation Estimations in the Intermountain West will be held on Friday, 11 June 1999 at the University of Nevada/Desert Research Institute. This workshop is co-sponsored by the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Atmospheric Science and Terrestrial Applications (CIASTA) and the National Weather Service (NWS). The objective of the workshop is to bring together operational forecasters, researchers and applied meteorologists whose interests lie in the arena of Quantitative Precipitation Estimations (QPE) from the WSR-88D. The focus of the workshop is QPE during both wintertime and summertime storms, and the unique problems associated with radar-derived QPE, and its validation, in the Intermountain West. Papers describing operational and research results of using the WSR-88D for QPE are being solicited. Results related to the use of the standard precipitation algorithm, to the use of newly developed algorithms, or the effects of ground clutter and the bright band, to methods for validating QPE, and to other topics relevant to QPE are welcomed. Papers describing use of QPE for operational forecasts and warnings/advisories are also invited.

The one-day workshop will consist of several invited talks, 10-15 minute oral presentations, poster presentations, and open discussions. The deadline for workshop abstracts is 1 May 1999. Abstracts can be submitted by email to huggins@dri.edu, by fax to Arlen Huggins (775-677-3157), or by regular mail to Mr. Arlen Huggins, Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512-1095. An agenda for the workshop will be sent out to participants by 15 May 1999.

The workshop will be held at the Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada. Details on lodging, transportation, etc., will be forthcoming. Additional information on the workshop can be found on the CIASTA Home Page at http://www.dri.edu/ASC/CIASTA.

• Call for Papers for the Third High Plains Conference, 28-29 July 1999, Goodland, Kansas. We are pleased to announce the Third High Plains Conference, sponsored as a joint session by the High Plains Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and the High Plains Chapter of the National Weather Association. This Conference will be held Wednesday, 28 July and Thursday, 29 July 1999, hosted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Goodland, Kansas. Goodland is located about a 2 1/2 hour drive east of Denver International Airport via Interstate 70. Commuter air service is available between Denver and Goodland. We are looking for papers that reflect on recent experiences, research, work in progress, or changes in methodology that have an impact on working in the weather business on the central High Plains. Any topic is applicable, and presentations on the mesoscale dynamics of the lee trough and on extended forecast (Hour 60/Day 3 through Day 7) techniques are especially appreciated. Sessions will begin with an invited speaker and the remaining speakers will be given 20 minutes including questions. The tone of this conference is less formal than at national conferences, and part of the purpose for this conference is to provide a forum and/or training platform for first time presenters and for work that has not yet had a chance to go through the academic peer review process.

The conference registration fee is only $25, thus no conference preprint or postprint will be available. Please write checks payable to the High Plains Chapter of the AMS.

Titles and 1-page abstracts should include each author's name and affiliation, the corresponding author's complete address, telephone/fax number, e-mail address, and requested session for presentation. Abstracts must be submitted by 15 June 1999 to:

Third High Plains Conference Committee
National Weather Service
920 Armory Road
Goodland KS 67735-9273

Telephone: 785-899-3725 from 8 AM to 4 PM Mountain Time
Fax: 785-899-3501
E-mail contacts: Bruce Entwistle (bruce.entwistle@noaa.gov)
Scott Mentzer (scott.mentzer@noaa.gov)
Llyle Barker (llyle.barker@noaa.gov)

For further information concerning the conference, lodging, facilities, presentation equipment, etc., please contact one of the

Committee members listed above.

NWA ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

The NWA web site (www.nwas.org) continues to enjoy great success thanks to the Home Page Advisory Committee, our volunteer curator, Stacy Bunin, and to the many members who submit notices, committee and local chapter pages. Web access statistics from the NWA's Internet Service Provider show that about 62,000 "hits" occur in an average month. The "peak" month so far was September 1998, with 76,620 hits, an average of 2,550 hits per day. The most frequently accessed part of the web page is the Jobs page. Other popular areas are Meteorological/Science links, NWA Newsletter, Meetings, Featured Members, and Committees. In addition, about 45 percent of NWA new member applications are on forms downloaded from the web site. NWA web page goals are to provide a service to members, to facilitate new memberships, and to serve as a hydrometeorological and education resource. If you have any suggestions or comments, please e-mail us via links on the home page. - Frank Brody, Committee Chair

JOB CORNER

Ed: The NWA lists job openings in the regular paper Newsletter copies free from equal opportunity employers for the benefit of members. Submit job openings to the NWA office at anytime. See http://www.nwas.org/jobs.htmlfor the latest listings.