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May 1998 Newsletter
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National Weather Association Newsletter No. 98-5 May 1998
Table of Contents
President's MessageDates to Remember
Call for Papers NWA Annual Meeting
Convective SIGMET Unit Begins its Third Decade- supporting aviation
NWA Training Committee Home Page is Now On-line
Your Input is Needed! Fill out the NWA Training Survey on-line or via regular mail
MSU Offering Geoscience Education to Teachers by Distance Learning
Comments on ASOS Precipitation Measurements regarding an April 1998 Letter to the Editor
Cal Dial-A-Buoy for Wind and Wave Reports by David B. Gilhousen, NWS/NDBC
Meetings of Interest
Job Corner
NWA Publications
*****
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
THE FUTURE OF WEATHER FORECASTING IS NOW
Perhaps it's just my view, but the weather during the first few months of 1998 seems to have been exceptionally active. Preliminary reports indicate that there were almost 100 tornadoes more than average during the first four months of the year. 1991 was the only year since 1950 to have a higher tornado tally by May first. Unfortunately, 110 tornado-related deaths occurred by 1 May. While this number is also well above average, there have been four deadlier years this half century. Even though there have been more tornadoes this year, they have caused fewer deaths than would be anticipated. However, we, the nation's weather community, can and must do better.
Looking at this year's tornadoes statistics shows that over 50% of the fatalities were caused by storms that struck between 10 PM and 7 AM; hours when most people are not watching TV or listening to the radio. Further, of the 110 fatalities, 44 of them occurred on a Sunday. Many TV and radio stations put less emphasis on the news and weather during the weekend than they do through the rest of the week.
No matter how accurate and timely warnings are, they do no good if the public does not receive them - and act on them appropriately.
The dissemination of warnings is not just a National Weather Service problem. It impacts all of us. We must work together to develop innovative ways to advise people of on-going weather hazards.
For instance, the NWS has implemented NOAA Weather Radio specific area message encoding (NWR-SAME) that targets weather radio alarms to specific geographic areas. With this technology, the number of people needlessly alerted is greatly reduced since each individual can pick the specific areas for which warnings will be automatically played by the radio. The NOAA Emergency Manager Weather Information Network (EMWIN) provides low cost weather warnings, forecasts and observations via GOES satellite feed. The State of Oklahoma has started an experimental OK-FIRST project where the Internet is used to provide real-time WSR-88D information to public safety officials across the state. On the private-sector side, various weather firms have or are developing methods to get warnings out faster and more comprehensively. One effort entails calling all cellular telephones within a "cell" when it is under a warning, another calls pagers. Another firm has developed the capability to produce high quality computer generated concatenated voice weather warnings, forecasts and observations that are very hard to distinguish from a recording by a live human being. More such innovative techniques and backup systems are needed.
There are also many creative efforts to make existing systems more affordable and increase their availability to those who need the information the most. The State of Florida Department of Community Affairs has undertaken a program to buy a NOAA Weather Radio for every school in the state. In Des Moines, Iowa, a television weathercaster got together with the local Emergency Manager Association and Radio Shack last year and developed a program through which people could buy NOAA Weather Radios at discount rates. That initiative is spreading, and money has become available to purchase the radios for facilities such as senior citizen homes throughout Iowa and elsewhere.
In order to keep our members appraised of these type of innovative solutions to the warning dissemination problem, the NWA is considering preparing a consolidated list of these various weather distribution initiatives. We hope that this type of list would not only provide a handy reference but also excite others to use these services or come up with other new initiatives. We will be working with several NWA committees to develop a way to poll members as to what is available from both the public and private sectors. There will be more about this in upcoming newsletters. In the meantime, be thinking about ways in which we can work together as a community to improve the public's weather consciousness.
- Joe Schaefer
*****
DATES TO REMEMBER
1 July - Abstracts due for the 17-23 October 1998 NWA Annual Meeting, Oklahoma City, OK. See Call for Papers on page 2.
1 July - Nominations due for the NWA Annual Awards and 1 August for Sol Hirsch NWA Education Fund Grants. See March Newsletter page 4.
Please see Meetings of Interest on page 7.
***** The National Weather Association's twenty-third Annual Meeting will be held 17-23 October 1998 at The Westin Oklahoma City hotel &
conference center.
The Program Committee welcomes presentations on a wide variety of topics including: weather analysis and forecasting, severe convective
storms, hydrometeorology, radar and satellite applications, winter weather forecasting techniques, aviation, fire weather, training and education,
technological advances, and operational support advances.
The meeting agenda will consist of both oral and poster presentations, training workshops, panel discussions, and exhibits. Special sessions
and hands-on workshops for weathercasters will be conducted on 17–18 October 1998. Tours of the weather facilities in Norman are also planned.
Individuals/agencies who want to give a presentation or workshop must submit a one page abstract by 1 July 1998 to:
MIKE VESCIO NWA PROGRAM CHAIRMAN Submissions by e-mail are strongly encouraged. Please indicate a preference for an oral or poster presentation and include a list of
audio-visual requirements. Do not expect to have equipment that is not requested. If you choose to use regular mail, please include the
abstract on a floppy disk and presentation requirements in a cover letter. Notification of abstract acceptance will be mailed by 15 August 1998.
To help with the Weathercaster Workshop program, for 17-18 October, please contact: John McLaughlin, KCCI-TV, Des Moines IA,
(515) 247-8888; e-mail: johnmc49@ecity.net
For information on exhibits, contact the NWA office Tel/FAX: (334) 213-0388; NatWeaAsoc@aol.com
A block of rooms has been reserved at The WESTIN Oklahoma City, One North Broadway, Oklahoma City OK 73102.
NWA attendee rates for a single or double room are $65 per day [all meeting attendees will be allowed this government rate].
If more than 2 individuals in a room, add $10 for each additional person. The Hotel is 10 miles north of the Will Rogers World
Airport; an all-hotel shuttle is available for $10 one-way. Call in reservations to 1-800-WESTIN-1 by 17 September 1998 and
mention you will be attending the National Weather Association Annual Meeting (Group Meeting).
Tom McGuire at Travel Agents International (TAI) Woburn, MA, offers to provide discounted airfares through Delta Airlines
as follows:
DELTA File Number assigned is: 1 1 6 7 3 3 A Delta Meeting Rates:
TAI will:
TAI's toll-free number (800-937-7030) or e-mail (taiwob@aol.com) can be used by NWA attendees to make reservations or obtain information.
Annual Meeting registration fee includes a preprint volume with program and abstracts, admission to all meeting, workshop and exhibit
sessions Monday through Friday noon, 19-23 October 1998, coffee/refreshment breaks, the Monday evening icebreaker, and the Wednesday
evening Annual Awards Banquet. A separate fee is being charged to help meet extra costs for the Saturday evening and Sunday, 17-18 October,
Weathercaster Workshops (open to all).
The preregistration fees payable prior to 10 October 1998 are: for 17-18 October workshops only: $40 for NWA members; $50 for
nonmembers; for the combination of Saturday evening & Sunday workshops and Annual Meeting activities 17-23 October: $100 for
NWA members, speakers and session chairpersons; $140 for nonmembers; for Annual Meeting activities 19-23 October: $80 for
NWA members, speakers and session chairpersons; $110 for nonmembers.
After 10 October and at the meeting, registration fees will be: for 17-18 October workshops only - $50 for NWA members and $60
for nonmembers; for the combination of activities 17-23 October - $125 for NWA members, speakers and session chairpersons and $165
for nonmembers; for the activities 19-23 October - $95 for members, speakers and session chairpersons; $130 for nonmembers. For the
period 19-23 October, special day rates for students and local area residents who cannot attend the entire conference will be available
at the meeting registration desk in WESTIN hotel ($20 member; $25 nonmember, and $25 for banquet tickets). Payment of fees can be
by cash, check (personal, business or traveler's), money order or government/institution purchase orders.
Registration forms will be in later Newsletters.
***** Twenty years ago this month, a new weather unit was launched at the NWS/National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) in
Kansas City, Missouri. The Convective SIGMET Unit was formed as a direct result of recommendations made by the National Transportation
Safety Board following their investigation into the crash of a Southern Airways DC-9 at New Hope, Georgia on 4 April 1977.
The NTSB concluded that pilots needed more frequent and more timely information on thunderstorms. The following year, the
Convective SIGMET Unit was established at NSSFC, with a staff of 5 meteorologists and 5 meteorologist technicians to cover the
24-hour operation. This milestone marked the first time a unit was dedicated exclusively to the task of monitoring convective activity
over the lower 48 states plus coastal waters specifically for the aviation community.
Initially, the meteorologist technician hand-plotted the Manually-Digitized Radar (MDR) data transmitted by the WSR-57 network
radars every hour. The meteorologist forecaster then decided which areas of convection warranted an advisory. He/she drew the
SIGMETs right on the chart, using a pen and a straight-edge. The meteorologist technician would then read off the points aloud as
the forecaster typed them into the computer. This all had to be accomplished between h+30 (when the hourly radar data began trickling
in via teletype circuit) and h+55 (the transmission deadline).
More recently, with the advent of high-speed communi-cations and powerful desktop computers, the process of generating
SIGMETs has become more automated. The meteorologist forecaster constructs each advisory using interactive software and
actual radar and satellite images overlaid with real-time lightning data.
The technological advances of the past decade have enabled the Convective SIGMET forecasters to issue more tailored advisories that better
describe the actual and forecast weather specifically for aviation safety concerns.
This has resulted in record numbers of Convective SIGMETs being issued, especially over the past 9 years as shown in Fig. 1.
In fact, with just one exception (1995), every year since 1991 has established a new record in terms of the total number of thunderstorm
advisories issued. Last year (Fig. 2) proved to be a banner year with new records established in many categories. The annual total for
1997 was 29,856 — the most Convective SIGMETs issued for one year in the unit's 20-year history. Other records include: the highest
monthly total ever (5,563 in July), the highest daily total ever (297 on 22 July), and the highest hourly total (24 on 24 June at 2355Z).
Data from the first 4 months of this year indicate that 1998 will also be a record-breaker!
The Convective SIGMET unit is still in Kansas City, Missouri, within the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) which is one of nine
NOAA/NWS National Centers of Environmental Prediction (NCEP). More AWC information is available at: http://aviationweather.noaa.gov
- Carolyn Kloth, Meteorologist, Convective SIGMET Unit, AWC
Figures were in paper copy of Newsletter with following captions -
Fig. 1. Frequency of Convective SIGMETs issued by year. NOTE: ***** Those who frequently visit the NWA Home Page at http://www.nwas.org have likely noted a new addition: the Training Committee
Home Page. In addition to providing information about the Training Committee and its accomplishments and goals, this site includes a
comprehensive list of meteorological training resources available on the Internet. Gail Hartfield, Training Committee chairperson, hopes
that this listing will serve as a valuable source of training information for NWA members and others interested. Check out the site!!
The Training Committee is always on the lookout for operational meteorology and related activity training materials; contact Gail
if you know of a useful site not listed. Additional web sites are being added all of the time, so visit often to check out the updates to this site.
***** One mission of the NWA's Training Committee is to develop and distribute meteorological training materials that will benefit NWA
members. In working toward this goal, the committee would like to know what training materials, topics and methods you consider to
be important in your job. For example, do meteorologists in your office need training on radar signatures of tornadic storms, or is lake-effect
snow more important? Are quizzes preferred, or would you rather provide training and refreshers using workshops or some other method?
The Training Committee asks that all NWA members, especially training coordinators, complete the NWA Training Survey, found on the
Training Committee Home Page. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete, and will provide the Training Committee and the NWA
Council with vital information about the NWA members and their training needs. This information will also help in the planning and development
of workshops and special sessions at future NWA Annual Meetings. Take this opportunity to make yourself heard. The survey will end October
15th, 1998, so please don't hesitate! If you are not on the Internet, send your suggestions on training needs via fax: (334) 213-0388 or regular
mail to the NWA office, 6704 Wolke Ct., Montgomery AL 36116-2134.
- Gail Hartfield, Chair NWA Training Committee
***** Mississippi State University is initiating a program for the next school year to enable K - 12 school teachers nationwide to earn a Master's of
Science degree from the university through distance learning by use of videotapes, workbooks and the Internet. Through this Teachers in
Geoscience (TIG) Program, teachers will also have the option to just enroll in selected geoscience courses. The full curriculum includes 11
courses of which 2 may be taken per semester. The curriculum includes courses in meteorology, geology, oceanography, hydrology, physical
geography and planetary science.
Director, Dr. Mark Binkley said the TIG Program targets teachers who wish to continue their education but are unable to interrupt their
careers for any significant length of time. "We've set the program up so participants can earn a Master's degree in geoscience in two years
by taking two courses a semester," he explained.
"What is unique about this program," noted Mike Mogil, an educational consultant for the program, "is that teachers will not only receive
intensive education in the sciences, but they will experience the hands-on methodology for helping their students learn. The science content
will become immediately 'grade-friendly', as each course will contain a strand of 'educational applications' that are appropriate for teachers in
grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12".
Videotaped lectures, course materials and learning exercises will be mailed to students at the beginning of the semester. The tapes
contain 12 hours of lectures that may be used an any grade level, plus 4 additional lectures that are grade-specific. Information will also
be available via the Internet. Lesson plans, technical discussions, appropriate web links, and other Internet resources will be made available
to better enable teachers to see how the Internet technology can be incorporated into their classrooms and lesson plans.
"While we provide a framework of dates for completion of each section of a course, the students work at their own pace," said Binkley.
MSU Department of Geoscience faculty members will be available to assist the students by telephone, electronic mail, fax or by bulletin boards
and chat rooms on the Internet.
The TIG Program is based on the department's highly successful Broadcast Meteorology Program (for radio and television weathercasters)
and Operational Meteorology Program (for military personnel). These two programs currently serve almost 400 off-campus students.
For more information, contact the TIG Program at (601) 325-2908 or e-mail: Binkley@Geosci.MsState.Edu. Also check:
Call for Papers NWA Annual Meeting
STORM PREDICTION CENTER
1313 HALLEY CIRCLE
NORMAN OK 73069
Phone: (405)-579-0707; Fax: (405)-579-0700
E-MAIL: Michael.D.Vescio@noaa.gov
Travel Dates allowed: 14 October - 26 October 1998.
CONVECTIVE SIGMET UNIT BEGINS ITS THIRD DECADE - supporting aviation
Fig. 2. Frequency of Convective SIGMETs by month in 1997.
Convective SIGMETs are issued in the conterminous U.S. for any of the following: Severe thunderstorm due to surface winds =
50 knots, hail at the surface = 3/4 inches in diameter, tornadoes; Embedded thunderstorms; Line of thunderstorms; Thunderstorms
greater than or equal to VIP level 4 affecting 40% or more of an area at least 3000 square miles. Any Convective SIGMET implies
severe or greater turbulence, severe icing, and low-level wind shear. A Convective SIGMET may be issued for any convective situation
which the forecaster feels is hazardous to all categories of aircraft. Convective SIGMET bulletins are issued for the Eastern (E), Central (C),
and Western (W) United States. The areas separate at 87 and 107 degrees west longitude with sufficient overlap to cover most cases
when the phenomenon crosses the boundaries. Bulletins are issued hourly at Hour+55. The text of the bulletin consists of either an observation
and a forecast or just a forecast. The forecast is valid for up to 2 hours.
NWA TRAINING COMMITTEE HOME PAGE IS NOW ON-LINE
YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED! FILL OUT THE NWA TRAINING SURVEY on-line or via regular mail
MSU Offering Geoscience Education to Teachers by Distance Learning
- Mike Mogil
*****
COMMENTS ON ASOS PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENTS regarding an April 1998 Letter to the Editor
In the March 1998 NWA Newsletter, a letter from H. Stuart Muench discussed differences in precipitation measurements over the past few years at Boston, Massachusetts and asked for explanations/comments. Thomas B. McKee of Colorado State University's Department of Atmospheric Science at Fort Collins and State Climatologist for Colorado, has been associated with the NWS Climate Data Continuity Project. He has been studying the continuity of climate data since 1992 with the introduction of ASOS. He offered the following:
Stuart:
I received your request for information about precipitation observations with the National Weather Service's (NWS) new Heated Tipping Bucket (HTB) in the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS). You already have the two AMS preprints by McKee et al. (1997 and 1998) in which we have presented the current results of our climate data continuity work. These results show that the modified ASOS HTB is performing rather well as a device for measuring rain. The first ASOS HTB's placed in the field for operational use did have some deficiencies. The NWS has made four modifications to the HTB. They include a change from a mercury switch to a Reed switch, a change in magnets, a modification to prevent the tipping mechanism from "sticking," and an extension to the funnel just above the tipping bucket. We are doing a comparison of only gauges with all of the modifications even though all of the ASOS do not yet have the latest version of the HTB.
You asked several questions about gauges. The Universal is a weighing type of gauge with mechanical linkages that lead to a pen on a strip-chart. In the NWS, the gauge orifice has usually been 8 inches in diameter. The gauge is used in all seasons and has an antifreeze-type solution so the snow in winter melts and is added to the total liquid. My understanding of the NWS philosophy on shielding is that gauges are shielded in locations which receive significant amounts of snow because the gauge catch of snow is strongly dependent on wind speed. Gauge catch of rain is not nearly as sensitive to wind so locations where snow is not significant are not shielded. I think the same philosophy guided which ASOS locations are shielded and unshielded. The Standard Rain Gauge (SRG) is similar to the Universal in diameter but is simply a can that collects precipitation to be read manually. Both the Universal and the SRG could be considered a standard gauge with an 8 inch diameter.
The ASOS Heated Tipping Bucket (HTB) has a 12 in. diameter and does not retain the water after the tipping measurement is made. The NWS has used tipping gauges in the past that did have a way to retain water after tipping so someone could check and correct the accumulated amount. The ASOS HTB uses an algorithm to increase the rain reported as rain rates increase based on the tips measured each minute. This attempts to correct for the known undermeasurement characteristic of tipping bucket gauges during heavy rain. Your question about the effects of the orientation of the ASOS instrument site on precipitation is one I cannot answer. I would think the effect not important climatologically but perhaps important on some very light rain events.
As ASOS was introduced, the precipitation measurement had two important changes. The instrument was changed from the "Universal" to the ASOS HTB and the location was moved from being near the NWS office to the ASOS location on the airfield. In the same time frame, many NWS offices also moved to new locations so that no observations were continued at previous locations. In our study the NWS staff continued to use the "Universal" (not moved) to make 6-hourly precipitation observations which we could then use to compare with ASOS observations. We have used the ASOS one-minute observations as our primary data set. We also have a few sites where a SRG was placed very close to the ASOS and was read periodically. These side-by-side observations are used to assess ASOS precipitation compared with the SRG in an accuracy sense. The comparison of ASOS observations with the "Universal" observations was done to establish climate data continuity. All of our comparisons at this time are for rain only and only with the modified ASOS HTB. We exclude frozen precipitation using temperature thresholds from the hourly and/or minute ASOS data stream. Our early analysis of HTB to Universal comparisons indicated that the ASOS HTB was not an adequate gauge to measure frozen precipitation. The NWS is presently working towards the goal of obtaining an automated all-season precipitation gauge.
You are concerned that ASOS observed precipitation is available to users which is potentially difficult to interpret. I would like to comment on two aspects of this issue. I will use the example of Logan Airport at Boston MA, with the identifier BOS. The BOS ASOS was commissioned on 1 April 1996. The HTB could have had some modifications but not all of them. The gauge with all of the modifications was shipped to BOS on 10 February 1997. The gauge was probably installed shortly thereafter. In our studies, the HTB is not a good instrument (as it is today) for frozen precipitation which we learned in the first year of our study. The year 1996 at BOS included data for four months from the Universal and eight months from an HTB gauge without all of the modifications (1 Apr through Dec) which probably under reported rain along with frozen precipitation. In 1997, the gauge was changed which should have lead to better rain observations, but would have included an entire winter with questionable measurements of frozen precipitation. The NWS office moved away from Logan Airport to the Taunton MA location in November 1993. I think the Universal remained at Logan until April 1996.
The ASOS HTB does have another aspect of which you should be made aware. The ASOS makes one-minute observations and these cannot be edited by a person at the site. Hourly observations are reported and these can be edited prior to transmission or afterward with a correction. Daily observations are also reported and these can be edited up to 72 hours after the end of the day. You could reconstruct the monthly precipitation at BOS to determine if the differences between BOS and the nearest cooperative site are consistent with my interpretation for frozen precipitation and the time of gauge changes.
In closing, I would agree that we do have a problem in the U.S. at this time with precipitation observations from ASOS for frozen precipitation and at locations without the modified HTB.
Sincerely,
Tom McKee
References:
McKee, Thomas B., Nolan J. Doesken, John Kleist, and Norman L. Canfield, 1997: Climate data continuity with ASOS - Temperature.
Preprints, 13th International Conference on IIPS, Long Beach, CA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 70-73.
McKee, Thomas B., Nolan J. Doesken, John Kleist, Richard Butler, and Norman L. Canfield, 1998: Climate data continuity of rain
observations with ASOS. Preprints, 14th International Conference on IIPS, Phoenix, AZ, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 517-520.
*****
CALL DIAL-A-BUOY FOR WIND AND WAVE REPORTS by David B. Gilhousen, NWS/NDBC
Imagine this - You're fishing in protected waters and want to know if the weather has calmed down enough to head offshore. You reach for the cell phone, dial (228) 688-1948 and hear, "Welcome to the National Data Buoy Center's Dial-A-Buoy Line." You then enter a nearby buoy station number, and hear a computer voice - somewhat like Tim Conway in an old Carol Burnett rerun - say, "Winds Northeast 15 knots gust to 18 knots. Wave height 4 feet."
Such a scenario is now possible. Mariners can obtain the latest coastal and offshore weather observations through a new telephone service called Dial-A-Buoy. Dial-A-Buoy provides wind and wave measurements taken within the last hour at 65 buoy and 54 Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations. The stations are located in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes and are operated by the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). NDBC, a part of the National Weather Service (NWS), created Dial-A-Buoy to give mariners an easy way to obtain the reports via a cell phone.
Large numbers of boaters use the observations, in combination with forecasts, to make decisions on whether it is safe to venture out. Some even claim that the reports have saved lives. Surfers use the reports to see if wave conditions are, or will soon be, promising. Many of these boaters and surfers live well inland, and knowing the conditions has saved them many wasted trips to the coast.
An increasingly popular way to obtain the observations has been through the Internet. In fact, NDBC's web site has received more than a million hits a month. Dial-A-Buoy is a logical extension to the Internet because it allows the mariner a way to get the conditions while offshore, at the marina, or away from the Internet.
Buoy reports include wind direction, speed, gust, significant wave height, swell and wind-wave heights and periods, air temperature, water temperature, and sea level pressure. Some buoys report wave directions. All C-MAN stations report the winds, air temperature, and pressure; some also report wave information, water temperature, visibility, and dew point.
To access Dial-A-Buoy, dial (228) 688-1948 using any touch tone or cell phone. Enter the five-digit (or character) station identifier in response to the prompt, and you will hear the latest buoy or C-MAN observation read via computer-generated voice. Characters are entered simply by pressing the key containing the character. For Q, press "7", and for Z, press "9".
There are several ways to find the station locations and identifiers. For Internet users, maps showing buoy locations are given at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/. Telephone users have several options. They can enter a fax number to receive a location map by following the prompts or they can enter a latitude and longitude and receive the closest station locations and identifiers.
The Dial-A-Buoy system does not actually dial into a buoy or C-MAN station. The phone calls are answered by a computer at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, where NDBC is located. The computer runs Web-on-Call software to control the dialog and read the forecasts and observations from NDBC's web site. Web-on-Call, a commercial product from General Magic Corporation of Sunnyvale, California, controls the reading of Web pages over the phone.
Dial-A-Buoy is a proof-of-concept system that seeks involvement from the private sector. The eight-line system could be expanded through sponsorship by a private corporation such as a boating or meteorological organization. Alternatively, these organizations could offer a similar service at another location. This could easily be accomplished by running Web-on-Call software that would obtain the observations from NDBC's web site.
*****
MEETINGS OF INTEREST
Second Annual High Plains Conference will be held 17-19 August 1998 in Hastings, Nebraska. (See April Newsletter for complete announcement.) The joint session of the High Plains AMS Chapter and High Plains NWA Chapter is pleased to announce sponsorship of this conference. It will be hosted by the NWS Office in Hastings, Nebraska and Hastings College. The theme of the conference focuses on weather challenges entering the new millennium. The objective is to share new work, ideas and enhancements in
- Modernized forecasting techniques
- Public service and communication
- Data management and technical advances
- Weather education.
The conference is intended to serve as a platform of ideas, concerns and knowledge and also as a vehicle to discuss the impact of weather and weather forecasting on commerce, life and property in the 21st Century.
Titles and one-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 may be submitted, no later than 30 June 1998 to:
JIM BREWSTER HIGH PLAINS CONF. CHAIR
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
6365 N OSBORNE DRIVE WEST
HASTINGS NE 68901.
E-mail: James.Brewster@noaa.gov
Tel: (402) 461-3826 ext. 805
Fax: (402) 462-2746
or
Rick Ewald
Science and Operations Officer
same address and fax
e-mail: Rick.Ewald@noaa.gov
Tel: (402) 461-3826 ext. 766.
Please contact Jim or Rick with any questions. Final registration, a tour of the Hastings NWS Office and a social mixer will take place during the afternoon and evening of 17 August 1998.
The Seventh US/Canada Workshop on Great Lakes Operational Meteorology will be held on 19-21 August, 1998 at the State University of New York at Buffalo's Amherst campus. (See complete announcement in March Newsletter.) Papers on all aspects of Great Lakes weather analysis and forecasting were invited. The deadline for submission of abstracts was 1 June 1998 (NWS forecasters should submit through their respective Regional Scientific Services Division). Abstracts (typed on no more than one page and single spaced) should be sent to: National Weather Service, Great Lakes Workshop, 587 Aero Drive, Buffalo, NY 14225. For more information contact Tom Niziol or Steve McLaughlin at: 716-565-0204; FAX: 716-565-9002; e-mail: thomas.niziol@noaa.gov or stephen.mclaughlin@noaa.gov. On the Internet, see info at http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov.
Second Annual Great Divide Weather Workshop will be held in Great Falls, Montana, 22-24 September 1998. The National Weather Service offices in Billings and Great Falls, Montana invite NWA members and other interested participants to the 2nd Annual Great Divide Weather Workshop. The emphasis of the workshop will be wide-ranging, but concentrating on the weather and forecasting problems of the Northern Rockies and High Plains (stretching from eastern Washington/Oregon to the western Dakotas and from Canada to Wyoming). Several invited speakers will be participating such as: Dr. Robert Maddox (formerly Dir. NSSL), Dr. Louis Uccellini (NWS/Dir. Office of Meteorology), and John Weaver (NESDIS/CIRA). Additional invited speakers are planned. A banquet is also planned for the first evening (about $15 per person). A $5 registration fee will be charged to cover workshop supplies.
Individuals interested in providing a presentation for the workshop are encouraged to provide a short, one-page abstract by 1 July 1998. Keith Meier (Science and Operations Officer - NWSO Billings) is serving as Program Chair for the workshop. Ken Mielke (Meteorologist In Charge - NWSFO Great Falls) is serving as Logistics Chair. A block of rooms (ask for NWS Workshop block) has been reserved at the Heritage Inn (in Great Falls). Cost for a single room is $52 (including tax). The Heritage Inn operates an airport shuttle (courtesy phone in the baggage claim area), has two pools, saunas, hot tubs, restaurant, an exercise room, and will also host the banquet. Heritage Inn, 1700 Fox Farm Road, Great Falls, MT 59404; (800) 548-8256 or (406) 761-1900.
All abstracts may be e-mailed to keith.meier@noaa.gov or sent to: Keith Meier, 2170 Overland Avenue, Billings, MT 59102; (406) 652-0851; fax: (406) 652-3214.
Ed. Meetings and other continuing education/training opportunities are also posted on the NWA home page at http://www.nwas.org
*****
JOB CORNER
(Ed: The NWA lists job openings free from equal opportunity employers for the benefit of members. See http://www.nwas.org or call the NWA office at (334) 213-0388 for possible short notice listings.)
DayWeather, Inc. of Cheyenne, Wyoming is looking for an entry level operational meteorologist to join a growing company providing weather services to the High Plains and Rocky Mountain West. We're looking for an energetic, creative and enthusiastic meteorologist who wants to work in a great environment, providing forecasts for radio, newspapers and private industry to the Intermountain West. Optimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in meteorology with experience in many Windows based programs such as, Excel, Adobe Illustrator, Quark and Word. Any broadcasting experience a plus, but not necessary. Qualified candidates must have excellent communications and writing/grammar skills along with an eye for detail. Send resumes to: DayWeather, Inc., P.O. Box 2269, Cheyenne, WY 82003 or e-mail to: don@dayweather.com (http://dayweather.com) No phone calls please.
THE WEATHER CHANNEL® The Meteorology Department of The Weather Channel® is seeking outstanding candidates for possible future openings. Proficiency in weather analysis and forecasting is a necessity. Optimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Meteorology or equivalent educational background plus at least four years full-time operational experience, or a Master's degree plus at least two years operational forecasting experience. Other necessary attributes include strong communication skills, nationwide forecasting experience, and basic computer skills in a Windows environment. Experience with graphic visualization of atmospheric fields is a plus.
Working well in a team environment, attentiveness to detail, flexibility, and the ability to focus on customer needs are essential. Weekend, night and/or early morning work may be required to help support our 24 hour a day, 7 day a week operation. Applicants should mail a cover letter and detailed resume to Kathy Strebe, Meteorology Manager, The Weather Channel®, 300 Interstate North Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339. No phone calls please.
ACCU WEATHER, INC., offers career opportunities with the world's leading and most diversified commercial weather service. You will have exciting opportunities to handle all types of weather forecasting for major business, media and government organizations. These include on-air broad-casting for radio stations; creative presentation of weather graphics; preparation of television and newspaper forecasts; snow and ice warning services; worldwide forecasting for agriculture; specialized forecasts for the transportation industry, utilities, businesses and resorts; computer applications; and many others. You will work with some of the nation's leading forecast meteorologists in one of the world's largest forecast centers, interacting with a staff of 300 employees. Our state-of-the-art facility provides our 85 forecast meteorologists with tools and computer technology unavailable elsewhere. Applicants need to be articulate and productive with outstanding forecasting and communication skills. Through progressive advancement, forecasters can become on-air meteorologists in major radio markets, or become involved in computer operations, graphic design, new product development or customer relations. AccuWeather also has positions available on our computer staff for meteorologists with programming experience. AccuWeather offers competitive salaries and an extensive benefits package including health insurance, 401K and profit sharing plans, life insurance and disability income. If you are an enthusiastic, hard working forecaster interested in employment in a dynamic growing company which offers superior opportunity for advancement, send a detailed resume to David H. Dombek, Director of Forecaster Hiring, AccuWeather, Inc., 619 W. College Ave., State College PA 16801; FAX: (814) 231-0621; resume@accuwx.com
STRATEGIC WEATHER SERVICES (SWS) Opportunities for challenging careers in operational meteorology in Palm Springs, California with one of America's oldest weather forecasting companies, with offices in Palm Springs, California; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; and Omaha, Nebraska. At least five (5) years of practical experience required in Synoptic Meteorology or Weather Forecasting. Computer knowledge required. One of the new positions will emphasize forecasting for European clients and thus experience in that area will be heavily considered. Office hours in Palm Springs are generally 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday with no shift work involved. A great work environment and many company benefits. Please fax resume to (760) 325-9678 or call Bill Young at (760) 325-9677; Bill_Young@StrategicWeather.com
WEATHER SERVICES CORPORATION (WSC) is one of the country's oldest and largest commercial operational meteorological services. Since 1948, it has been providing industry, government and the media with accurate, customized, worldwide weather information. The wide variety of WSC clients are located across the US, around the world and throughout cyberspace. A staff of nearly 100 professionals is supervised by AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologists. WSC is located in a new, state-of-the-art, 24-hour per day, Global Operations Center in Lexington, Massachusetts—on Boston's route 128 Technology Highway. The most important resource of WSC is their employees. Each is provided with the finest tools and the opportunity to excel in a stimulating, fast-paced, professional environment. In addition to a competitive compensation and benefits package, WSC employees can participate in the growth and success of the company through a stock ownership plan. Recent and planned growth of WSC presents opportunities for both entry-level and experienced Operational Meteorologists; Graphic Artists with PC experience - multi-lingual capabilities are a plus; Radio Broadcasters; Journalists and Producers; Systems Analysts with C in VMS and UNIX environments; Data and Telecommunications Technicians; Telemarketers; and Sales Account Executives. To apply, please send resume to: Human Resources - N895, Weather Services Corporation, 420 Bedford Street, Lexington MA 02173; FAX: (781) 676-1001; e-mail: hr@wx.com
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NWA Newsletter (ISSN 0271-1044)
Co-Editors: Larry Burch and Eli Jacks
Publisher: Kevin Lavin, Executive Director
Published monthly by the National Weather Association,
6704 Wolke Court, Montgomery, Alabama 36116-2134.
Tel/FAX: (334) 213-0388
E-mail: NatWeaAsoc@aol.com
Home page: http://www.nwas.org
__________________________________
Submit newsletter items directly to: Editor NWA Newsletter, Eli Jacks, NOAA/NWS W/OM21, 1325 East West Hwy Room 13125, Silver Spring
MD 20910; e-mail: Elliott.Jacks@noaa.gov or to: Larry Burch, NOAA/NWSFO, 2242 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City UT 84116;
e-mail: Larry.Burch@noaa.gov. Material received by the 5th will be considered for that month's issue.
Members receive the monthly NWA Newsletter and quarterly National Weather Digest as part of their regular, student or corporate membership
privileges. Contact the NWA for membership information. Newsletter subscriptions are available at $18.00 per year plus extra shipping costs
outside USA. Single copies are $1.50.
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Monograph 1-86, "Principles and Methods of Extended Period Forecasting in the U.S.," by Robert P. Harnack. Cost: $8.00 for NWA members; $12.00 for nonmembers.
Monograph 2-86 (Reprinted May 1993), "Satellite Imagery Interpretation for Forecasters," 3 volumes compiled and edited by Peter S. Parke. Cost: $38.00 NWA members; $51.00 for nonmembers.
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Publication 1-91, "Satellite Imagery Indicators of Turbulence," a script/slide training program, written by Gary Ellrod and prepared by NESDIS, contains 71 slides with text. Cost: $70.00 for members; $84.00 for nonmembers.
Monograph 1-93, 2nd Edition 1997, "A Comprehensive Glossary of Weather Terms for Storm Spotters," by Michael L. Branick, NWSFO, Norman OK. A thorough reference in "layman's terms" for standardization of terms used in storm spotting, forecasting and broadcasting. Cost: $6.00 for members; $9.00 for nonmembers.
Publication 1-95, "Imaging Capabilities of the GOES I-M Satellites," a script/slide training program, written by Gary Ellrod and Jim Nelson of NOAA/NESDIS/SAL. Contains 34 slides with accompanying text. Cost: $33.00 members; $40.00 for nonmembers.
The Severe Local Storm Forecasting Primer by John S. Sturtevant, July 1995. A survey of severe local storm structure, detection and forecasting techniques. Published by Weather Scratch Meteorological Services, Florence AL. 197 pp. Special NWA price: $30.00
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