Weather Access Bob Glancy NOAA National Weather Service, Boulder, CO Near Cedar Point, CO May 9, 2004 Weather can change quickly...are you on top of the changes? National Weather Service Local offices: weather forecasts for the next 7 days watches, warnings, advisories public forecasts fire weather forecasts aviation forecasts river forecasts text and graphics climate information outreach: severe weather spotter networks cooperative observer networks other spotter networks weather training school and group talks 1
Our tools NEXRAD Doppler weather radars allow us to monitor thunderstorms and precipitation; Geostationary satellites allow us to see jet streams, troughs, ridges, tropical weather systems. Radiosonde balloons 2
KFTG 9/11 20Z 9/12 03Z More on meteorology, radar loop Our tools continued... data buoys for marine observations surface observing systems, such as automated surface stations (ASOS), cooperative observer sites The data collected inform sophisticated environmental prediction models running on high-speed supercomputers. AWIPS workstations allow us to analyze all of these data to issue public, aviation, marine, fire weather, air quality, space weather, river and flood forecasts and warnings around the clock. A high-speed communications hub allows for the efficient exchange of these data and products between NWS components, partners, and customers. AWIPS workstation 3
Ingredients to daily weather Courtesy: Ian Wittmeyer March 18, 2003 18z (11am MST) 500 mb and satellite 4
March 18, 2003 surface map at 0500 MST March deep upslope snow March 17-19, 2003...HEAVY WET SNOW AND DRIFTING SNOW BROUGHT TRANSPORTATION TO A NEAR STANDSTILL. HUNDREDS OF ROOFS COLLAPSED WITH MANY DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. UP TO 135,000 PEOPLE LOST POWER FOR DAYS. DIA WAS CLOSED...STRANDING ABOUT 4000 TRAVELERS. THE HEAVY SNOW TRAPPED THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN FOOTHILLS HOMES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE STORM DUMPED 31.8 INCHES OF SNOW AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON AIRPORT. THE STORM MADE MARCH 2003 THE SNOWIEST MARCH ON RECORD. THE 22.9 INCHES OF SNOW WAS THE GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED IN THE CITY IN MARCH. 5
A few more weeks of winter! Heavy snow mountains 8 inches or more in 12 hours, 12 inches or more in 24 hours. Lower elevations 6 inches or more in 12 hours 8 inches or more in 24 hours. Winter storm watch conditions are favorable for the development of hazardous winter weather conditions. Usually issued 12-48 hours in advance of storm. Winter storm warning the development of hazardous winter weather conditions is likely, usually within the next 24 hours. More winter Blizzard Warning considerable falling or blowing snow with visibilities less than ¼ of a mile AND sustained winds of 35 mph on plains, or 50 mph in mountains. High winds mountains, in and near foothills sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts to 75 mph. lower elevations sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 58 mph. Advisories For Sleet Freezing drizzle Blowing snow snow Snow and blowing snow Wind chill Fog Frost Blowing dust Dense smoke Ashfall Freezing fog 6
Where do you get your weather forecasts? Television? Radio? Internet? Private vendor site? NOAA sites? NOAA Weather Radio? Other sources? Spotters The Warning Process Citizens Spotter report Radar info Receive and respond NWS vendors Radio TV Sirens Analyze information Issue warning EAS WEA Cell phones NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio Internet Dispatch CCIC, NWR METS, NAWAS EMWIN What s Available from your National Weather Service Forecasts/ Watches/ Warnings National/ local warning maps High Resolution Digital Forecasts Point and Click Forecast Tabular Forecasts NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio 7
http://www.weather.gov Your Forecast is just a click away Select your location on the map by a single click to get the forecast for your area http://www.weather.gov/boulder Point and Click Forecast From the home page, just click on your location This will provide you with the forecast for your location www.weather.gov/bou 8
The Weather Story available at www.weather.gov/boulder NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio www.weather.gov/nwr Latest radar information http://www.nws.noaa.gov/radar_tab.php 9
What s Available from your National Weather Service National Centers Severe Weather Srorm Prediction Center (SPC) Hurricanes/ Tropical Storms National Hurricane Center Fire Weather Climate Climate Prediction Center 10
NWS National Centers NWS Storm Prediction Center www.spc.noaa.gov Convective Outlook NWS National Centers NWS Storm Prediction Center www.spc.noaa.gov Counties in watch 11
Storm based warnings BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 706 PM MDT WED JUN 18 2014 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... EAST CENTRAL DENVER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO... WESTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO... * UNTIL 730 PM MDT * AT 706 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER EASTERN COMMERCE CITY...OR 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF DENVER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. HAZARD...QUARTER SIZE HAIL. SOURCE...RADAR AND SPOTTER INDICATED. IMPACT...DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... NORTHEASTERN DENVER...NORTHWESTERN AURORA...COMMERCE CITY... BRIGHTON...DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND D.I.A. TERMINAL AND CONCOURSES. NWS National Centers NWS National Hurricane Center www.nhc.noaa.gov Main page showing Current tropical Storms. 12
NWS National Centers NWS National Hurricane Center www.nhc.noaa.gov 5 day forecast of a tropical storm. National Centers Climate Prediction Center Two week forecasts www.cpc.noaa.gov National Centers: Climate Prediction Center www.cpc.noaa.gov one month outlook for temperature and precipitation And precipitation. 13
Our partners! US Drought Monitor Precipitation (Alert) networks COCOrahs network Emergency managers Spotter networks CoCoRaHS Started in Colorado, it is expanding to the whole country. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) implemented CoCoRaH s as their official rainfall reporting system. www.cocorahs.org/ CocoRahs statewide rainfall 14
CoCoRahs Denver metro precipitation reports 02/02/07 Some important radar issues 15
HEIGHT WITH DISTANCE OF CENTER OF RADAR BEAM ABOVE GROUND. Location Distance 0.5 degrees 1.5 degrees Fort Morgan 44NM 4942 ft. 9700 ft. Akron 66NM 7100 ft. 14,030 ft. Sterling 80NM 9926 ft. 18,336 ft. Holyoke 114NM 16,265 ft. 28,307 ft Base reflectivity 16
Base reflectivity vs Composite Reflectivity Radar comparison, one near one far Precipitation products: 17
Base velocity Circulations within one beam width not detected Detected Not detected RDA WSR-88D beam spreads with distance 60 nm distance.....5 nm wide (3040 ft) 120 nm distance... 1 nm wide (6080 ft) 180 nm distance... 1.5 nm wide (9120 ft) Large rotation vs small rotation 18
Dual pol radar information Helps identify type of precipitation Shows areas of heavy rain. Before using this information check out the online training: http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/courses/dualpol/outreach/ 19