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News Briefs
Comings
and Goings
Fang Zhao, a new visiting scientist from the National Meteorological
Center (NMC) of China will be working with the Western and Intermountain
Storms Hydrometeorology Team (WISH) team on a project to quantitatively
verify various existing QPE algorithms.
Bob Staples has joined
NSSL to work with Doug Forsyth as a Special Projects Consultant on the
Phased Array Radar system.
Kevin Thomas has left
NSSL after almost 20 years. Kevin helped design and improve NSSL's WDSS
system now in use in NWS offices across the country.
Lightning
Mapping Array
Installation of the Oklahoma Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) began in May
and is expected to take one month. The LMA will make three-dimensional
lightning mapping available to a range of 75 km from the network center
in central Oklahoma, and two-dimensional mapping available to a range
of almost 200 km. The LMA is owned by OU and managed by OU and NSSL scientists.The
SPY-1 Phased Array radar project has received additional funding from
the FAA and the U.S. Navy. NSSL staff met recently in Atlantic City, NJ
to discuss the roles of the groups involved. The SPY-1 technology will
be tested and enhanced at NSSL for use as a possible upgrade to the WSR-88D
radar. Using electronically controlled beams, phased array radar reduces
the scan time of severe weather from six minutes for current WSR-88D technology
to only one minute.
National
Severe Weather Workshop
The nation's premier severe weather experts discussed their latest research
findings and forecasting techniques during the National Severe Weather
Workshop on March 2-3 in Norman, OK. Guest speakers included Mary Ann
Cooper, M.D., a lightning effects expert; Dr. Greg Forbes, severe
weather expert from The Weather Channel ; and Tim Marshall, editor
of StormTrack magazine and structural engineer from Haag Engineering,
where he specializes in the analysis of property damage. NSSL's Harold
Brooks gave a presentation on tornado climatology. Designed for emergency
managers, storm spotters and other weather enthusiasts, the event was
sponsored by NOAA, SPC, the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the AMS/National
Weather Association and the Oklahoma Emergency Managers Association. Next
year's workshop is planned for March 1-3, 2002.
NSSL
and SPC evaluate experimental forecast tools
Jack Kain and Mike Baldwin, in collaboration with Paul
Janish and Steve Weiss of the SPC, carried out an intensive
program to evaluate experimental numerical models and forecasting techniques
during the last two spring seasons. These programs have received enthusiastic
participation by scientists from NCEP's Environmental Modeling Center,
NOAA's Forecast Systems Laboratory, and the university community.
AUITI
(Acronyms Used In This Issue)
AMS - American Meteorological
Society
FAA - Federal Aviation Administration
FOFS - Field Observing Facilities and Services
MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
NASA - National Aeronautic and Space Administration
NCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCEP - National Centers for Environmental Prediction
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NSSL- National Severe Storms Laboratory
NWS - National Weather Service
OU - University of Oklahoma
SPC - Storm Prediction Center
WDSS - Warning Decision Support System
WSR-88D - Weather Surveillance Radar - 88 Doppler, same as NEXRAD
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