NSSL techniques aid forecasters in Super Tuesday aftermath

Damage map

(Above) The NSSL On-Demand display that corresponds with the damage in the photo taken in Clinton, Arkansas (Larger image)

(Below). The family of six survived and are just now moving into their rebuilt home.

destroyed home

The Super Tuesday tornado outbreak began on February 5, 2008 while 24 U.S. states were holding primary elections and caucuses for the upcoming presidential election. A total of 58 people were killed.

Unusual?
NSSL scientist Harold Brooks studies the climatology of tornadoes and noted, "While this is not a normal event, it is not an incredibly rare event." Brooks develops and applies techniques to estimate the occurrence of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Accurate estimates of the true threats from severe weather are of interest to a wide range of users, including weather forecasters, the emergency management community, the insurance industry and the general public.

These storms serve as a reminder how crucial it is to recognize the nature of the threat posed by tornadoes in the U.S., and the importance of preparedness for emergency management and response for natural disasters.

NSSL Severe Storm Verification system used
The NSSL “On-Demand” Severe Storm Verification System (http://ondemand.nssl.noaa.gov) was used by NWS forecasters following the Super Tuesday outbreak to help with damage surveys and warning verification. NSSL OnDemand was developed by NSSL researchers including Kevin Manross, Travis Smith and Greg Stumpf. They wanted to create a new web-based query tool designed to make the severe thunderstorm and tornado warning verification process easier for NWS meteorologists. Warning verification helps the NWS improve its overall forecast and warning performance, and aids in the continual development of advanced warning tools.

This new system allows users to specify a region within the continental U.S. and a time period from 1 to 24 hours, then request Hail Swath and Rotation Track data in a variety of mapping formats. Requests are then processed and results are made available within minutes. The system is part of NSSL’s WDSS-II, a suite of computer programs that run in real-time across the entire continental U.S. Damage surveyors and emergency responders can use the system to produce a high-resolution street map of potential damage areas. Improved verification efficiency will get surveyors into affected areas sooner, before recovery and cleanup begins.