Improving Communication and Situational Awareness: Improving Communication and Situational Awareness: Available tools for NWS operationsAvailable tools for NWS operations

DEREK DEROCHEDEREK DEROCHENOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Pleasant Hill, MissouriNOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Pleasant Hill, Missouri

SUZANNE FORTIN, JULIE ADOLPHSON, ANDY BAILEYSUZANNE FORTIN, JULIE ADOLPHSON, ANDY BAILEYNOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Pleasant Hill, MissouriNOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Pleasant Hill, Missouri

SCOTT BLAIRSCOTT BLAIR

NOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Topeka, KansasNOAA / NWS, Weather Forecast Office, Topeka, Kansas

13th Annual High Plains Conference13th Annual High Plains ConferenceNorth Platte, NENorth Platte, NE

13th Annual High Plains Conference13th Annual High Plains ConferenceNorth Platte, NENorth Platte, NE

Review of Multimedia Web Briefings

• A short recorded video A short recorded video which incorporates which incorporates graphics, audio, and text graphics, audio, and text informationinformation

• Enables forecasters to Enables forecasters to explain the “why” of the explain the “why” of the upcoming situation as upcoming situation as well as forecast concerns, well as forecast concerns, confidence, uncertainty.confidence, uncertainty.Not only a data provider Not only a data provider but a data interpreterbut a data interpreter

• Multi-media Weather Multi-media Weather Briefing Integrated Work Briefing Integrated Work Team in the process of Team in the process of national implementationnational implementation

Review of Emerging Technologies

Live Chase Cams

Live Chase Cams

Pietrycha, A. E., Pietrycha, A. E., S. F. BlairS. F. Blair, T. J. Allison, D. R. Deroche, and R. V. Fritchie, 2009: , T. J. Allison, D. R. Deroche, and R. V. Fritchie, 2009: Emerging technologies in the field to improve information in support of operations Emerging technologies in the field to improve information in support of operations and researchand research NWA Electronic Journal of Operational MeteorologyNWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology., 2009-EJ2, 1-., 2009-EJ2, 1-2424

Outline and Flow of Information of a Tech-Savvy Storm Observer

Laptop GPS SN GUI Mobile Obs Mobile Video

Internetvia

Cell Phone orBroadband Cards

Research ProjectsField Coordinator

National WeatherService WFOs

Review of Emerging Technologies

Utilize favorite SA tool to display pertinent information: Gibson Ridge Software (GRLevelX), Google Earth, StormLab, RadarLab HD, others

Placefile Possibilities• CR SA Displays• Spotter Network• NWS Warnings• SPC Watches• SPC Mesoscale Discussions• SPC Day 1 Outlook/Probabilities• MRESS observations• METAR observations• Local mesonet observations• Local Storm Reports (LSR)• WSR-88D algorithms• Incorporated GPS location• NOAA Wx Radio locations• Amateur Radio Repeaters• Customized GIS locations

Improving Office SA

Office Layout

Typical WFO Layout

• Majority of Weather Majority of Weather Service Employees are Service Employees are introvertsintroverts

• Design tends to Design tends to hinder communicationhinder communication

OO

Office Layout

Emergency Operations Center Layout

Designed to maximize situational awareness

Office Layout

OUN Layout

Office Layout

• Increase Increase communication communication and situational and situational awareness awareness

• Challenge of Challenge of many WFO’s…many WFO’s…Limited Budget $$Limited Budget $$$$

• Takes a team Takes a team efforteffort

Real-time SA Tools

Live TV Streams

• Allows WFO’s to monitor other television stations outside of their viewing area by placing a slingbox at the TV station or EM office.

• May require outside internet connection

Traffic/Web cams

• Can supply Can supply real-time real-time Verification Verification

• Not only found Not only found within within metropolitan metropolitan areasareas

• Check with Check with Schools, TV Schools, TV Stations, etcStations, etc

TV Station Blogs/Live Chat Rooms

• Some TV stations Some TV stations monitor and post monitor and post reports within a live reports within a live forumforum

• Viewers can post Viewers can post reports as wellreports as well

• Can be useful for Can be useful for verificationverification

Post Storm Tools

Social Networking

• Quickly disseminate Quickly disseminate information to customers information to customers with little hasslewith little hassle

• Reach newer, potentially Reach newer, potentially larger audiencelarger audience

• Upload waypoints from Upload waypoints from damage survey appdamage survey app

•Utilize geo-locations to Utilize geo-locations to view tweets via maps. view tweets via maps. Could be potentially useful Could be potentially useful for reports. for reports.

Damage Surveys

• Can be used to upload Can be used to upload waypoints of damage indicatorswaypoints of damage indicators

• Automatically creates Google Automatically creates Google map with track damage and map with track damage and descriptorsdescriptors

• Email or auto upload to social Email or auto upload to social networking sites.networking sites.

• Mentioned on Motion X Mentioned on Motion X websitewebsite

http://news.motionx.com/http://news.motionx.com/category/motionx-gps/category/motionx-gps/

NSSL Hail/Meso GIS Plots

• Allows WFO’s to overlay hail/rotation plots atop Google Earth MapsAllows WFO’s to overlay hail/rotation plots atop Google Earth Maps• Can be beneficial in identifying post event verification locationsCan be beneficial in identifying post event verification locations

Weather MailA SEVERE THUNDERSTORM warning was issued for your area at 613 PM CDT WED JUN 17 2009.We would appreciate it if you contacted us with any information on severe weather you mighthave observed with this storm.We are interested in the following kinds of weather information:

  1) Hail the size of a dime or larger.  2) Winds that cause any kind of damage, or that are estimated to have exceeded 60 MPH.  3) Tornadoes and/or funnel clouds.

Please be as descriptive as possible, and keep the following in mind if you are replying...For All Events: Reference location of observed severe weather to cities, and road names.For Hail: Include size of hail stones (estimated or measured), and time it occurred.For Wind: Include speed (if known) or describe damage done, and time it occurred. As anexample include diameter of any limbs blown from trees, and any details on other objects that where damaged.For Tornado/Funnel Cloud: Include description of where it was observed, if any damage was done, andtime it occurred.You can follow the following link to a web-page hosted by the Iowa State University Department of Agronomywhich can give you information on the SEVERE THUNDERSTORM warning, and where the storm was.http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/GIS/apps/rview/warnings_cat.phtml?year=2009&wfo=EAX&eventid=188&phenomena=SV&significance=W

Reponse: hello and thanx for email    here on the town square in kingston winds were approx 60 mph.  i have a 30 foot top blown off of a 60 foot black locust tree in my front yard. there was also extreme ponding from 1 1/4 inch of rain falling in minutes..thankl you/ dennis yoakum

• Used for verificationUsed for verification

• Sends out an email to Sends out an email to spotters in database within spotters in database within polygonpolygon

• Received ~700 responses Received ~700 responses during 2009 svr wx seasonduring 2009 svr wx season

• Possibilities with new Possibilities with new technology…ie include call technology…ie include call back number and spotter back number and spotter network reporting via smart network reporting via smart phones phones

Integrated Warning Team

Integrated Warning Team

Outgrowth of one slide from Dale Morris (2006) which built upon Integrated Warning System concept of Doswell, Moller, and Brooks, WAF 1999

• Who makes up the Who makes up the team?team?- EM community- EM community- Broadcast Media- Broadcast Media- NWS- NWS

• Thinking of themselves Thinking of themselves as something larger than as something larger than their organization?their organization?

Integrated Warning Team

TakeawaysTakeaways• There was universal buy in with the IWT conceptThere was universal buy in with the IWT concept

• The majority of the public get their information The majority of the public get their information directly from the media, Sirens were a close 2directly from the media, Sirens were a close 2ndnd

What does this mean:What does this mean:We’ve got to do anything we can to support the We’ve got to do anything we can to support the media during severe weathermedia during severe weatherWe really need to push towards a uniform siren We really need to push towards a uniform siren policy for warningspolicy for warnings

AttendeesAttendees

• 6 TV stations and 2 Radio Stations were 6 TV stations and 2 Radio Stations were representedrepresented• 20 NWS Meteorologists from 5 WFOs and 20 NWS Meteorologists from 5 WFOs and CRHCRH• 60 EMs from in and out of the KC Metro60 EMs from in and out of the KC Metro• 5 Social Scientists5 Social Scientists

TakeawaysTakeaways• Conducted a 3 day workshop focusing on:Conducted a 3 day workshop focusing on:

The Integrated Warning Team concept (Day 1)The Integrated Warning Team concept (Day 1)Relationships…Relationships…Relationships!!Relationships…Relationships…Relationships!!

• What social scientists can tell us (Day 2)What social scientists can tell us (Day 2)WAS*IS group spoke on findings from post event surveys, WAS*IS group spoke on findings from post event surveys,

communications research, other communities’ best practicescommunications research, other communities’ best practices• Formulating a strategy for moving forward (Day 3)Formulating a strategy for moving forward (Day 3)

Relationships…Relationships…Relationships!!Relationships…Relationships…Relationships!!• Cost ~$8500 for invited speaker travel and lunch mealsCost ~$8500 for invited speaker travel and lunch meals

Integrated Warning Team

External Communication Goals• Work to get all 4 KC TV stations using unified svr wx “bug” colors (then expand out…Work to get all 4 KC TV stations using unified svr wx “bug” colors (then expand out…St Joe, Kirksville) St Joe, Kirksville) • Investigate and work towards a unified siren policyInvestigate and work towards a unified siren policy• Seek out local university social scientists to get their assistance conducing local Seek out local university social scientists to get their assistance conducing local research on public responseresearch on public response• Work for wider distribution through hwy msg boardsWork for wider distribution through hwy msg boards• Work to limit tornado warning length to 30 minutes when possibleWork to limit tornado warning length to 30 minutes when possible

Internal Communication Goals• Get 90% IWT members using NWSChat during svr wx comms within Get 90% IWT members using NWSChat during svr wx comms within 12 months12 months

- Develop local NWS Chat admin group to help NWS- Develop local NWS Chat admin group to help NWS• Keep Communications goingKeep Communications going

- State Broadcaster Meetings- State Broadcaster Meetings- Conduct “regionalized” mini-IWT workshops- Conduct “regionalized” mini-IWT workshops- State and substate EM meetings- State and substate EM meetings

• Create KC MEMC “task force” to manage goalsCreate KC MEMC “task force” to manage goals(co-chaired by media, em, and nws representatives)(co-chaired by media, em, and nws representatives)

Traffic Management Systems

• KC Scout working towards KC Scout working towards “Weather Integration for Traffic “Weather Integration for Traffic Management” Management”

• Future plans to integrate Future plans to integrate warnings/weather messages on warnings/weather messages on message boardsmessage boards

Live Video Feeds