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NOAA's NWS Focus
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| November 03, 2003 |
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NWS managers demonstrate their grilling skills during a Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) fund-raising event held at the National Weather Service Training Center (NWSTC) in Kansas City, MO, September 19, 2003. Left to Right, Dennis McCarthy, Central Region Headquarters, Jack May and Fred Johnson, Aviation Weather Center, and Jim Poole, NWSTC, contributed money, time and talent to provide hot hamburgers, hotdogs, salads and dessert to 110 hungry staff and students. The effort raised $675 for CFC.
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Forecasters Support Firefighters as Winds Drive Fires Through California
Wildfires have burned across portions of southern California since October 24, 2003, and NWS meteorologists at Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) in San Diego and Los Angeles, along with eight Incident Meteorologists, have been at the center of the attention of firefighting agencies, media, emergency management agencies and the public.
One of the wildfires damaged the San Diego office's Doppler Weather Radar and their Upper Air Observation site. Both sites lost telephone and commercial power, according to NWS Western Region Headquarters. The trailer at the Upper Air site was destroyed as fires swept through the area.
"I am very proud of the efforts of the San Diego Weather Forecast Office, Western Region and national headquarters, and the Radar Operations Center staffs who took immediate actions to begin restoration of the radar operations and upper air sounding programs. Within three days, they had the KNKX Doppler radar up and running on generator power while still awaiting commercial power and telephone lines," said Vickie Nadolski, NWS Western Region director. "Edwards Air Force Base stepped in to take soundings for a few days. Using a mobile upper air unit, we took the first upper air sounding from the former site on Saturday. We're back in business because of everyone's dedicated efforts."
As of November 3, 2003, 20 people are dead from the fires or from health-related effects from the fires, more than 3,300 homes have been destroyed. In all, more than 750,000 acres have burned, an area approximately the size of Delaware. Wildfires roared through mountain and valley communities, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, take shelter in schools, abandoned airport hangars, and community centers.
Los Angeles Meteorologist-In-Charge (MIC) Dan Keeton, said, "This tragic fire had all the ingredients for a major disaster: a hot and dry Santa Ana wind, heavy fuel loads of late fire season, a drought damaged forest, and what is probably the country's most populous wildland/urban interface. It was gratifying to see our forecasters working hard to provide the best possible support to the fire line," Keeton added. "It was what I imagine WFO Miami looks like during a category 5 hurricane."
The Hazards Assessment issued by the Climate Prediction Center on October 21 gave an early indication of potential problems. Both forecast offices and the Storm Prediction Center highlighted southern California as a "Critical Fire Weather Area" for several days prior to the onset of flames.
"The National Weather Service issued early notification to its customers several days before the recent fires started, driven by the Santa Ana winds. Fire Weather Watches and single digit humidity forecasts were issued by the San Diego and Los Angeles Weather Forecast Offices as early as October 23," said San Diego Meteorologist in Charge Jim Purpura. "Both WFOs provided continuous updates of fire weather watches and warnings, noting high winds, some which reached up to 70 m.p.h."
At the peak of the event over 50,000 people were in shelters. More than 11,000 firefighters have been on the front lines. President Bush has declared four counties federal disaster areas. When everything is tallied up in the coming weeks, Gov. Gray Davis said the fires may be the worst and costliest disaster California has ever faced.
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NOAA Hosts Agricultural Constituent Briefing
NOAA recently hosted a constituent briefing and discussion for the agricultural community at the Department of Commerce in Washington, DC.
More than 40 constituents and Congressional staff members attended the briefing led by Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher. The briefing focused on NOAA's role in drought monitoring, assessment and prediction; advanced hydrologic prediction; and climate services. Vice Adm. Lautenbacher also discussed the proposed Earth Observation System, and the Congressional staffers highlighted the status of drought legislation working its way through Congress.
"By working in partnership to develop innovative programs, we can deliver better service, value and the best outcomes for our communities," Adm. Lautenbacher told attendees.
Tom Graziano, NWS Hydrologic Services Division, gave a briefing on the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service; Doug LeComte, NWS Climate Prediction Center (CPC) gave a briefing on Drought Monitoring, Assessments and Prediction; and Ed O'Lenic, CPC, gave a briefing on Long Term Weather and Climate Outlooks. Other briefing topics included Scientific Support for Sustainable Agriculture in Coastal Regions, Climate-Agriculture Issues, and Climatic Data. The session ended with a talk on economic benefits derived by NOAA services.
Constituents' questions centered around how they can access and use NOAA products and data, and what new services may be available in the future.
Constituent attendees included representatives of the Southern Governors' Association, Western Governors' Association, the National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Association of Wheat Growers, USA Rice Federation, National Association of Counties, American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Association of State Foresters, National Conference of State Legislatures, and others.
Congressional attendees included staff members for Ranking Environment and Public Works Committee Minority Member Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT), and Reps. Dennis Renberg (R-MT) and and Alcee Hastings (D-FL). These members are co sponsors of the 2003 National Drought Preparedness Act, and they gave the constituents an update on the status of drought legislation.
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NOAA Partners in Detroit Team Up for Teachers Meeting Exhibit
NOAA scientists and administrators from the NWS White Lake, MI, Weather Forecast Office, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve teamed up to staff an exhibit at the Metropolitan Detroit Science Teacher's Association Annual Meeting October 25, 2003, in Southfield, MI.
The event drew over 1,200 science teachers from Metro Detroit. Teachers displayed considerable interest in NOAA activities around Metro Detroit with nearly 300 stopping by to talk with NOAA team members.
In addition to the display, NOAA staff also presented a seminar to interested teachers detailing outreach activities available to the educational community.
WFO White Lake Meteorologist-In-Charge Dick Wagenmaker noted the importance of collaborative NOAA outreach in addition to collaborative science.
"It was great to participate in an event where the collaborative NOAA spirit that we've fostered in the laboratory was on display for educators to see. NOAA in Metro Detroit has a commitment to educating our future workforce through these outreach activities with teachers and students."
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Chief Information Officer Leaving NWS for Federal Emergency Management Agency
NWS Chief Information Officer (CIO) Barry West is leaving the NWS to become CIO for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a Department of Homeland Security agency.
"We will miss Barry, but this is a positive development for NOAA and the National Weather Service," said NWS Deputy Director John Jones. "His knowledge of the NWS mission and his advocacy for NWS dissemination technologies such as NOAA Weather Radio can only strengthen the Nation's approach toward establishing an all-hazards warning system."
West's last full day with the NWS was October 31, 2003, but he will continue to split his time between the NWS and his new job through November 14. The NWS Deputy CIO and Telecommunications Operations Center Director, Larry Curran, will be the acting CIO beginning November 3.
"I've been thoroughly impressed by the dedication and passion of the employees of the National Weather Service," West said. "I am proud to say that I served on the NWS team and look forward to a continuing relationship in my new role as the CIO of FEMA."
Read the FEMA news release here.
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Also On the Web...NWS Best Practices
If you haven't visited the NWS Employee Resources and Best Practices web site, check it out to find examples of best practices in areas such as office management, community outreach, customer services, and much more. NWS Regions have pages highlighting successes in marine, aviation, fire weather, and many other categories. Use your NOAA username and password to logon at https://bestpractices.nws.noaa.gov/contents/bestpractices.php |
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| Employee
Milestones
- Click
here to see NEW APPOINTMENTS/TRANSFERS to NWS through
October 31, 2003.
- Click
here to see RETIREMENTS/DEPARTURES from NWS through
October 31, 2003.
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