Storm Spotting 101

Tonight I took my first class since arriving here in Oklahoma.

National Weather Service Storm Spotter Training: Spring 2009

Every year the NWS hosts these mini-seminars prior to the spring storm to educate the public and storm spotters about what all the warnings mean, what the cloud formations are, and when the hell to get out of dodge.

Now, when I heard storm spotter, I immediately thought storm chasing (I know that all my Yankees back home did too). That's not the case. The NWS relies heavily on local volunteer firefighters, amateur radio operators, and law enforcement to be their eyes on the ground while back at the office their eyes on the radar.

The class was taught by Ed Calianese, a Warning Coordination Meterologist from NWS Tulsa. He's spent his entire career in the lower plains so, he knows storms.

First a little background on Oklahoma/NW Arkansas tornadic activity from last year.

Last year Oklahoma experienced 77 tornados. The yearly average is 53. Arkansas averages 22 and they had 80 in 2008! On May 10, 2008 there were 15 in one day in Oklahoma, including a F4 that hit the ground and carved a 77 mile long path!!!!!! Oh, and not only does living in tornado alley leave us more suspectible to the number of tornados, ours are also more violent than the national average. What that means is we get more in the F2-F5 range than the rest of the country.

So onto the technical part of the class.

Initially I was clueless. Words like: cumulus, updrafts, downdrafts, anvil shaped clouds, wall clouds, tail clouds, rear flank downdrafts, rain free base, clear slots, supercell, and squall line were being thrown around like they are used in every day language.

Oh yeah, around here from April-June, they are part of normal conversation. My bad.

Eventually with lots of charts, radar images, photos and a combination of all three.....I kind of got it.

I did learn that supercells are capable of producing tornados and GRAPEFRUIT sized HAIL! Referencing my new hail chart that means hail approx 4 1/2 inches in diameter!!!!!!!

Squall lines can spin off tornados that don't really show up on radar so the NWS relies on the spotters on the ground to call those in. That's a comforting thought at 3am.

The best vantage point to get a good picture of a tornado is from the southeast side. So, if I ever felt like hopping in my car and heading out into the open to chase down something that can scoop me up and shoot me out like a cannon, at least I know the best angle to document my last moments.

I would be fibbing if I said that this class made me feel any better about the severe weather spring season. To be honest, it is making me nauseous to think about my first rough night but, I also know that there are alot of systems in place to make sure I know what is heading our way.

I am very fortunate to live in Sand Springs, OK. Sand Springs is one of only 2 towns in Oklahoma that has a reverse 911 system for weather emergencies. This means that when there is a severe weather warning, my cell phone will ring and inform me about that warning. So, in the middle of the night if there is a tornado warning 3 things will happen all at once: my cell phone will ring, the tornado siren will blow, and the weather radio will beep. On average, these warning give us 14 minutes to seek shelter. That was probably the most comforting moment of the evening coupled with the fact that Sand Springs has NO documented tornado strikes in its history.

Oh and I got a cool certificate :)



Oh and if you ever want to check out really detailed weather info for the area I live, here's the website. For those who don't know. I live in Tulsa County. It's going to be on the western side of these maps in a county that looks like a miniature Oklahoma. Might be fun to check it out during the spring.

www.srh.noaa.gov/tulsa