Houston Local Chapter of the AMS

Houston Local Chapter of the AMS September 2005 Newsletter

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 22nd, 2005

Dinner & Meeting Location: Boudreaux’s Cajun Kitchen Address: 5475 West Loop S Houston, TX 77081-2288 Phone: 713-838-2200

Time(s): 6:00 PM (Dinner) / 7:00 PM (Meeting) Meeting’s Theme & Topic: The Houston AMS Chapter’s 2005-6 season opening meeting’s theme…. The Hurricane………

Obviously, with Katrina’s recent devastation, this month’s topic will focus on the decision-making process when threatened by a land-falling tropical cyclone. The atmosphere of Boudreaux’s, with its Cajun flare and New Orleans’s spirit, should remind us of what was for those unfortunate residents in Katrina’s path. How will we in the Houston area handle the situation when we are dealt that Tropical Ace of Spades?

Preparation is the key…….the decisions we make will ultimately reward or punish us in consequence.

Speaker: Mr. Lance Wood, Senior Forecaster with the Houston/Galveston National Weather Service, will present his Decision Tree. He will demonstrate how to use this flow chart-like tree which could aid decision-makers on how to assess the forecast track confidence while being able to find a realistic forecast error. Mr. Wood will also show examples of how the tree performed during the 2005 season.

Hurricane Katrina Information:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/katrina.htm http://www.redcross.org/ Notes from the President: September is here and time to resume our Houston Chapter of the American Meteorological Society activities. Your officers have met and planned what we feel will be a series of interesting speakers and social activities for the coming year.

The historic events still unfolding along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have, I’m sure, been in the hearts and minds of you all; both as concerned citizens and as fellow professionals in the field of meteorology. The area hit happens to have a large concentration of meteorologists. Our NWS Forecast office is in Slidell, LA, the NOAA Data Buoy Center, Navy Weather Service Headquarters, and Air Force Hurricane Hunters all on the coast of MS, private consulting companies, and television meteorologists in New Orleans have gone through trying times. Of our folks in Slidell, at least 10 have had their homes completely destroyed. As far as I know, none of the staff have lost their lives to Katrina. Tragically, the mother of an employee at our regional headquarters was killed in the storm surge in Bay St. Louis, MS.

In recognition of the great impact a hurricane can have on us, our first meeting will focus on the Tropics. Lance Wood will present an update on a study he has led concerning evaluating the confidence level for NHC tropical cyclone track forecasts in the Gulf. We chose Boudreaux’s as a fitting venue in recognizing the impact Katrina had on Cajun Country. I hope to see you there!

Your President, Bill Read

Reminder : DUES ARE DUE!

Upcoming 2005 Conferences:

11th Conference on Mesoscale Processes 24-28 October 2005, Albuquerque, NM

32nd Conference Radar Meteorology 24-29 October 2005, Albuquerque, NM

86 th Annual AMS Meeting January 29 - February 2, 2006, Atlanta, GA Fall 2005 Cleanup

Saturday, September 17th 9 AM – Noon All along the Texas Coast!

http://www.glo.state.tx.us/adopt-a-beach/cleanup.html

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Chapter Web-site: www.amshouston.org

Contact Information: Feel free to contact any of the officers for comments, questions, suggestions or even additions to the newsletter. We would appreciate hearing from you.

President – Bill Read Vice President – Anthony Yanez Ph: 281-534-2157 (Ext:222) Ph: 713-778-8950 email: [email protected] Email:[email protected]

Secretary – Patrick Blood Treasurer – Brian Planz Ph: 281-337-5074 (Ext:304) Ph: 713-430-7100 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

Or e-mail the Local Chapter: [email protected]

E-mail is Preferred: The use of email helps us cut down on costs. If it is available to you, we would like to add you to our e-mailing list. If you have changed your address, prefer another address, or no longer want to receive this newsletter, please let us know by filling out the form and giving it to any officer.

Brought to you by……Houston AMS Chapter ’05-’06 Sponsors:

Sponsorship: We are looking for additional sponsors for the 2005-2006 Houston Local Chapter of the AMS. Please contact one of our officers above if you or your company would like to sponsor the newsletter. Dues/Address Change: Don't forget to pay your $10 annual dues that were due this past September. Please include dues with the form below and turn it into any officer. If you prefer, you can mail the form and check to our Treasurer, Brian Planz.

Checks should be made out to: Houston Chapter of the American Meteorological Society Send to: Brian Planz c/o Wilkens Weather Technologies, Inc. 2925 Briar Park Drive, 7th Floor Houston, TX 77042 Include Below Information with Dues or Address Change. Please mail to Treasurer or give to an Officer. Name______Address______City/State/Zip______Work or Home? (please circle one) Email Address______Home phone number______Work______Send my newsletter by:___ mail/___ email. This is for: ____ Dues/____Address change.

------Houston Chapter of the American Meteorological Society c/o Patrick Blood Houston/Galveston National Weather Service, 1353 FM 646, Suite 202, Dickinson, TX 77539