NWA NEWSLETTER No. 02-08 AUGUST 2002 data provided to them in real-time through Iowa State PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE University, which developed the IEM program. This event The NWA’s 27th Annual Meeting is rapidly ties nicely into the theme for this year’s 27th Annual approaching! The NWA Council and program committee Meeting - Building Partnerships to Meet the Challenges thank all who submitted abstracts and volunteered to help of 21st Century Weather. Another school sensor vendor with the program and local arrangements. The response and corporate member, AWS Convergence Technologies was overwhelming and as you will see in this newsletter, Inc, has recently agreed that all NWS offices across the the agenda assembled by Mike Vescio and his program country may access the data from the AWS “Weather committee is outstanding. I look forward to joining you in Bug” and WeatherNets for Homeland Security support. Fort Worth, 19-24 October for a great learning experience. Hopefully, many more partnerships will develop. Aviation Update FORE! Many of our members are involved in aviation, from the Membership committee member Betsy Kling has NWS Aviation Weather Center forecasters, to the Flight organized the first-ever, NWA Golf Outing in association Service Station briefers, to the general aviation pilots, like with the Annual Meeting! The outing has been planned myself. I attended the annual Experimental Aviation for Saturday, 19 October at 11:00 AM at the Pecan Valley Association annual convention in Oshkosh in late July and course in Fort Worth. We know several broadcasters have it was interesting to see two of our NWA corporate signed up, but want to make sure EVERYONE knows members make major announcements there regarding they are welcome to play. Profits from the event will getting timely NEXRAD data beamed via satellite into the benefit NWA educational scholarships. Total cost is $55 cockpit of aircraft large and small. See the Web site for for 18 holes, a cart, and watching my slice! Contact Betsy Baron Services (www.baronservices.com) for information and sign up at [email protected] or by calling on using XM-Radio as the transmission vehicle and also 904-633-8808 (ext. 772) by 1 October 2002. WSI Corporation’s new In-Flight product at And regarding membership… (www.wsi.com/markets/aviation/inflight.htm). The FAA I am unhappy to report that when the Executive is working towards pilots and controllers being able to see Director did the annual purging of the database of former the same radar information and it would appear the private members not renewing their membership for this year, we sector is making great strides to help. lost 289 folks. This dips us below the 3,000 mark I have Data Partnerships been striving for. As of 20 August, the NWA has 2,775 In some past issues, I have mentioned the need for members in good standing. Let’s recruit and try to build cooperation between NWS offices, the media and others that number up before the Annual Meeting. involved in meteorology especially during times of severe - John McLaughlin weather. I’d like to share a success story here in Iowa, and [email protected] if you have a great example please send it to me. During the pre-dawn hours of 10 July, a bow echo moved across western Iowa. The Des Moines WSR-88D radar went IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS offline just as storms entered the county warning area. But, thanks to a previously established data sharing 21 September -- deadline for making room reservations at the venture called the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM), Radisson Plaza Hotel at discount rates for the NWA 27th the local NWS office forecasters were able to see live Annual Meeting 19 - 24 October 2002. See page 8. wind and rainfall information from the KCCI SchoolNet 5 October -- Preregistration deadline for the NWA Annual system. One station was hit with 96 mph winds and Meeting. Forms in last month’s Newsletter and on Web site. hurricane force winds lasting four minutes. Other sites See MEETINGS in last month’s Newsletter for other important recorded 70+ mph gusts. The warning meteorologist was dates or check conferences and special events on the NWA Web able to issue strongly worded severe thunderstorm site: www.nwas.org warnings and additional statements by using the media NWA BROADCAST COMMITTEE ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA Become A Weather Expert… This preliminary agenda (as of 20 August 2002) is provided I started studying weather when I was seven years old. for members planning to attend and as crossfeed to all readers Well, “studying” may be the wrong word, but I had a interested in knowing the variety of studies being done in the strong interest, which led me to stare at the sky, watch public and private sectors and in the academic community. The storms as they rolled in, and go to the library to get books agenda will be continually updated on the NWA Web site (www.nwas.org). on weather. I still remember the Dewey Decimal System number for locating the books on weather...551. Since The 27th Annual Meeting of the National Weather those days back in the late 1960s and early 1970s things Association will be held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, 815 Main have changed dramatically. Now you can just log on to the Street, Fort Worth, Texas from 19-24 October 2002. Internet World Wide Web and you can find old and new educational resources for all ages. Whether you head to Building Partnerships to Meet the Challenges the local public library and get a book, or get online and of 21st Century Weather research a topic, weather education is something that is never complete and must continue for as long as you have Saturday, 19 October 2002 a passion for it. I know I’ll be fascinated with the latest 12:00 PM NWA Registration and Information Desk opens in weather forecasting techniques and cutting-edge weather the foyer just outside of the presentation room. Exhibit area technologies well after I retire from broadcasting. opens for vendors to setup their exhibits. With the pursuit of forecasting excellence in mind, let 05:00 PM –08:00 PM Attendees, guests and the public are me suggest that there is a great way to learn new skills and invited to view the exhibits. applications directly from the experts and to see the 09:00 PM NWA Registration and Information Desk closes. newest weather technology available displayed by the companies developing it. Add in the opportunities to Sunday, 20 October 2002 interact with hundreds of other meteorologists and share experiences with broadcasters from all over the country, 07:30 AM –05:30 PM NWA Registration and Information and you have something proudly called the NWA Annual Desk opens each day of the meeting. Meeting. This fall is our 27th! The fun begins with a golf 08:30 AM –05:30 PM BROADCASTERS WORKSHOPS outing to raise money for NWA Scholarships on Saturday, in the hotel presentation room. Presentations and workshops October 19th. For information on that, contact are directed at Television and Radio Broadcasters and those in Meteorologist Betsy Kling at [email protected]. related fields, but all interested are invited to register, attend and by 1 October. After a round of golf, the NWA registration participate. table will be open to pick up your program and the exhibit 08:30 AM Welcoming Remarks. NWA President, John B. booths will be open to view/discuss the latest in McLaughlin, KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA, and Dan Threlkeld, products/services. Exhibits will be open again on Sunday Broadcaster Workshop Program Chair , KFOR-TV, Oklahoma during the Broadcaster Workshops. I have been working City, OK. with Meteorologist Dan Threlkeld on Sunday’s agenda, 08:35 AM Opening Remarks. NWA Broadcast Meteorology Committee Chair, Richard E. Apuzzo II, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, and he has some wonderful presentations and hands-on OH. workshops set up. 08:40 AM Tropical Storm Allison’s Impact on SE Texas. For those who have not attended before, the conference Keith Monahan, Chief Meteorologist, KHWB-TV, Houston, swings from a broadcast focus on the weekend over to TX. more general weather discussions the rest of the week, and 09:00 AM Building Partnerships. Dave Busiek, Chairman, there is something for every weather interest. Don’t let Radio-Television News Directors Association, and News the session names restrict your attendance. Look at each Director, KCCI- TV, Des Moines, IA presentation title. We usually find many operational 09:20 AM South Dakota Microbursts. Jay Trobec, Chief forecasters and researchers attending the broadcaster Meteorologist, KELO-TV, Sioux Falls, SD. workshops because of the significant topics covered. 09:40 AM Safety During Live Shots. Tom Unterberger, Supervisor Remote Engineering, KTVT-TV, Dallas, TX. This year’s conference in Fort Worth should be another 10:00 AM Coffee Break: Exhibits are open memorable experience for all who attend, and like last 10:20 AM The NWS Watch By County Option: Operations year, I will be setting up the Broadcasters’ Dinner for in Presentations. Dan McCarthy, Warning Coordination Monday night –a great opportunity for networking. If Meteorologist, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, Norman, anyone has a suggestion for a good Texas-style restaurant OK. for that Dinner, please call me at WXIX-TV 513-421- 10:40 AM Fire Weather Forecasts. Dr. Phillip Bothwell, 0119 or e-mail: [email protected]. See You There! Senior Development Meteorologist, NOAA/NWS Storm - Rich Apuzzo, Broadcast Meteorology Committee Chair Prediction Center, Norman, OK. 11:00 AM Bow Echoes and Microburst in Iowa. Bryan Distribution. John McLaughlin, NWA President, KCCI-TV, Karrick and John McLaughlin, KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA Des Moines, IA, Andy Kula, NOAA/NWS, Johnston, IA, 11:20 AM Talking To Kids During Severe Weather.