Best Practices:
Flood Wrap-Up Statement Recognizes Partners' Help

Indiana was hit hard by recent flooding, and in a public information statement (PNS) summarizing the extent of flooding, the Indianapolis, IN, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) highlighted the partner agencies on the local, state, and federal levels that helped the WFO get information to issue timely and accurate flood warnings. WFO Indianapolis later posted the PNS on the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service web page.

"Many people ask for an explanation of the relationship between the mission of the USGS and the NWS regarding floods," wrote Robert M. Hirsch, U.S. Geological Survey Associate Director for Water, in an e-mail to co-workers at the agency. "I think this NWS statement helps answer that." Hirsch appreciated the statement and passed his thanks on to NOAA's NWS Office of Hydrologic Development Director Gary Carter.

Following is the excerpted WFO Indianapolis PNS statement:

"The efforts of getting the flood warnings out were the result of many individuals. NOAA's National Weather Service did not do this task alone. Almost all of the river gages used by NOAA's National Weather Service are operated by the Indiana and Illinois U.S. Geological Survey. These river gages are supported by other state, local, and federal agencies in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. It was early field confirmation of serious local flooding by the Indiana U.S. Geological Survey that gave NOAA's National Weather Service the confidence to state that this was going to be a flood that many individuals had never seen in southern Indiana and eastern Illinois.

Once the flooding was in progress the Indiana state emergency management officials and local county emergency management officials in Indiana and Illinois got the word out to affected residents. Many Indiana Department of Natural Resources officials stood by in case water rescues were necessary. Local river observers made great efforts to provide river readings during very brutal weather conditions. Local residents even provided river information when the automated river equipment failed. Information about river conditions was shared by those affected. The Louisville Corps of Engineers provided field support and information about the island creek levee failure.

We at NOAA's National Weather Service thank all those individuals who helped us get the word out."

Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NOAA's NWS Director, applauded the approach taken by WFO Indianapolis.

"I've been asking our employees to recognize our partners inside NOAA and in all levels of government and the weather enterprise," Johnson said. "The Indianapolis office, with this example, found a creative and effective way to do so. Well done!"

Back to Top

Forecasters Monitoring Space Weather Storms

Forecasters at NOAA's NWS Space Environment Center (SEC) monitored unusual solar activity and space storms recently. Read the NOAA news story here.

The SEC notifies customers of a wide range of space environment conditions. To learn more about the SEC, follow this link.

Back to Top

Maine Gets New Weather Stations

Electronics Support Administrator Tom Raineri of WFO Caribou, ME, hands tools to a municipal worker who is installing a new weather station in Fort Kent, ME. Photo by Service Hydrologist Mark Turner.

The Caribou, ME, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) recently installed two meteorological data collection platforms (DCP) in Maine's St. John River Valley, in partnership with Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), the towns of Van Buren and Fort Kent, ME.

The DCPs were purchased by Aroostook EMA using homeland security funds. The platforms were installed on municipal property by Service Hydrologist Mark Turner and Electronics Support Administrator Tom Raineri of WFO Caribou, with the help of municipal workers from the towns of Van Buren and Fort Kent.

The platforms will be maintained by WFO Caribou as part of the Cooperative Weather Program. Using a standard phone line and a simple dialing program, weather forecasters at WFO Caribou can monitor temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation in near-real time.

Back to Top

Weather Forecast Offices Participate In 100th New York National Boat Show

By Marcie Katcher
NWS Eastern Region Public Affairs Officer

Ralph Izzo, (left) Data Acquisition Program Manager, and Gary Conte, Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the Upton, NY, Weather Forecast Office, promoted the new National Digital Forecast Database “Experimental Significant Wave Height” forecasts during the show.

The staff from the Upton, NY, and Mt. Holly, NJ, Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) joined forces to present NOAA's National Weather Service to over 75,000 boating aficionados at the world's oldest boat show.

The show celebrated its 100th year in New York City's Javits Center from January 1-9, 2005. The first New York Boat Show was held at the old Madison Square Garden in 1905. For this first event, the show floor was turned into a lake to provide proof of seaworthiness. Boats at that first gathering were transported to the show by horse-drawn trailers.

From then to now, the boating industry has become a huge industry in America--a $30 billion industry, in fact. New York ranks sixth in money spent on boating behind states like Florida, California, and Minnesota.

Both expert and novices alike go to the boat show to find out what's new in the world of boating.

"From the opening day, I noticed a higher level of satisfaction in the comments I received from our marine community," said Mike Wyllie, Meteorologist-In-Charge, WFO Upton. "At our exhibit we actively showcased our Internet site, reviewing and promoting the new National Digital Forecast Database 'Experimental Significant Wave Height' forecasts. The response was fantastic," he continued. One mariner said, "I never go out without checking your forecast. Your web site is fantastic!"

Gary Szatkowski, Meteorologist-In-Charge, WFO Mt. Holly, also reported positive comments and high accolades for NOAA's NWS.

"I was constantly being told, 'Your forecasts are terrific. Thanks for a great job.' Another visitor buying a boat for the first time, grabbed a copy of every brochure and said, 'I'm not going out on the water until I read this information and make sure I know how to interpret your forecasts.' It was really a great show to showcase NOAA's NWS," he concluded.

Back to Top

NWS Golf Outing Planned

The Central Region/NWS Golf Association will host its 18th annual golf outing the week of June 13-17, 2005, in Brainerd, MN. The site is the Legacy Courses at Cragun's designed by Robert Trent Jones II, with two championship18-hole golf courses.

The event is open to all NWS golfers nationwide, active and retired, and to their spouses and guests. For more information, follow this link, or contact Brian Hahn, NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI, at brian.hahn@noaa.gov.

Back to Top

Also On the Web...
Exhibit Yields Spotter Recruits

The Albuquerque, NM, Weather Forecast Office exhibited at a local environmental event and used this opportunity to educate attendees about the volunteer Skywarn Spotters network and the role spotters fill for NOAA’s National Weather Service. View an example of a brochure handout the office created and read more about the activity here.

Back to Top

Snapshots

Click here for a look at photos we've received from around the NWS.

Back to Top