Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Computer To Aid In Early Storm Detection

Spring is arguably most people's favorite season.

After all, it follows winter, which is a bleak time for almost everyone because of the weather.

Whereas winter is cold, damp and gray, spring is light, lively and warm.

Winter dampens the spirits, while spring has the opposite effect.

However, as many reasons as there are to enjoy spring, it is also the most dangerous time of the year weatherwise.

According to Davis Benton, a retired meteorologist from Cale, the worst weather months in this area are March, April and May. He said there are more tornadoes and severe thunderstorms during these three months than the other nine combined.

However, he said, this doesn't mean severe weather can't or doesn't happen during the rest of the year. The Cale tornado occurred in September last year.

Additionally, Benton said, most tornadoes occur between the hours of 3 p.m. and midnight.

"A lot of people don't respect thunderstorms," Benton said, "but more people are killed by lightning than any other weather phenomenon.

While nothing can be done to prevent severe weather, the public can be warned when it is approaching.

In an effort to speed up the warning process, the Nevada County Rescue Unit has purchased a Data Transmission Network (DTN) computer system. This system is linked to Omaha, Neb., which is hooked up to all weather offices in the United States, Benton said.

Prescott's terminal receives data via satellite. As the Omaha office gets the information, it is composited and sent out by satellite to the subscribers. The information is updated every 15 minutes.

This system looks much like what television weather people use. It shows national and global weather, and can be narrowed to look at a six county area in Southwest Arkansas (or any other state), if so desired.

Charles Backus, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services Coordinator, said this system will let the NCRU give early notice severe weather is approaching.

He said the NCRU can track the path of severe storms as they come this way.

Both Backus and Benton say this system will not allow them to predict when or where tornadoes or other severe weather will hit, but will give advanced notice bad weather is coming. This, then, will give the weather spotters more time to go out, get set up and relay information back to the NCRU office. It will also give the rescue unit more time to notify people in rural areas before the storms arrive.

"People have been misled by Doppler radar," Benton said. "The best (weather) detectors are weather spotters. The computer lets us see storms coming in so we can alert spotters. When they see something, they can tell people to take cover."

The DTN system, though, is a good weather tool, Benton said. Its menu offers views to weather patterns anywhere in the U.S. and throughout the world.

In addition, this system gives forecast information up to 10 days and has weather data vital for farmers on predicted temperatures.

But, the most important function as far as the NCRU is concerned, is being able to track weather systems as they approach Southwest Arkansas.

The majority of this area's weather comes from the southwest, heading northeast. As severe weather erupts in Texas, and heads for Arkansas, the DTN allows the NCRU to watch the storm and see what it's doing. Like the television radars, the DTN system has a color scale showing the severity of a storm or cells within a storm.

This color scale goes from a light green (which is light rainfall) to a dark red (very severe weather).

So, when the weather satellites look into a storm system, the data they transmit back to Omaha, and subsequently to Prescott, tells how severe the storm is.

Again, however, it does not tell how bad a storm can or will get.

The tracking information, while updated every 15 minutes, is recorded over a three-hour period. This shows whoever is reading the data what has occurred along with what is occurring.

This, then, will give the NCRU more advanced notice when severe weather approaches.

Benton said the National Weather Service was unable to predict the tornado which touched down in Cale last September because its weather radar can't read anything below 7,000 feet from the Shreveport, La., site. The Cale twister was between 3,000 and 5,000 feet when it formed.

With the DTN system, the person monitoring it can see severe weather approaching and get people out where they are needed to watch for funnel cloud formation.

Benton said the NCRU is working to get maps to do overlays which will show exactly where the strongest cells in a storm are most likely to hit.

Backus said an open house is being planned to show off the DTN system, but no date has been set as of yet. When a firm date is scheduled, Backus invites all mayors, fire chiefs and the general public to come by the rescue unit to see the system.

"We're not in the business of predicting weather," Backus said, "but of protecting the people."

With the DTN system, he said, there are now three ways to get weather information to the public. These are, public radio, television and scanners, which includes weather radios.

Because weather spotters remain the most important tool in the severe weather game, a weather spotter class has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Emmet school cafetorium. This class is open to the public.