NWS Summer Summary

While volunteering for the National Weather Service over the past month, I obtained a great deal of meteorology knowledge. I learned about the mesoscale/microscale features of a thunderstorm. Specifically, how significant ice is within fine thunderstorm structures and how hail influences the storm’s dynamics/thermodynamics, usually occurring between the -10 to -30 degree line or the maximum hail growth zone. A surprising fact that I received is that the VIL product is actually vertically integrated reflectivity instead of the originally intended product of integrated liquid water. I have learned how it is misused to identify hail or even hail size, but doesn’t always work because it doesn’t relate to core vertical placement only strength, i.e. if the core is above or below the freezing line. VIL is best utilized by pinpointing the two-dimensional strength of the storm’s core or overall strengthening (or weakening) of thunderstorms.

During a weather event, I discovered how to warn on a storm. Some things to keep in mind are population and location. A higher populated area is more likely to spot or call in damage reports. This is not always the case, but they are two aspects to keep in mind before warning on a storm. As always though, I learned that we must protect the public no matter how rural or urban the warning area. Once the storm has a warning, I learned how to call out warnings on the NAWAS phone, and also how to call EMAs for damage reports. It was interesting to seek out some of the grocery stores and restaurants one would have to call in rural areas.

I even acquired some skills that would help me in my field of broadcasting. I preformed several multimedia briefings that brushed up on my Powerpoint skills and practiced my voice and articulation. Another voice exercise was putting the 7-day forecast on the phone. I also became more familiar with my Alabama counties which are important for broadcasting specific areas during severe weather events.

Kevin Laws refreshed my brain with soundings, veering and backing, conservation of mass, and geostrophic winds. I started a research project with Kevin and before I got in knee-deep I had to spin up on analyzing radar data by observing rotation at the mid-levels of a storm. It is important to know that the types of radars are S-band, C-band, and X-band and their differences. I realized that the NWS is patiently awaiting the new polarized radar to get an efficient vertical and horizontal scan beam. By having both scans, one can determine the difference between large water droplets and hail, and small water droplets and snow by means of basic symmetry. I also read several lessons of the Mesocyclone Detection Algorithms and Tornado Detection Algorithms (Chp. 5) in the NWS DLOC supplemental learning guide. For the actual research, I have sorted through storm data and loaded that storm data on the WES machine. Kevin and I are then picking an individual storm and graphing it to better understand the storm’s structure and lifespan. Our ultimate goal is to determine if storms with mid-level rotation have stronger, longer-lasting cores, thus potentially causing more damage. If there is a pattern that indicates this, we want to locate the storm early so they can be focused on before the others. In the end we hope that this technique can lead to an increased warning time, so more lives and property can being saved.

Gary Goggins a fellow Miss St student not only showed me how to release a weather balloon, but how far a little hard work and determination can go.

I am eager to take my newfound knowledge with me to my senior year at Miss St. I just wish I could take all the friendships that I made during my experience at the NWS with me as well.

~Leah Dailey

X-Ray