Bice, colleagues urge National Weather Service to address and plan for outages

Bice Urges the National Weather Service to Address and Plan for Outages

Washington, D.C. (May 23rd) - Today, Congresswoman Bice (R-OK) led a letter with 7 of her colleagues, to Director Kenneth Graham of the National Weather Service (NWS). The letter expresses concerns on reported outages pertaining to radar data, the Automated Surface Observing System, and transmitters of NOAA Weather Radio.  

“On multiple occurrences this year, some of NWS life-saving services, including radar data, the Automated Surface Observing System, and transmitters of NOAA Weather Radio, have been reported as nonfunctional for extended periods of time,” stated the Members. “These outages have impacted NWS Weather Forecast Offices and the public at large, removing critical tools for observation and communicating severe weather.  

Severe weather possible this evening

The National Weather Service is forecasting a high potential for severe weather this evening for much of eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas, and southern Missouri. The risk is for destructive winds, very large hail (baseball to grapefruit size), and possible strong tornadoes.

The charts below are from the National Weather Service office in Tulsa:

Probability of area being under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning this evening

Probability of area being under a Tornado Warning this evening

Severe weather advice

Stay safe this evening!

US National Weather Service Tulsa Oklahoma

House Passes Lucas-Bridenstine Weather Forecasting Bill

Lucas-Bridenstine Weather Forecasting Bill Passed in the House

Washington, DC, January 9, 2017 --  Today the U.S. House unanimously approved H.R. 353, the Lucas-Bridenstine Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act.  This legislation prioritizes protecting lives and property.

‘Every minute counts in the lead up before a major storm or tornado,” said Congressman Frank Lucas. “This legislation helps to give those in harm’s way additional disaster preparation time which could ultimately be the difference between life and death or thousands of dollars in property damage. I am encouraged that the House has taken action on this critical matter and hope to see these life-saving policies enacted soon.”

“Our aim is to have zero deaths from tornadoes and other extreme weather events,” said Congressman Jim Bridenstine. “This bill gets us closer to that day.  I thank my House colleagues for their support, and anticipate swift Senate passage and that the President will sign it into law.”

This legislation is the product of a bipartisan effort.  It directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to focus resources and effort to:

• Rebalance NOAA funding to place a higher priority on weather-related research and activities;
• Emphasize developing accurate forecasts and timely warnings of high impact weather events;
• Create programs to extend warning lead times and improve forecasts for tornadoes and hurricanes;
• Develop a plan to utilize advanced technology to regain U.S. superiority in weather modeling and forecasts;
• Increase focus and continue development of seasonal forecasts and how to maximize information from these forecasts; and
• Enhance coordination among various federal government weather stakeholders.

 The legislation also authorizes and extends a NOAA pilot program already under way thanks to a partnership between the House Science Space and Technology and the House Appropriations Committee. Under this pilot program, NOAA has already issued two contracts to procure commercial satellite weather data. This pilot program could bring about a paradigm shift in how NOAA makes decisions about future procurement of critical weather data.

House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith added, "Americans from coast to coast will now be better prepared for severe weather with the passage of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act.  This bill has been four years in the making and is long overdue.  It will transform our nation’s weather gathering efforts and help save lives and property.  This legislation strengthens the underlying atmospheric science while simultaneously advancing innovative technology and reforming operations to provide better weather data, models, and forecasts.  America can thank Reps. Lucas and Bridenstine for leading this innovation initiative.  We look forward to the Senate approving this bill soon."

The Washington Post called this “the first major piece of weather legislation adopted since the early 1990s.”  The legislation, originally introduced in the House in 2013, passed the House in 2015, and last December the Senate approved an amended version.  Provisions in the bill approved today are nearly identical to the Senate version, so we can anticipate swift passage again in the Senate and presentation to the President for signing into law.

Links to videos of remarks on the House floor:

Congressman Lucas- https://youtu.be/FmXeb1z7RTw
Congressman Bridenstine- https://youtu.be/tvR19_RzbDw
Chairman Smith- https://youtu.be/bWvm6IeBZns

U.S. House passes Bridenstine's Weather bill

House passes Bridenstine Weather Forecasting Improvement Act

Washington, DC, April 1, 2014 -- Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2014, sponsored by Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma 1st District Congressman.  This bill will enable technology development to save lives and protect property from severe weather, including tornadoes, without adding to the budget or debt.  The measure received tremendous bipartisan support and passed on a voice vote.

HR 2413 directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to prioritize weather-related activities and rebalances NOAA’s funding to bring weather related activities to a higher level.  The bill completes this reprioritization in a fiscally responsible manner.  HR 2413 does not increase NOAA’s overall authorization.  

This bill will speed up the development and fielding of critical technology.  By requiring coordination and prioritization across the range of NOAA agencies, HR 2413 will help get weather prediction and forecasting technologies off the drawing board and into the field.  It codifies technology transfer between the Office of Atmospheric Research – the researchers – and the National Weather Service – the operators, a vital link that ensures next generation weather technologies are implemented.

Perhaps most importantly, H.R. 2413 enhances NOAA’s collaboration with the private sector and universities.  Oklahoma is on the cutting edge of weather research, prediction, and forecasting with absolutely world class institutions such as the National Weather Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory at the University of Oklahoma.  This bill clarifies that NOAA can purchase weather data through contracts with commercial providers and place weather satellite instruments on private payloads.  Leveraging the private sector will lead to lower costs for better weather data, saving lives and property.

Bridenstine commented, “This legislation is focused on saving lives.  The National Severe Storms Lab at the University of Oklahoma is repurposing military radar technology for tornado forecasting and warning.  These improved forecasts have the potential to give the public over an hour of lead time to respond to a tornado, compared to the 13 to 15 minute average currently possible.  It is simply unacceptable to continue providing tornado warnings of 15 minutes or less, as was the case in Moore, Oklahoma last year, when warnings an hour or more in advance are achievable.

“I am gratified that my colleagues in the House on both sides of the aisle have supported the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act.  As a freshman Representative, it is an honor that my first piece of legislation to receive a floor vote will have such a vital impact on Oklahoma and America.  I am also gratified that it advances deployment of a technology I used in my career as a Navy pilot.”

The legislation was cosponsored by the entire bipartisan membership of the Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.  The next step is consideration in the Senate.

Snow in Muskogee

We received about eight inches of snow at my house in Muskogee (about as far north in Muskogee as you can get from where the National Weather Service sensors are at Davis Field, hence the discrepancy in totals; the NWS said Muskogee got 4"-4.5"). Here are a few pictures from what is already going down in Oklahoma weather lore as the Christmas Eve Blizzard [note: these pictures were taken this afternoon, after two days of melting].

Interesting note: I have posted pictures of this same shot from the January 2007 and January 2009 ice storms. Right after this snow, the road looked more like the January '09 ice storm picture.

The family snow volleyball court!

Not sure the bees like the snow...

Global Warming, eh?

According to many in the worlds of Science and Politics (or, political Science), the Earth is on a dangerous global warming global cooling global warming, no, climate change trend.

Oh really? Explain this.

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admintration (NOAA) (emphasis mine):

The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA.

The average October temperature of 50.8 degrees F was 4.0 degrees F below the 20th Century average. Preliminary data also reveals this was the wettest October on record with average precipitation across the contiguous United States reaching 4.15 inches, 2.04 inches above the 1901-2000 average.

Also from NOAA:

Oklahoma recorded its coldest October on record while the month ranked in the top five for Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Not only was it one of the coldest Octobers on record, it was also the wettest. Combined with the recently released Climategate emails, things are starting to look bad for the global cooling global warming climate change, or whatever the latest politically-correct term is, crowd.

139th Anniversary of the NWS

Today is the 139th "birthday" for the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service has its beginnings in the early history of the United States. Weather has always been important to the citizenry of this country, and this was especially true during the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

The beginning of the National Weather Service we know today started on February 9th, 1870, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a national weather service. This resolution required the Secretary of War "to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent and at other points in the States and Territories...and for giving notice on the northern (Great) Lakes and on the seacoast by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms" After much thought and consideration, it was decided that this agency would be placed under the Secretary of War because military discipline would probably secure the greatest promptness, regularity, and accuracy in the required observations. Within the Department of War, it was assigned to the Signal Service Corps under Brigadier General Albert J. Myer. General Meyer gave the National Weather Service its first name: The Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce.

This agency was placed under the Secretary of War because"military discipline would probably secure the greatest promptness, regularity, and accuracy in the required observations." Within the Department of War, it was assigned to the Signal Service Corps under Brigadier General Albert J. Myer. General Meyer gave the National Weather Service its first name: The Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce.

Later that year, the first systematized, synchronous weather observations ever taken in the U.S. were made by "observing-sergeants" of the Army Signal Service at 22 stations and telegraphed to Washington. An agency was born which would affect the daily lives of most of the citizens of the United States through its forecasts and warnings.

(Read More.)

Also on the weather front: the National Weather Service office in Tulsa provides spotter training classes throughout their warning area. You can view the schedule here.