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Storm of the Month Webinar Details

The next Storm of the Month Webinar will be on March 27th 2024! If you would like to presentat a future Storm of the Month webinar, please follow the instructions below.

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Warning Decision Training Division

Office of Chief Learning Officer

Warning Decision Storm of the Month Webinars

 

Introduction

 

WDTD is excited to announce the revitalization of our "regularly scheduled" Storm of the Month (SOTM) webinar series!

This webinar series – as with previous series from 2014-2017 and 2020 – will focus on peer-to-peer information sharing on warning-related topics. This includes interesting case studies, new research, innovative technology applications, operational best practices, etc. All threats are on the table... If the NWS warns on it, we'll SOTM on it! As a reminder, here are the details of this series:

  • Format: Presentations will last about 25 minutes with a Q&A to follow
  • When: Fourth Wednesday of every month at 11:00 AM CT
  • Recordings: All webinars will be recorded and posted to the WDTD YouTube page, WDTD SOTM webpage, and CLC within 1-2 weeks.
  • Be a presenter: Do you have a topic in mind? We're looking for presenters! Please use this Google Form to sign-up and we'll be in touch! (note: limited to NOAA email).

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to the Storm of the Month team at: nws.wdtd.sotm@noaa.gov We are excited to offer this SOTM series and we look forward to seeing you there!

Current SOTM Webinar Details

Title : Three Steps to Identifying Elevation Sidelobe Contamination

3/27/2024 11 AM CDT (1600 UTC)


Presenter(s): Andy Wood & Katy Christian (CIWRO/WDTD)

Abstract: Velocity data artifacts due to sidelobe contamination have been shown to be a significant problem NWS forecasters must account for during warning operations. This presentation will review the common traits related to these data artifacts, show the three-step process to help identify imposter circulations related to these artifacts, and then walk through a specific example where significant elevation sidelobe contamination occurred. The three-step identification process from Boettcher and Bentley (2022) includes:

  1. Identify the circulation's location.
  2. Analyze the velocity texture.
  3. Examine the vertical structure for a sidelobe source.

Once a forecaster identifies an imposter circulation, they can ignore it and then focus on the other relevant data to make the most scientifically defensible decision possible.

GotoWebinar Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/4171273768115648341

Diagram illustrating the various steps in the I-SPIDA warning workflow process.

Figure 1. Diagram adapted from Boettcher and Bentley (2022) showing the three-step process for identifying a sidelobe imposter circulation.


Storm of the Month Archive

2024 WDTD-Led Limited Series

Content:

  • January 24, 2024: Diagnosing and Warning for Organized (MCS and Derecho) Damaging Winds: Streaming Version | LMS Version
  • February 28, 2024: The I-SPIDA Warning Workflow: Streaming Version | LMS Version
2023 Storm of the Month Series

Content:

2022 - 2023 Storm of the Month Limited Series

Content:

This limited series focuses on research and applications for NWS damage surveying

  • November 30, 2022: Application of Tornado Survey Information: Real-Time, Explicit Tornado Damage Intensity Estimation and Post-Event Damage Intensity Modeling: Streaming Version | LMS Version
  • December 14, 2022: Using the NWS DAT Tornado Footprints for Societal Impact Modeling: Streaming Version | LMS Version
  • January 18, 2023: Use of the DAT in Forensic Evaluations: Streaming Version | LMS Version
  • March 1, 2023: The DOD – wind speed relationship in the DAT and its connection to engineering applications: Streaming Version | LMS Version
  • April 19, 2023: Applications of the Storm Events Database and Damage Assessment Toolkit for Quantifying Tornado Impacts on Critical Facilities : Streaming Version | LMS Version
2020 Storm of the Month Limited Series

Content:

This limited series was held during the start of the COVID-19 telework period.

2014-2017 Storm of the Month Series

Content:

  • November 2014: A Local Approach to Improving Warning Performance
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • December 2014: An Overview of Impact Based Warnings Implementation
    Web Version
  • February 2015: Nowcasting an Historic Ice Storm in the Carolinas
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • March 2015: A Subtle but High Impact Winter Weather Event: The 70-Car Pileup in Worcester, MA on December 1, 2013
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • April 2015: The Relationship Between Tornadic Debris Signature Height and Tornado Intensity Operations Case - April 28, 2014
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • May 2015: The Numbers Don't Tell the Whole Story: Messaging Not Optimal, Yet the Storms "Verified"
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • June 2015: The ZDR Arch:  A Signature to Help Diagnose Damaging Winds Reaching the Surface in Severe Bow Echoes
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • July 2015: The Challenges of Communicating Multiple Hazards: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in the Oklahoma City metro on May 31, 2013 and May 6, 2015
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • August 2015: A Rare Severe Weather and Tornado Event in Central New York and Northeast Pennsylvania: July 8, 2014
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • September 2015: Urban Flash Emergency in Houston, TX - Memorial Day 2015
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • October 2015: The Blanco at Wimberley 2015: New Directions in Flash Flood Prediction and Preparedness
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • November 2015: Managing the “Winter Blitz” of 2015
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • December 2015: Framing the Message for Extreme Weather Events
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • January 2016: The October 2013 Shutdown Blizzard
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • February 2016: SPC Study on Tornadic Supercell Probability and Tornado Intensity Estimation
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • March 2016: A New Perspective on Damage Surveys: Lessons on Public Response, Grief and Triumph
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • April 2016: The Moore, Oklahoma, Tornado on 25 March 2015: Storm-Scale Interactions and Tornadogenesis
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • May 2016: Enhancing Severe Weather Warning Decisions with Total Lightning Data
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • June 2016: The Benefit of After Action Reviews on Operational Performance
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • July 2016: Predicting Severe Winds in Difficult Terrain: West-central Montana Bow Echo Aug 10, 2015
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • August 2016: A High-Resolution Aerial Survey and Radar Analysis of QLCS Damage Paths from 31 August 2014
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • September 2016: Storm-Scale R2O: Application of Recent Tornadogenesis Research in the WFO Warning Process
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • October 2016:We're Going Into Our Shelters Now
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • November 2016: Communicating Anomalies: Forecasting an Event that has Never Happened
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • December 2016: “Living on the Edge:” Communicating Uncertainty for the January 23-24, 2016 Blizzard in Southern New England
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • January 2017: Strategies for Managing a Difficult Combination: Mixed Precipitation, Flooding, and It's a Holiday Weekend
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • February 2017: The February 25, 2013 West Texas Blizzard: A Coming of Age for One Young Forecaster
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • March 2017: Use of the NCAR Ensemble CAM in Setting Expectations for a Significant Severe Weather Event
    Web Version | LMS Version
  • April 2017: By the Time You Read This, It Will Be Flooding Again in Texas
    Web Version | LMS Version

Feedback

WDTD welcomes your feedback on this series of webinars. Please send us your comments at the following e-mail address:

Storm of the Month Help List e-mail address