Project Atmosphere

I had the pleasure to attend the American Meteorological Society's (AMS) Project Atmosphere for two weeks at the National Weather Services National Training Center in Kansas City.  This teaching workshop was an intense education on meteorology and gave us the chance to meet the top people at the National Weather Service and AMS.  As part of this training, I will be providing two workshops for teachers in the near future on how to use the AMS resources.  If you are interested, contact me.

NOAA's Training Center in KC

Dr. Louis Uccellini,Assistant Administrator for Weather Services,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Director, National Weather Service

Jim Brey is Director of the American Meteorological Society's Education Program 

Rick Knabb, Director of the National Hurricane Center

National Weather Service office in Topeka

A nice pop-up summer storm at the weather office

Weather Balloon Launch

Our summer pop-up storm maturing and finally falling apart.

Bill Bunting, Operations Brand Chief at the Storm Prediction Center

Dr, Thomas Berger, Director, Space Weather Prediction Center

Project Atmosphere was a great experience, not only meeting the top people at the National Weather Service, NOAA, and AMS, but getting to meet and work with teachers from all over the United States and Canada.

A Taste of Things Yet To Come

Between watching parts of Doomsday Preppers and the Weather Channel, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that we may not be prepared.  The National Weather Service already upgraded tomorrows storm threat to "High" and raised the treat level to 5 (meaning a very significant hazard).

They even talked about the potential of storms on the national news this evening.  Unfortunately, these storms could hit after dark tomorrow, and four local school districts are hosting their prom.  Several schools have already moved the prom from local businesses back to the high school with a FEMA safe room.

Tonight, there was some language about severe storms this evening, but tonight, the atmosphere just isn't ready.  So as I watched the sun set, I wondered, will we be ready tomorrow?  I'm not panicked but if they mention "not to panic" like they already have five times on tonight's news, I may start running down the street yelling.

Harbinger of Storms

Stan Finger from the Eagle is reporting that the severe weather season may be a long volatile one. 
http://www.kansas.com/2011/02/20/1728406/e-time-for-twisters.html#

In the article, Mike Smith from Weather Data states that a weather pattern will be developing later this week that will be conducive to produce thunderstorms.  He also states that this is a more or less severe weather setup and that this may setting ourselves up for a longer than average tornado season this year.   

Severe weather Week is March 7 to 11th but with Kansas weather you never know. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/ict/pdf/SWAW_2011.pdf
It wouldn't be a bad time to review.

Greg Carbin, warning coordinator for NOAA in Norman, OK states he's not ready to call the busier than tornado season modeling yet.

February has been a month of extremes in Kansas.  We've had a 90 degree shift with record cold one week (-17 degrees), then record high (78 degrees) the next.   Today Wichita may be in for a fifty degree drop in temperature as a strong cold front moves through the area.  A red Flag warning is in place for the high winds before the front, expect 30 mph winds from the SE gusting to 45mph.  Unfortunately, this also increases the chance for grass fires. 

Precipitation models seem all over the place at the moment.  So do the temps, after a 73 degree high today, temps will settle into the 40's for the next couple of days, then up to 60's then back down to 40's with the possibility of snow late in the week.  Welcome to pre-spring.  If you don't like the weather . . . wait.  It will change.