New Technology Coming "Soon" to a Radar Site Near You...

The first major upgrade to the National Weather Service's WSR-88D radar network in over 20 years is getting underway across the country. The latest technology being rolled out is called "Dual Polarization".





"What the heck is that???" and perhaps more importantly, "what's in it for me???" - you ask?





In a nutshell, the conventional WSR-88D radar sends out a single pulse of radar energy into a storm, which captures a generally horizontal snapshot of raindrops, hailstones, snow flakes, etc. (as shown on the left half of the illustration below): 

The right half of the same illustration shows what Dual Polarization technology will do.  The radar will not only send out a horizontal pulse of energy (red) but also a vertical pulse (blue), which will give us a far greater depiction of the size, shape and density of raindrops, hailstones, snow flakes and other targets.

Dual Polarization (also known as Dual-Pol for short) radar technology has been installed and tested for a number of years at the NSSL in Norman, OK.  Within the last few months the rollout to operational NWS radar sites has begun.  The first site to be installed was at Vance AFB, OK, followed by Phoenix, AZ and Morehead City, NC.  As this is being written, Dual-Pol is currently being installed at radar sites near Pittsburgh, PA and Wichita, KS.  A complete schedule of the rollout, which will continue into early 2013, is located here.  Each installation takes about 2 weeks to complete, during which time the radar unit will be out of service to allow for both the upgrade and training at the local NWS office.

Now that we know what Dual-Pol is, what will it do for us?  Perhaps the greatest initial impact will come in the form of vastly improved precipitation estimates.  With the current WSR-88D technology, a thunderstorm must be in existence for about 1 hour before the radar is able to estimate how much rain is being produced.  With Dual-Pol technology, we'll receive a nearly instantaneous read on rainfall rates.  This will obviously have enormous potential not only in regard to flash flooding & other severe rainfall situations, but also in dealing with snowfall, ice accumulations, etc.

Dual-Pol rainfall estimate (left) vs. WSR-88D estimate (right)

Current technology on the WSR-88D sometimes makes it difficult for the radar to differentiate between hailstones and raindrops, particularly at greater distances from the radar site.  As a result, the 88D often over estimates the rainfall rate with severe storms (mis-identifying hail as heavy rain).  The Dual-Pol technology will make the estimates more accurate in these situations (see the above image for just one example).

Dual-Pol technology will also aid in the tornado warning process.  Right now, it takes a fairly large debris field (which usually means a fairly large tornado) to produce a debris signature on the WSR-88D.  A Tornadic Debris Signature (or TDS) can be detected by Dual-Pol radar in association with a much smaller debris field (which means a smaller tornado).  Please note that I am talking about debris being detected by the radar here, not rotation.  In the database that was used to develop some of the algorithms for the new Dual-Pol radar system, debris signatures were observed with tornadoes as weak as EF2 intensity (winds of 111-135 mph).  Today we would normally only see a debris signature on the WSR-88D in association with a tornado of high-end EF3 to EF4 intensity or greater (roughly 150+ mph surface wind speeds). 

The above image was taken from the Dual-Pol radar at the NSSL radar testbed in Norman, OK.  The white and pink colorations within the white circled area on the image shows where the Dual-Pol is detecting tornadic debris.  This debris field was not as easily identified on conventional radar.   Of course, you must also keep in mind that the tornado, regardless of strength, would have to be in an area where debris could be picked up before the radar would be able to see it.

Dual-Pol technology is likely to be of particular help in the tornado warning process in 2 specific areas:  (1).  when the circulation is rain wrapped and not easily visible by storm spotters and (2).  when the circulation is occurring at night and not easily visible to storm spotters.

The system will also be a big help with non-precipitation events as well.  Because it takes a more detailed "slice" through the atmosphere, Dual-Pol technology will be able to forewarn of local hazards near the radar site, like dust storms for example.  Below is an image taken by the Dual-Pol radar near Phoenix, Arizona this past Tuesday, July 5th:

The red dashed line notes the leading edge of a wall of dust that was advancing toward the city from the South.  Here is what that advancing dust cloud looked like outside the National Weather Service office:

The enhanced scanning of the atmosphere very near the earth's surface by the Dual-Pol radar will allow it to detect very small particles, like the dust particles above, as well as insects, birds, etc., close to the radar site.  The WSR-88D is already able to do this to some extent, but the resolution and detail of such scans will be even greater with the new Dual-Pol technology.

Now that we have a few Dual-Pol radars online and others being added about every 2 weeks, I'll be posting some images of the new technology in action, and comparing it to the old where possible.  Stay tuned!

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Outdoor Warning Sirens to Sound Less Frequently in Indianapolis

According to this article on WTHR.com, effective today, outdoor warning sirens (often referred to as "tornado sirens") will only be sounded in Marion County, Indiana (which includes the city of Indianapolis) when:  (1).  a Tornado Warning is issued or (2). a funnel cloud/tornado is reported on the ground by the NWS or a public safety officer.





This is certainly good news as it will hopefully help to cut down on the false alarm rate / "cried wolf syndrome" in the Indianapolis area.  With that said, I'd like to point out (as I have done so often on this blog) that outdoor warning sirens are called "outdoor" warning sirens for a reason - they were designed to be heard by folks that are outdoors.  If you live near one, you may be able to hear it indoors as well, but that's not what they were designed for.  





To ensure that you and your family are safe during severe weather situations at home, work or school, I strongly suggest that you purchase a NOAA Weather Radio with a programmable alert mode which will sound an alarm whenever severe weather threatens your specific area.  You can even program the radio to only alert you to specific types of threats (i.e., tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, winter storms - or all of the above).  The model that I linked to in the first sentence of this paragraph (which is available at RadioShack) even has a Skywarn spotter band that will allow you to hear severe weather reports in your area live as spotters observe the threat!









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Severe Weather Safety and Preparedness: Part 1 - Severe Weather Safety Kit

This post is part 1 in a 2 part series on Severe Weather Safety and Preparedness.  This first installment deals with the creation of a Severe Weather Safety Kit for your home and/or business.  The 2nd installment, available here, deals with where and when to seek shelter during various severe weather situations.





There are several essential items that everyone should have in their severe weather preparedness kit, whether for severe thunderstorm and tornado season, hurricane season, or even winter storm season.  The most important that immediately come to mind are:  

(1).  A NOAA Weather Radio with a battery back-up

(2).  A flashlight and/or emergency lighting source

(3).  Batteries and/or emergency power sources

(4).  Basic first aid kit

(5).  Emergency food & water supply





Lets take a look at each of these in a bit more detail.  The products that I will show for items 1-3 are the same as the ones that we featured on "Wake Up With Al!" recently.  All retail prices shown are "regular price", however these items are often "on sale" both online and at RadioShack stores.

(1).  NOAA Weather Radio w/battery back-up:

There are literally hundreds of various types of this item on the market.  I'd like to show you 3 that I either personally own and use now, or have at some point in the recent past:

NOAA Weather Radio with Alarm Clock  $29.99 at RadioShack:

This is the most basic type of Weather Radio.  It is capable of receiving all 7 frequencies of NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) stations and features an audible alarm that will sound whenever a severe weather watch or warning is issued within the transmitter's coverage area.  Plugs into a standard AC outlet, and is also capable of running on 4 AA batteries (also ideal for power outage situations).  LCD clock features an alarm with snooze option.

NOAA Weather Radio with SAME Functionality  $69.99 at RadioShack:

This unit is a step above the previous, featuring state of the art SAME functionality.  SAME stands for "Specific Area Message Encoding", which allows you to program the unit to only sound an audible alarm for severe weather watches and/or warnings that will affect your specific area only (by county).  If you don't want to mess with programming the radio yourself, anyone at your local RadioShack store would be glad to do that for you.

Like the other radio, this one also features an LCD display with built-in alarm clock.  It plugs into a standard AC outlet, or can function on 6 AA batteries (which, again, is very important in situations involving a power outage).

NOAA Weather Radio with Skywarn Band  $79.99 at RadioShack:

This is probably my favorite model.  It not only includes the programmable SAME technology just like the previous one I showed you, but also has a Skywarn band, which allows you to listen to severe weather spotters in your area report severe weather as it happens.  With this feature, you'll remain a step ahead of even the media in your area when severe weather is happening!

This unit also features an AM/FM radio, dual-alarm clock and is powered by a standard AC outlet or 6 AA batteries.

(2).  A flashlight / emergency lighting source:

ICON Rogue flashlight  $39.99 at RadioShack:

Of all the various types of flashlights I have, this one is probably my favorite.  It's heavy duty, made of a very durable aluminium body yet relatively light weight and compact which makes it easy to throw in your pocket.  At the same time, the Rogue puts out a lot of light.  In fact, two levels of light output are available - controlled by a LED that never needs replacing!  This flashlight is waterproof up to 1 meter for 30 minutes and perhaps best of all, it only requires 1 AA battery to operate!

American Red Cross Blackout Buddy by Eton  $14.99 at RadioShack

This is a recent addition to my home's severe weather preparedness arsenal, and I must say that I've been very impressed with this little unit.  Plug it intoa wall outlet in an important (traffic-wise) part of the house, like a major hallway or the kitchen, etc.

The unit charges from the wall outlet and has a couple of functions, first serving as a soft LED nightlight (which is automatically triggered by a small sensor on the front of the unit).  More importantly, if the power goes out, a bright light shoots from the top of the unit, giving emergency lighting.  You can also unplug it from the wall outlet and use it as a flashlight on your way to the breaker box or to get the rest of your severe weather gear rounded up in such an emergency.

RadioShack also makes a donation to the American Red Cross with each unit purchased.

(3).  Batteries and/or emergency power sources:

Of course, any good severe weather preparedness kit would contain a variety of alkaline batteries (the items we've featured so far in this post require AA batteries almost exclusively).  

However, in today's modern technological world, simple alkaline batteries won't always do the trick.  If your house is like mine and mainly relies on cellular phones (and/or smart phones) for communication, you'll want to be sure to have a backup battery charging source for these devices as well:

Enercell Portable Power Bank  $49.99 at RadioShack:

Before the storm hits, just plug this unit into the USB port of any computer and charge it up.  If the power goes out later on and the battery runs down on your cellphone, smartphone or similar device, just plug it into the Enercell for up to an additional 8 hours of talk time (depending on usage).

Package includes a USB-to-mini USB cable, a mini USB-to-micro USB tip and an Apple cable to fit the vast majority of devices out there today.

(4).  Basic first aid kit:

Basic first aid kits are available for $15-20 at most big box retail stores, drugstores, or online.  A first aid kit can be as simple or elaborate as you choose, but make sure it includes the basics to get you by in case of an injury sustained during a severe weather event.  

Most pre-made kits include a variety of bandages, sterile wipes, and even pain relievers.  You can also put together a kit on your own for about $10.  Don't forget a small supply of emergency insulin if there's a diabetic in the house!

(5).  Emergency food & water supply:

It's also not a bad idea to have a case or two of bottled water and some non-perishable food items such as granola bars, fruit snacks or mixed nuts, etc., on hand just in case the power goes out for an extended period of time and you are unable to save perishable items.  If the grocery store is out of power too, it might be awhile before you can get back and restock.

If you have a propane powered hot plate and plan to warm up some canned soup, don't forget to have an "old school" manual can opener on hand!





You can also find prepackaged Emergency Food & Water Kits if you don't want to make one up on your own.  Many of these also include a first aid kit as well.

A severe weather preparedness kit can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish to make it.  Regardless of the type you choose to put together, try to make sure and include the above items so that you're ready to handle the next severe weather event that strikes your area.

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ioSafe Rugged Portable Hard Drive

Another item that we showed in our severe weather preparedness segment on "Wake Up With Al" this past Friday was the ioSafe Rugged Portable Hard Drive, pictured below:

This item is available via the web at RadioShack.com.  This is the second most popular item (per e-mail comments & questions that I've received) that we featured on the show, right behind the NOAA Weather Radio with Skywarn band that I featured in this recent post.

Why, you ask, would a portable Hard Disk need to be part of a severe weather preparedness kit?  It's all about data preservation.  I spoke to a gentleman today who lost important papers in a hurricane some 4 years ago, and that loss is still causing great difficulty for him today.  Countless victims of this year's deadly tornadoes in Joplin, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and other areas lost thousands of digital family photos, important papers and other documents when computers were destroyed.

With a device like the ioSafe, you can scan important documents (like wills, auto & property titles, social security cards, passports, etc.) into your computer, back them up on the ioSafe and rest assured that you'll have another copy of those important items if disaster strikes.  

Not only do I recommend backing-up important legal & identity related documents, but also priceless family photos, movies, etc., can all be digitally stored for safe keeping on a device like the ioSafe.  A natural disaster doesn't have to strike in order for this to be important - your computer could simply crash and your hard drive be wiped clean with the data unrecoverable.  Regardless of the scenario, a device like the ioSafe will give you peace of mind that your important photos, documents, etc., are backed-up should you need them in any event.

Once you've backed-up these items, I highly suggest placing the ioSafe in a safe deposit box or other off-site, secure location for additional protection in the event of a disaster.

The model that we showed on Wake Up with Al is a 250gb version which retails for $149.99.  ioSafe Hard Drive's are available with capacity all the way up to 1tb!

This device is virtually indestructible.  It can withstand a crushing force of up to 5,000 pounds, can be submerged in water (salt or fresh), and was even shot with a shotgun at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, as shown in the video below (go to about 3:08 into the video for the real action):

In each of the scenarios described above, the data on the drive was fully recovered!

So, whether you're putting together your hurricane preparedness kit for this year, or developing your severe weather safety kit for next spring, please be sure to include this type of device in your plans.

More on NOAA Weather Radio w/SkyWarn Feature

In my appearance with Al Roker on "Wake Up with Al" this past Friday, we featured several great items available at RadioShack that should be included as a part of your severe weather preparedness kit.  One of those items was a NOAA Weather Radio, such as the one shown below:

I have received numerous e-mails since Friday asking for additional information on this particular model (which is the '732R') and can be purchased online or at your local RadioShack store.

I like this model for several reasons, the top two being:  (1). you can pre-program the unit to sound an alert only when severe weather warnings are issued for your specific area, and (2). it has a Skywarn band that allows you to listen to local severe weather spotters live in your area as severe weather moves through (you might hear something like "a tornado is on the ground at 21st and Main..." or "golfball size hail is falling at 21st and Main...", etc., often several minutes before the same information is relayed to the media.

Like all of RadioShack's line of NOAA Weather Radios, it also features both electric and battery power.  This particular model also includes an alarm clock and an AM/FM radio.

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