Minutes
Weather Working Team Meeting at NWCC
9 July 2003 @ 0930 PDT
Attendees: Mike Ziolko, Roddy Baumann, Mike Fitzpatrick, Terry Marsha, Paul Werth
(Chair)
Agenda:
The major topics of the meeting were: 1) weather station network, 2) Oregon National
Guard mobile radiosonde unit, and 3) a questionnaire to evaluate the daily NWS internet
briefings.
1. Weather Station Network
After considerable discussion concerning the purpose (and ultimate use) of the
“key weather station” network, the following action items were adopted to
complete Phase 1 and start Phase 2 of the project.
a) Action item: all members are to review the attached list of ‘key” NFDRS
weather stations for currency
b) Action item: Mike Z. and Paul will draft a cover letter to the above
mentioned list of ‘key” NFDRS weather stations so that it can be sent out
to the field users for comment.
c) Action item: Mike Z. will compile final Phase 1 document
d) Action item: Terry will draft a “red flag” event station list in preparation
for Phase 2
e) Action item: Mike Z. and Greg will draft a smoke management list of
“key” stations also for Phase 2
f) Action item: send cover letter, “key” NFDRS station list, and draft “red
flag” event and smoke management station lists to field for comment no
later than October 1, 2003 (reminder October 15)
g) Action item: give field users until October 31, 2003 to comment
The local units must maintain this list of “key” stations so that the Predictive
Service Unit at NWCC can provide consistent support to GACC personnel and
the Northwest MAC Group. There is a need to stabilize these stations for a
minimum of 5 years. PNWCG’s WWT should be given the responsibility to
change this list as needed to support Geographic Area and MAC groups. NFDRS
values based on stations in the list are used for severity funding.
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2)
Oregon Army National Guard Upper Air Unit
Discussion centered on the use and availability of the Oregon Guard mobile
radiosonde unit in support of wildland fire. The Oregon National Guard
earlier this spring agreed to dispatch this unit on fires through ODF as
outlined in the 2003 Ops Plan Smokey.
a) Action item: Mike Z. to check on status of 2003 Ops Plan Smokey
b) Action item: Paul to contact Sgt. Jordan concerning the availability of the
unit this summer
c) Action item: Paul to contact Jim Prange/Chris Hill about a similar unit in
Washington
3)
NWS Internet briefing questionnaire
Discussion concerned a questionnaire that would provide a method to evaluate
daily NWS Internet briefings. The web-based questionnaire would be
available to agency field users so that they could provide feedback on the
usefulness of these briefings.
a) Action item: Terry and Paul review a questionnaire the Medford NWS
has already developed for use in evaluating Internet briefings
b) have each WFO post on their web page
c) have NWS post a notice on questionnaire on their forecasts
d) evaluate over a 2 week period
e) check on having responses ftped to a server we can access OR have it sent
to both the NWS and NWCC as responses come in
4)
New agenda items: None
Adjourn 1430
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