NWS to test "tiered" warning products

[Kevin]

As suspected...its happening...the overhaul to the warning system. This is the first test phase that will be carried out over the next several months at a few WFOs (most in the Midwest)...

Details here...its a "two-tiered" SVR and "three-tiered" TOR...
http://products.weather.gov/PDD/PDD_CR_IBW_011012.pdf

But...this is basically how a highest-level TOR (Tornado Emergency) would look if the testing goes well...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A   

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...   
  NORTHWESTERN NEWTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...   
  SOUTHEASTERN CHEROKEEE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS... 
  SOUTHWESTERN JASPER COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF JOPLIN... 

* UNTIL 600 PM CDT.   

* AT 514 PM CDT...A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY OF JOPLIN.         
  A CONFIRMED LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR 
  BAXTER SPRINGS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
   
  THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.                 
                 
  HAZARD...DEADLY TORNADO AND BASEBALL SIZE HAIL   

  SOURCE...SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCMENT CONFIRMED TORNADO.
           SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HOMES REPORTED IN THE OAKS 
           SUBDIVISION.
   
  IMPACT...LIFE THREATING SITUATION. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOMES               
           AND BUILDINGS...UPROOTED TREES AND DEBRIS WILL   
           RESTRICT ACCESS INTO MANY AREAS.
     
* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING...JOPLIN.   

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 

IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR JOPLIN TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY! 

&& 

LAT...LON 3716 9479 3707 9426 3697 9430 3701 9479
TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 247DEG 36KT 3708 9470
TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC
HAIL...2.75IN

[Kevin]

These are the testing offices...testing period is April 2 to November 30.

Springfield, MO
St. Louis, MO
Kansas City, MO
Topeka, KS
Wichita, KS

[bugalou]

If I read correctly,  this is mainly a change in wording with the base products remaining the same?  If that is the case, good luck with this making a difference in the public's eye especially with some of the public newscasters out there that already over/under hype warnings.

[Kevin]

If I read correctly,  this is mainly a change in wording with the base products remaining the same?  If that is the case, good luck with this making a difference in the public's eye especially with some of the public newscasters out there that already over/under hype warnings.

That's correct. All will still be issued under either SVR or TOR (or SVS as a follow-up)...but I suspect that will be the next change...its just that will take a lot of equipment overhaul not only at NWS's end but at the client end too.

One of the big problems noted in the 4/27 assessment was that HUN started replacing the "TORNADO WARNING" wording in the header with "TORNADO EMERGENCY" and that caused numerous systems not to pick up those very critical warnings AT ALL. Got to fix that before you can go to that step.

Even so...if/when that happens...that's not going to change your latter point IMO. Certain people will continue to dismiss certain warnings no matter what changes are made. The PDF goes into the details of how this will end up more effective on the whole...at least at a first step of what will likely be several.

[beneficii]

One of the big problems noted in the 4/27 assessment was that HUN started replacing the "TORNADO WARNING" wording in the header with "TORNADO EMERGENCY" and that caused numerous systems not to pick up those very critical warnings AT ALL. Got to fix that before you can go to that step.

Wow, I did not know that.  That was irresponsible.

[bugalou]

That's correct. All will still be issued under either SVR or TOR (or SVS as a follow-up)...but I suspect that will be the next change...its just that will take a lot of equipment overhaul not only at NWS's end but at the client end too.

One of the big problems noted in the 4/27 assessment was that HUN started replacing the "TORNADO WARNING" wording in the header with "TORNADO EMERGENCY" and that caused numerous systems not to pick up those very critical warnings AT ALL. Got to fix that before you can go to that step.

Even so...if/when that happens...that's not going to change your latter point IMO. Certain people will continue to dismiss certain warnings no matter what changes are made. The PDF goes into the details of how this will end up more effective on the whole...at least at a first step of what will likely be several.

Adding products will certainly be a huge undertaking from a software and equipment perspective.  I do think that will ultimately make people more aware of the weather though.  One of the biggest challenges I see even more so than infrastructure changes is explaining these enhanced products (in whatever form they come in) to the general public when most people, to this day, don't know the difference between a weather watch and a warning.

[Kevin]

Wow, I did not know that.  That was irresponsible.

To be fair...I don't think they had any idea it would cause some systems not to pick up the warnings. But NWS made it clear in the assessment not to let that happen again! Just goes to show how outdated some of the technology is out there.

[andyhb]

Wow, I did not know that.  That was irresponsible.

Yeah, here you go:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
303 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN CULLMAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL MADISON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  WEST CENTRAL MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 345 PM CDT

* AT 301 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
  A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO NEAR FAIRVIEW...OR ABOUT
  NEAR CULLMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  BAILEYTON.
  RYAN CROSSROADS.
  EDDY.
  UNION GROVE.
  GUNTERSVILLE.
  HEBRON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.