Radar Holes aka Limited Coverage of Radar Issue

[Austin Dawg]

I have a good friend that chases and is part of a chase group NMSCAS, in Mississippi. He is starting a project to help weather observers have a means of monitoring storms and other weather by cameras on cell towers in places across the state with poor radar coverage with access granted to the NWS and local news agencies. This is a link to an MSU sports page where he shares this information.

Information

Here is a link to the post that contains the letter he sent. You can copy the letter yourself if you wish. I did but I can't figure out a way to upload it for downloading.

Letter

I have seen you guys discuss this issue many times in many areas that are prone to storms and I thought that you might want to put in "your two cents worth".

 

[JBishopwx]

I have a good friend that chases and is part of a chase group NMSCAS, in Mississippi. He is starting a project to help weather observers have a means of monitoring storms and other weather by cameras on cell towers in places across the state with poor radar coverage with access granted to the NWS and local news agencies. This is a link to an MSU sports page where he shares this information.

Information

Here is a link to the post that contains the letter he sent. You can copy the letter yourself if you wish. I did but I can't figure out a way to upload it for downloading.

Letter

I have seen you guys discuss this issue many times in many areas that are prone to storms and I thought that you might want to put in "your two cents worth".

I member of NMSCAS myself along with Stan. He has been passionate about this since the Silver City Tornado.

 

[Austin Dawg]

It's a good idea to start the conversation and a possible solution for now. I want a system of solar-powered cameras and basic weather stations that could become a part of a network of cameras and stations accessible by the NWS offices, the television meteorologists, and anyone else who wanted to. It might be not only a way to fill in the radar gaps, but it could also serve as another tool for immediate forecasting and monitoring things a radar can't show you.

 

[Austin Dawg]

Project Update...

Not one state Senator, our governor, or lt. governor responded. Discouraging to say the least, but not giving up. Ok the contrary, I'm upping the ante. Time to go big or go home. I saw tonight that Senator Wicker has sponsored the TORNADON Act. A summary is as follows:

"The TORNADO Act I introduced would direct NOAA to update their models and use the full resources of today?s technological capabilities to improve warning systems. It would also require NOAA to improve its post-storm assessments to increase our understanding of the signs that precede bad weather. These changes will help raise the quality and speed of our tornado alerts."

The bill has 10 cosponsors in the pic below. Tonight, I emailed Wicker and will be emailing the others tomorrow. If you would like to support this, Monday morning, email those 11 senators and ask them to include this in the bill...especially if you live in any of these senators' jurisdictions. Mention that they have received an email over the weekend from North MS Storm Chasers and you would like them to support this measure. I truly believe this could save lives which is why I am pushing for it so hard and not giving up.