• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

Detroit Area tests new Warning Criteria

Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
711
Location
Great Plains
Interesting changes coming from Detroit.

Snowfall Warning and Advisory Criteria. Starting this winter season and continuing through at least the ’08-’09 season, NWS Detroit/Pontiac will be running a test, the Snow Intensity Winter Warning Improvement Program (SIWWIP). The idea is to better incorporate snowfall intensity into our warning decisions. However, duration and total snowfall accumulations still need to be accounted. The entire SIWWIP plan is to capture those one or two events every year that drop 4 to 5 inches in about 6 hour time frame. These events are usually more life threatening than a six inch snowfall in 12 hours because the snow falls at a faster rate, and still accumulates to a significant depth. So, during the next two winter seasons the NWS Detroit/Pontiac snow criteria will be...

WARNING 8 inches or more in 24 hours ADVISORY >4 inches but <8 inches in 24 hours
WARNING 7 inches or more in 18 hours ADVISORY >4 inches but <6 inches in 12 hours
WARNING 6 inches or more in 12 hours ADVISORY >2 inches but <4 inches in 6 hours
WARNING 5 inches or more in 9 hours
WARNING 4 inches or more in 6 hours

Opinions?
 
The public doesn't know a snow advisory from a winter storm watch from a heavy snow warning... All they know is the accumulation numbers they hear, so whatever criteria DTX uses for issuing warnings is MUCH less important than the specific numbers they use.

And if you've monitored their snowfall forecasts so far this season, well... :>
 
The public doesn't know a snow advisory from a winter storm watch from a heavy snow warning... All they know is the accumulation numbers they hear, so whatever criteria DTX uses for issuing warnings is MUCH less important than the specific numbers they use.

And if you've monitored their snowfall forecasts so far this season, well... :>

Most people do pay attention to warnings though... since our local TV stations will usually make mention of it.

When most people in the "warning area" only see 3-4 inches... they'll be wondering what's going on, or they'll be thinking it's just another busted forecast. On second thought, I guess that's not really any different than the current public thought ;)
 
Most people do pay attention to warnings though... since our local TV stations will usually make mention of it.

I forgot you're in a non-met TV market...

On second thought, I guess that's not really any different than the current public thought ;)

They're already going b-to-the-wall on this coming event... Not that it's out of the question, but I have WAY too many questions to go on air and telling everyone that southeast Michigan will see a crippling snow event in 3 days :eek:
 
The problem here is NWS uses nation-wide criteria. 2 inches of snow in southern Texas would be the end of the world. 2 inches of snow in the northeast or in the mountains is just another day. Same logic would apply for snowfall rates too. Northern states have the resources to handle pretty extreme snowfall rates while most far southern states have very little resources to deal with any amount of accumulating snow.
 
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