Greensburg Tornado was caught with mobile radar

[Andrea Griffa]

I'll ask Howie if I can post a radar image. EDIT: Some images are contained in the conference preprints to which Zac Flamming linked in the previous page.

Thanks Jeff it would be not only interesting but exciting That could be a scoop.

 

[Mike Smith]

So, just exactly how many NWS radars ARE there in Kakeland?

The Wichita-Hutchinson television market ("KAKEland") "area of dominant influence" (DMA) is one of the largest (geographically) in the U.S. It includes most of the western 3/4 of Kansas, Kay Co., OK, I believe Beaver Co., OK, six counties in southwest Nebraska and a sliver of northeast Colorado. All of the Wichita network affiliates have full fledged smaller TV stations (complete with a brief local newscast at 6 and 10) in central and western Kansas to serve this vast area.

KWCH, for example, has stations in Wichita, Hays, Goodland and near Dodge City along with 'translators' (repeaters) in several other locations.

So, ICT, Vance, TUL, DDC, AMA, GLD, HSI and TOP, at minimum, are the WSR-88D's used by the TV meteorologists in the market.

When I was on air in the 70's for KSNW, I did some research and there are more convective warnings issued for the ICT-HUT DMA than any other. I assume that is still the case.

 

[Kevin Scharfenberg]

When I was on air in the 70's for KSNW, I did some research and there are more convective warnings issued for the ICT-HUT DMA than any other. I assume that is still the case.

It probably still is! Though now that the Kansas offices have gone to 1" hail for a SVR it might be the South Dakota large market.

Speaking of dual-pol radar and Kansas, the NWS is hoping to make the Wichita radar the first operational "testbed" site for dual-pol, hopefully in time for the spring '09 convective season. KICT was chosen because of the good staff at the WFO, it is an 88D site that gets a good diversity of weather, it's within a short drive of Norman, and has substantial overlap with other 88D sites. Also we'll get the chance to work on some wind farm echo mitigation.

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Thanks Jeff it would be not only interesting but exciting That could be a scoop.

Hope you can accomplish this, Jeff--those radars in the report are amazing, and that Robert Fritchie photo is the clearest one I've seen of this storm so far.

 

[Bob Schafer]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I thought "Kakeland" was some little town in KS I'd never heard of.

The Wichita-Hutchinson television market ("KAKEland") "area of dominant influence" (DMA) is one of the largest (geographically) in the U.S. It includes most of the western 3/4 of Kansas, Kay Co., OK, I believe Beaver Co., OK, six counties in southwest Nebraska and a sliver of northeast Colorado. All of the Wichita network affiliates have full fledged smaller TV stations (complete with a brief local newscast at 6 and 10) in central and western Kansas to serve this vast area.

KWCH, for example, has stations in Wichita, Hays, Goodland and near Dodge City along with 'translators' (repeaters) in several other locations.

So, ICT, Vance, TUL, DDC, AMA, GLD, HSI and TOP, at minimum, are the WSR-88D's used by the TV meteorologists in the market.

When I was on air in the 70's for KSNW, I did some research and there are more convective warnings issued for the ICT-HUT DMA than any other. I assume that is still the case.

 

[Willie Dines]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I thought "Kakeland" was some little town in KS I'd never heard of.

No worries Bob, I had been wondering as well for a short while lol

Willie

 

[Jonathan Behle]

Mike,

I remember you at Channel 3 before Dave Freeman came in 1993 and you were great on the air, even though I was only 11 when you left to go start WeatherData, Wichita's a great weather market that often times gets overshadowed by Oklahoma City. And I often times talk to meteorologists at all 3 stations and have the upmost respect for them all. I remember when it was you, Jim O'Donnell and Merril Teller just like yesterday still, and you've all given me great ambition to learn more and really become interested in weather. We recently lost Jim and I hope he's smiling down upon us and proud of where the weather community is now.

And I do spot for KAKE-tv.. I'm not necessarily limited to their viewing area, but even if I was, its a huge chunk of land and I wouldn't miss out on that much. You can go from Goodland Kansas and drive East on 70 for 4 hours and still be in the DMA easily.

Here is the DMA...

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/TVMarkets/Maps/kansas.gif

 

[Mike Smith]

Jonathan,

Thank you so much for the compliments. I enjoyed my years in television but am having a blast with WeatherData. Come and visit some time!

Mike