• 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.

Ken Graham, Director of NHC, named Director of National Weather Service

Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
99
Location
North Little Rock, AR

Ken has a really good handle on day-to-day operations of NWS offices and should make a fine Director of NWS. The previous director, Louis Uccellini, had a primary interest in computer models and, to my knowledge, had never worked in a NWS field forecast office.

It is somewhat concerning that they are moving the NHC director out just as hurricane season begins. Uccellini retired at the beginning of the year, so there was plenty of time to make a decision. That said, selections for NWS Director typically take quite a bit of time.
 
NOAA's original director, Robert White, had a background in meteorology. Since 1975, NOAA has never had a director that knew anything about real-time meteorological operations. That is still true today and it is true of NOAA's entire top management.

NWS, most of the time since the 1950's, has had theoreticians and researchers as directors (Cressman, Halgren, Uccellini) and military (Friday, Hayes, Kelly) and no leaders who understood the demands of operational NWS meteorology and the pressures on field offices.

Ken is exactly what the NWS needs at this time. If NOAA will allow him to do his job, he will be an outstanding leader of the organization and will make it, once again, a superb asset for the nation.
 
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