Gene Rhoden
Relayed on behalf of Martin Lisius:
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News from the Texas Severe Storms Association
for Immediate Release
February 25, 2005
Nation’s First Super Storm Spotters to be Initiated Tomorrow in Arlington
ARLINGTON, Texas – Severe weather season begins next week for southern portions of the central US. Tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, giant hail and flash floods will threaten residents of this region known as “Tornado Alley.†For the first time, these powerful storms will face a formidable defense, a group of highly-trained volunteers called Super Storm Spotters.
The nation’s first Super Storm Spotters will be initiated tomorrow at the Texas Severe Storms Association’s (TESSA) 2005 Texas Storm Conference in Arlington, just in time for the area’s stormiest period of the year. The conference will present the first TESSA Super Storm Spotter training session, which will provide the highest level of training available to storm spotters anywhere in the country. Storm Spotters are trained volunteers that are coordinated by county emergency management offices and the National Weather Service. Since weather radar cannot “see†tornadoes, the Weather Service relies on their network of spotters to provide “ground truth verification.†Storm spotters are the public’s first line of defense against dangerous storms.
In addition to the special spotter training, other presentations on tornadoes and severe weather will be presented by experts from the National Weather Service, the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory at the day long event.
The Texas Storm Conference will take place at the Bob Duncan Community Center, 2800 S. Center Street in Arlington, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, February 26. The conference is free and open to the public. Detailed information about the event is available on-line at http://www.tessa.org.
The Texas Severe Storms Association is a 501© 3 national non-profit organization dedicated to severe weather education. The group, founded in 1993, is based in Arlington, Texas.
------------------------------------------------------------
News from the Texas Severe Storms Association
for Immediate Release
February 25, 2005
Nation’s First Super Storm Spotters to be Initiated Tomorrow in Arlington
ARLINGTON, Texas – Severe weather season begins next week for southern portions of the central US. Tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, giant hail and flash floods will threaten residents of this region known as “Tornado Alley.†For the first time, these powerful storms will face a formidable defense, a group of highly-trained volunteers called Super Storm Spotters.
The nation’s first Super Storm Spotters will be initiated tomorrow at the Texas Severe Storms Association’s (TESSA) 2005 Texas Storm Conference in Arlington, just in time for the area’s stormiest period of the year. The conference will present the first TESSA Super Storm Spotter training session, which will provide the highest level of training available to storm spotters anywhere in the country. Storm Spotters are trained volunteers that are coordinated by county emergency management offices and the National Weather Service. Since weather radar cannot “see†tornadoes, the Weather Service relies on their network of spotters to provide “ground truth verification.†Storm spotters are the public’s first line of defense against dangerous storms.
In addition to the special spotter training, other presentations on tornadoes and severe weather will be presented by experts from the National Weather Service, the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory at the day long event.
The Texas Storm Conference will take place at the Bob Duncan Community Center, 2800 S. Center Street in Arlington, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, February 26. The conference is free and open to the public. Detailed information about the event is available on-line at http://www.tessa.org.
The Texas Severe Storms Association is a 501© 3 national non-profit organization dedicated to severe weather education. The group, founded in 1993, is based in Arlington, Texas.
