OUN ratings from 5/4-5/5?

[beaudodson]

I would point out that the OUN office spends a lot of extra time on severe weather services such as incredible enchanced web pages, a great Skywarn net and training, a local 1 km run of the WRF to run in rapid update, a lot of forecaster training and case studies, and experimental warning activities in the Hazardous Weather Testbed. Quite frankly,

That is for sure. That office does have some of the better (best perhaps) enhanced web pages. They are cerftainly to be complimented on that subject and the other subjects you mentioned!

 

[Greg Stumpf]

In the future, don't wait for the WFO to request help. Be proactive. Contact your local WCM. Volunteer help. Be the first to act.

I went away from ST for the last week or so after posting my last comment. I'm kind of surprised that my suggestion to "be proactive" was immediately followed (and even quoted!) by continued ranting about how the WFOs don't ask for volunteers, etc. E., g.:

That would be nice if the local offices would allow volunteers to help.

Huh? Of course, any WFO would be more than happy to accept volunteers. Where did you get this notion?

I will only say it one more time - "be proactive". You will be pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps, in the future if a situation as this arises, having chasers in the area survey the damage would be a great idea, as many have suggested.

It is a very good idea, but it has me wondering. Paralleling the need for WFOs to put warning services ahead of damage survey services for a multi-day event, how many chasers would be willing to give up a day's chase to help a WFO survey an event during a multi-day severe weather episode. Quoting from a completely unrelated thread....

*waiting*

I didn't think so...

[Hopefully, ST members see this as somewhat tongue in cheek.]

Actually, I have done this and got lucky. I surveyed the northern supercell (near Red Rock OK) on 8 May 2003, even though there was a risk of severe weather warranting chasing on 9 May 2003, the day we were surveying. We completed our survey, and then returned back to OUN via Binger, and following the late evening tornadic storm back into OKC (but broke off at dark). Our decision to conduct the survey was made knowing the risk we could miss chasing an event later that day, and we got lucky because the one storm was "in our path" back home and occured late.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

It is a very good idea, but it has me wondering. Paralleling the need for WFOs to put warning services ahead of damage survey services for a multi-day event, how many chasers would be willing to give up a day's chase to help a WFO survey an event during a multi-day severe weather episode. Quoting from a completely unrelated thread....

Are surveys supposed to be performed on the mets own time, or are they 'on the clock'? In other words, are they being paid while performing surveys, or are surveys performed solely on a person's "off-time"?

 

[Greg Stumpf]

Are surveys supposed to be performed on the mets own time, or are they 'on the clock'? In other words, are they being paid while performing surveys, or are surveys performed solely on a person's "off-time"?

I'm not sure what this has to do with my remarks, but from what I understand, the WFO mets are on the clock when they perform surveys, and sometimes must be on overtime (which strains an office budget, BTW).