SN Reports had 15 min lead time 3/8/10
- Thread starter Mark Sefried
- Start date
Kory Hartman
EF2
Yep, it's obviously a very old file... but I don't think I even downloaded it until 2008 so it must have been out of date before I even started using it.
That's why I'm asking if anyone has a newer version.
P.S. I sent you an email, Rick
That's why I'm asking if anyone has a newer version.
P.S. I sent you an email, Rick
Tony Cook
EF2
I think that file came from Bill Tabor. He is the one who sent it to me. I have used it several times in the last two years (mostly two years ago, since I did very little chasing last year). Don't remember which offices specifically worked, would have to look it up- Goodland, KS and Lubbock come to mind.
It is definitely a nice placefile to have. I don't think Bill has updated it- he can probably respond here and give more details of how he put it together.
TonyC
Bill Tabor
EF5
Years back I created the NWS Street Atlas Phone overlay for use in Delorme's product. It was current at the time. Tyler asked if I minded him using it for GR3 and I said feel free, but I haven't updated the numbers since, and it sounds like Tyler hasn't either. Since he has all the number in Spotternetwork available I was thinking he's updated the GR3 file but I guess not. Not sure how involved it will be to update. I'd have to look into it...
Tyler Allison
EF5
I haven't updated that in I don't know how long since I don't use it. I use the SN interface instead.
Bill Tabor
EF5
I thought about it a bit and I don't think it would be that hard to update. The Street Atlas overlay and the GR3 placefile are both text files. A simple find and replace would do it a believe with a text editor. If it requires anything more I could use Excel, Access or Oracle - but I think it is that simple. Requires someone to provide me with the current numbers. With the proper numbers this could be a real quick fix. Now if I have to add new NWW office numbers that could be a bit more involved as I used a database originally to map it all out.
I'll try and take a look into it.
Many use Spotternet, but not everyone.
I'll try and take a look into it.
Many use Spotternet, but not everyone.
Tyler Allison
EF5
I don't know of anywhere the NWS publishes that info. The SN relies on spotters to notify us when the number changes because the NWS doesn't announce that sort of thing. Part of the reason spotters have a hard time calling them with reports.
J Holder
EF2
Sorry, April 25 2009. Search that date on Youtube and the vids should show up.
May 15. There's a thread in post storm with some pics of the funnels. I didn't see the VORTEX2 teams but was told they were in Ottawa over in Franklin county to the East. I did see one of the armored TIV's flying East toward Ottawa on K268 after the funnels went East of me.
I, too, was a little surprised about the tardy warning. However, as I noted previously, I really do like that OUN typically seems to have a higher threshold for issuing tornado warnings. This tends to reduce the False Alarm Rate, though it may lead to a few more zero- or negative-lead-time tornado events (which was the case on this day). However, on days with little in the way of severe weather expected, staffing may have been an issue, at least in terms of having enough people to collect data from the myriad of sources of information. Perhaps this will lead some NWSFOs to place a greater emphasis on the use of streaming video from chasers, or perhaps this was just a situation caused by a series of unfortunate events (e.g. a met got up from his desk to get a drink of water for a minute or two, perhaps someone from OUN was calling around to get confirmation from another source or to corroborate the SN report). Heck, as was noted previously, these are still people at the desks in the NWSFOs, and people can make mistakes.
Let's all just continue to do what we do in terms of providing as detailed of reports as we can, be it from SpotterNet, ham, etc., noting that it is apparently very useful for NWS operations if we (as chasers) include the "direction viewing" when we report funnels/tornadoes. Of course, it'd be helpful if at least a couple of chasers (myself included!) remember to call the local NWSFO just in case...
My understanding is that reports were relayed into the NWS but weren't acted on in several cases last year. From what I got from the non-NWS people who were there was the on-duty staff were SWAMPED between taking phone and online reports and trying to keep tabs on 1/4 of the entire state's weather activity.
I'm not bashing the office help, I work for a railroad where it's a constant "do more with less on time and under budget" so I have an idea what conditions they're working in. I do believe that NOAA's decision to cut staffing levels and close offices was a bad call, especially in the Midwest.
Greg Stumpf
EF5
V2 was operating in Grant and Alfalfa Counties in Oklahoma on 15 May. The TIVs were not always with the V2 armada during 2009.
Paul Knightley
EF5
Apologies if this clutters up this thread, and feel free to move it to a new thread, etc - for chasers like me from 'across the pond', does anyone know of a comprehensive list of NWS office numbers, e.g. on the web? Although I'm a visitor to your country when chasing, I want to be able to call in reports - I have SN already installed and running on my laptop, but given that a call seems the most rapid way of getting the info across, I thought I'd ask! 
Thanks.
Thanks.
Bill Tabor
EF5
Paul, Chris Novy - Wx-Chase Admin has provided one in years past. Not sure when the last time was that he did. I plan on scanning old email this am to locate for update of the overlay. I may contact Chris as well as other NWS folks for the info. I'll have to see if it's ok to provide in open list form - but assume it should be ok, amongst chasers / spotters - particularly the ones Chris already got permission for.
Alex Lamers
EF4
Tyler and Bill,
If you scroll down to the bottom of the WFO home pages, there should be contact info for each office in gray text. These should be the public service numbers for each office that will connect you during the daytime hours or during active weather. Most offices will have several lines, so if you have a different number, that doesn't necessarily mean that the number you have is incorrect.
You may want to verify that the numbers will connect you to the office, but that would be one way to get all of the phone numbers.
The number Rick provided above will connect you to OUN 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however.
-Alex
Adam Wolff
EF0
Using one of Jeff Snyder's placefiles as a template I created the following placefile WFO Contact. (This file prob won't last long before the bandwidth is exceeded on this free hosting account so please "save as") Right now it covers the southern/central plains and surrounding WFO's but it will certainly be updated as I have more free time. I talked to Jeff last night and he plans to host it on his website in the future.
On a side note...I can not confirm that the numbers will lead directly to a report hotline. They are simply the phone numbers for each office as posted on their website.
On a side note...I can not confirm that the numbers will lead directly to a report hotline. They are simply the phone numbers for each office as posted on their website.
Paul Knightley
EF5
Thanks for the replies. Adam - that's a great file - cheers.
Jeff Snyder
EF5
I've hosted this placefile alongside my other placefiles -- see http://grlevel3.tornadocentral.com . The placefile can be downloaded directly at http://grlevel3.tornadocentral.com/WFOContact.txt . Please remember that this is a static placefile, so you can do "SAVE AS" locally and load the file from your hard drive. In other words, there's no need to download it every time you open GRx or change radar sites.
