Tim Vasquez
EF5
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 3,411
What is the Doppler on Wheels?
-
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.
What is the Doppler on Wheels (DOW)?
- Thread starter Tim Vasquez
- Start date
Tim Vasquez
EF5
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 3,411
[Broken External Image]:http://aaron.ou.edu/dow/images/dimmit_1s.jpg
These utility trucks carrying a radar dish are familiar sights on the Great Plains, and have been spotted nationwide participating in other meteorological studies. There are two basic DOWs, built sometime around 1993. They are the brainchild of OU (now NCAR) scientist Josh Wurman. The units are now based in Boulder, Colorado and are owned by a partnership of universities.
The radars are used to gather extremely high resolution (both temporal and spatial) data of storm structure. From this data it is possible to make theories that give us a better understanding of how tornadoes and other severe weather forms.
A third DOW (Rapid-DOW) has recently been built using a phased-array radar. It allows a near-continuous look at a storm, and can be identified by its large, flat panel rather than the familiar radar dish.
A new fleet of mobile radars (actually, two) is now in existence, thanks to a partnership between NSSL, OU, TTU, and TAMU. These are called SMART Radars, and may be mistaken for DOWs. They're based in Norman, Oklahoma, where the DOWs used to reside.
>> More information on DOWs
>> More information on SMART Radars
(Thanks to Kevin Scharfenberg for some corrections)
These utility trucks carrying a radar dish are familiar sights on the Great Plains, and have been spotted nationwide participating in other meteorological studies. There are two basic DOWs, built sometime around 1993. They are the brainchild of OU (now NCAR) scientist Josh Wurman. The units are now based in Boulder, Colorado and are owned by a partnership of universities.
The radars are used to gather extremely high resolution (both temporal and spatial) data of storm structure. From this data it is possible to make theories that give us a better understanding of how tornadoes and other severe weather forms.
A third DOW (Rapid-DOW) has recently been built using a phased-array radar. It allows a near-continuous look at a storm, and can be identified by its large, flat panel rather than the familiar radar dish.
A new fleet of mobile radars (actually, two) is now in existence, thanks to a partnership between NSSL, OU, TTU, and TAMU. These are called SMART Radars, and may be mistaken for DOWs. They're based in Norman, Oklahoma, where the DOWs used to reside.
>> More information on DOWs
>> More information on SMART Radars
(Thanks to Kevin Scharfenberg for some corrections)
Greg Stumpf
EF5
Actually, they were built in 1994-5 as a joint NSSL/OU facility, and first deployed during VORTEX on a supercell in NC Kansas on 12 May 95. I drove the Field Coordinator (FC) that day and warmly remember the conversation between the brainchildren Erik Rasmussen, Jerry Straka, Kathy Kanak (Jerry's wife), and Josh Wurman (and I believe Lou Wicker) as we drove home that evening reminiscing about the events and ideas that led to the DOW conception and this historical first deployment. Other historic deployments that followed in 1995 included the 16 May multiple-tornadic storm near Hanston KS, 2 Jun 95 infamously researched tornado near Dimmitt TX, and 8 Jun 95 wedge near Allison TX.
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