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Kylie Wood
Leslie Drake
Research Technique and Technology
11 April 2016

Is the Severe Thunderstorm Warnings worth the resources that are spent on Storm Chasing,
Research, and Warning Systems?
(A Bibliographic Essay)
Abstract. The purpose of this essay is to understand how severe thunderstorm
warning systems are important and to see if the cost of resources for the system
are worth the expense. It is important to understand the storm prediction center to
see if the resources could be better spent elsewhere and to see if the weather
warning system is doing its intended job and benefiting communities around the
nation. The intention of this research is to see if the time, money, and other
resources are benefitting people around the nation, through storm chasing,
research, and the implementation of warning systems. If the warning system is
worth the cost then do we need to put more into the system so that lives can be
saved? If the warning system isnt doing its intended job, then should the systems
be abolished as a whole or should resources be limited to those research facilities?
These questions need answers, because we are talking about saving lives that are
caught in the path of natural disasters.
Introduction

"Thunderstorm, Tornado Safety." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration, 2015.

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According to the National Weather Service ("Thunderstorm, Tornado Safety." National

Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015.),
A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter
or has wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour. Every thunderstorm produces
lightning, which kills more people some years than tornadoes or hurricanes.
Heavy rain from thunderstorms can cause flash flooding. High winds can damage
homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages.
Every year people are killed or seriously injured because they didn't hear or
ignored severe thunderstorms warnings.
When determining the importance of the severe thunderstorm warning system, you have
to consider these important topics; what does it cost to storm chase, research, and
implement the system, and also if those costs outweigh the worth of a life saved. This
essay will be examining the question of whether or not the severe thunderstorm warning
system is beneficial to society and the communities they are implemented in.
History of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Storm
Prediction Center

Corfidi, Stephen. "A Brief History of the Storm Prediction Center." National
Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 13 Feb.
2010.
The NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) prepares forecasts of hazardous
weather affecting the continental United States. The SPC, formerly known as the
National Severe Storms Forecast Center, is a component of the National Weather
Service's (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). In
addition to issuing tornado and severe thunderstorm watches on an as-needed

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basis, the SPC also produces scheduled severe weather and fire weather outlooks,
as well as short-term forecasts for heavy rain and winter storms. The SPC
operates around-the-clock, with an on-duty staff that varies between 3 and 5
forecasters depending on the time of day,
According to (Corfidi, Stephen. "A Brief History of the Storm Prediction Center."
National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 13 Feb.
2010), the Storm Prediction Center dates back clear to the 1950s, where events
concerning the U.S. military led up to the establishment of a centralized severe weather
forecast program. The main concern in the beginning was for the Air Force, Army, and
the Navy. The program began experiencing success when it started predicting tornadoes
throughout Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Alabama, and Louisiana. The program began to mature and moved to Kansas City,
Missouri. As it matured, the use of computers and systems became more popular and the
tornado and severe thunderstorm forecasts were renamed as watches to go along with
the National Hurricane Center. Over numerous years, the use of the new Doppler radar
was implemented and the Storm Prediction Center was moved to Norman, OK to the
former U.S. Naval Air Station (which is now part of the University of Oklahoma).
How the Weather Warning System Works

Barnes, Brain. "What are storm chasers and why do they do it?."
StormChase.com.
"About the Storm Prediction Center." National Weather Service. National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 21 Mar. 2015.
Frederick, Donald J. "Doppler Weather Radars Expected to Save Lives: Forecasts:
Warning time on storms and floods will improve with use of NEXRAD. It tracks
fronts by sound waves." L.A. Times. National Geographic, 8 Mar. 1992.
"NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign: Preparing the public for hazardous
weather year-round." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 2015.

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The SPC (Storm Prediction Center) requires the meteorologists with the highest
level of experience for Lead forecasters, Mesoscale forecasters, and also Outlook
forecasters. The lead forecasters, according to ("About the Storm Prediction Center."
National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 21 Mar.
2015) is responsible for being familiar with all aspects of weather forecasts issued and all
components of the SPC. The Mesoscale forecasters, Mesoscale forecasters specialize in
forecasting dangerous weather on the "mesoscale," which comprises a time frame of up
to 6 hours and an area typically about half the size of a standard U.S. state. This requires
a far-reaching knowledge of weather progressions that may lead to severe weather.
Outlook forecasters are the ones that generate the eight day severe and non-severe
weather forecasts for each of the states. Each one of these forecast groups are involved in
scientific research concerning severe and hazardous weather. The forecasters have
numerous tools at their disposal and often observe satellite imagery, radars, surface
weather stations, weather balloon soundings, lightning detection network, and
information from local NWS offices. Doppler Radar, NEXRAD, and Storm Chasing
The National Weather Service uses numerous methods of cultivating data. One
example would be the Doppler Radar system, The Doppler radars now appearing around
the United States are expected to save money and lives by providing earlier warnings of
severe weather such as flash floods, tornadoes and thunderstorms. The radar allows us to
see what's going on in the atmosphere, even before a storm forms, said Joe Friday,
director of the National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Md. And after a storm gets
moving, it can map the distribution and intensity of precipitation inside it. The radar is
very effective when picking up signals of thunderstorms. Doppler radar and severe

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storms research were joined in the early 1960s when the National Severe Storms Project
began in Kansas City, and continue to this day at the National Severe Storms Laboratory
(NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma, and it is still used to this day (Frederick, Donald J.
"Doppler Weather Radars Expected to Save Lives: Forecasts: Warning time on storms
and floods will improve with use of NEXRAD. It tracks fronts by sound waves." L.A.
Times. National Geographic, 8 Mar. 1992). There are several Doppler radars around the
country, in places such as; Washington, D.C., Norman, Oklahoma, Melbourne, Florida,
St. Louis, Missouri, Galveston- Houston, Texas and Dodge City, Kansas. By 1996, a
network of 175 NEXRADs, to cost about $437.5 million, should be scanning the sky
from national weather stations, military installations and Federal Aviation Administration
facilities, and with the NEXRAD and Doppler Radars, tornadoes are being pinpointed
more quickly and more accurately. Without NEXRAD, the warning time for when a
tornado touches down and enters an area is on average six minutes. In the 1980s, the
push to get Doppler radars into warning operations became well-organized as the
NEXRAD (NEXt generation weather RADar) program. In 1989, organized intercept
teams went out into severe storms to verify the indications of a prototype NEXRAD radar
in Norman. ("NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign: Preparing the public for
hazardous weather year-round." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 2015) The NEXRAD program has made a great impact on
the weather prediction. Still to this day the NEXRAD is used across many states via radio
and also their internet radar.
Another source of data comes in the form of storm chasing. Storm chasing has
come around for numerous reasons, sometimes people do it for just the fascination with

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the severe weather and because of the amazing photographic opportunities. One reason
people partake in storm chasing is for research.
Many storm chasers are professionally employed meteorologist of whom the
majority are based at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Over
the years the experiences of these chasers has helped forecasters better interpret
one of our most useful tools Doppler radar.
For years scientist used Doppler weather radar knowing that the little green,
yellow and other colorful pixels seen meant something, but they were not exactly
sure until their fellow workers would communicate with them from the field with
tornado reports. Only then were scientists able to determine the tale-tell sign of a
tornados signature on the radar screen the Hook Echo. And, it was later
discovered that using radars velocity information could further assist warning
meteorologists in identifying tornadoes, according to (Barnes, Brain. "What are
storm chasers and why do they do it?" StormChase.com).
Storm chasing has allowed scientists to learn more about supercells than without
it. Technology has allowed storm chasers to use Doppler radar equipment in their
vehicles which allows them to safely intercept severe thunderstorms.
Beneficial to Society

"NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign: Preparing the public for hazardous
weather year-round." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 2015.
"Severe Weather: Receiving the Warning." National Weather Service. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015.
"Thunderstorm, Tornado Safety." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 2015.

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The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma issues tornado and
severe thunderstorm watches and other forecast products for organized severe weather
over the contiguous United States to ultimately protect the lives and property of the
American people, as stated by ("Thunderstorm, Tornado Safety." National Weather
Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015). The main point of the
severe thunderstorm warning system is to keep people safe. Severe Thunderstorms
usually produce large amount of hail, lots of rain, heavy wind gusts, and the most
common, lightning. Occasionally a severe thunderstorm can produce tornadoes and water
spouts depending on pressure systems. Each aspect of a severe thunderstorm can be
damaging to homes, cars, and people. The Storm Prediction Center is implemented to
notify the American people before bad weather strikes and keep them notified on how to
proceed safely in the midst of hazardous weather. The National Weather Service provides
many helpful information on severe weather and provides it to the public on their website
("Severe Weather: Receiving the Warning." National Weather Service. National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 2015). They also provide the radio stations that the
NOAA uses to alert citizens. They also alert using the television. Another way that the
National Weather Service tries to keep American people safe is through their program,
NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign. According to ("NWS National Seasonal Safety
Campaign: Preparing the public for hazardous weather year-round." National Weather
Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015) the NOAAs National
Weather Service (NWS) is taking a National Seasonal Safety Campaign approach
designed to prepare the public for seasonal weather hazards. Seasonal campaigns (winter,
spring, summer, fall) will focus on the major weather hazards that are experienced around

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the country during each season. Taking a seasonal approach at the national level will
allow NWS to focus outreach efforts on major weather hazards as they occur and to
prepare the public for future extreme weather events. Out of 100,000 thunderstorms on
average per year, 235 people are killed due to flooding, tornadoes, lightning, and wind.
The NWS tries to reduce these fatalities as much as possible.
The Cost

"FY 2014 Budget Summary." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

2014.
Robinson, Dan. "The Real Cost of Storm Chasing - and How to Fund it."
Stormtrack.
Each year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association formulates a budget

for all divisions of the organization. One of the sections of the organization is the
National Weather Service. For the year of 2012, the grand total spending by the NWS
was $996,015. For the year 2013, the total was $1,001,994. The NWS requested
$1,050,101 for the year of 2014. The financial budget was made for Operations and
Research and the majority of it was for Systems Operation and Maintenance. This
information was provided by (FY 2014 Budget Summary." National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration pg. 4-68).
Storm chasing also costs an extraordinary amount of money. Storm chasers have
to pay for lodging, food, fuel, tires, all equipment and modifications to the vehicles. The
cost adds up the deeper the storm chasing gets. A meteorologist made point (Robinson,
Dan. "The Real Cost of Storm Chasing - and How to Fund it." Stormtrack), All that goes
into severe thunderstorm warnings including forecaster duties, warning dissemination,
media interruptions, and more use large amounts of resources in the terms of
manpower, taxpayer funds, and public anxiety.

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Conclusion
When deciding if the severe thunderstorm warning system is worth it or not, one
must consider how much a life is worth. Since the main reason that organizations such as
the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction have appeared is to help protect
and save the lives of American people. The spending on the technological advances and
the equipment cannot be compared to the existence of a human being. When it comes to
providing protection and security to a human being, price is not something to be
concerned about. If the organization is doing what it has intended to do and plans to
continue its course of action, then more resources and funds should be provided to the
organization.

Work Cited

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"About the Storm Prediction Center." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 21 Mar. 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/aboutus.html>.
Barnes, Brain. "What are storm chasers and why do they do it?." StormChase.com. N.p.,
2009. Web. 4 Apr. 2016. <http://www.stormchase.com/stormchasers.html>.
Corfidi, Stephen. "A Brief History of the Storm Prediction Center." National Weather
Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 13 Feb. 2010. Web. 4
Apr. 2016. <http://www.spc.noaa.gov/history/early.html>.
"Doppler Radar." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/doppler.htm>.
Frederick, Donald J. "Doppler Weather Radars Expected to Save Lives: Forecasts:
Warning time on storms and floods will improve with use of NEXRAD. It tracks
fronts by sound waves." L.A. Times. National Geographic, 8 Mar. 1992. Web. 4
Apr. 2016. <http://articles.latimes.com/1992-03-08/news/mn-6304_1_dopplerradar>.
"FY 2014 Budget Summary." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014.
Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/nbo/fy14_bluebook/FINALnoaaBlueBook
_2014_Web_Full.pdf>.
"NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign: Preparing the public for hazardous weather
year-round." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016. http://www.weather.gov/safetycampaign

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Robinson, Dan. "The Real Cost of Storm Chasing - and How to Fund it." Stormtrack.
N.p., 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
<http://stormtrack.org/community/threads/the-real-cost-of-storm-chasing-andhow-to-fund-it.27891/>.
"Severe Weather: Receiving the Warning." National Weather Service. National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.weather.gov/dmx/preparesvrwarning>.
"Thunderstorm, Tornado Safety." National Weather Service. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 2015. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/index.shtml>.