National Severe Weather Workshop March 2-4

Emergency managers and members of the media will have an opportunity to exchange information and techniques for public safety during severe weather with academia and federal government experts from NOAA at the sixth annual National Severe Weather Workshop on March 2-4, 2006, in Midwest City, Okla.

Registration is underway for the three-day workshop, which is designed to enhance partnerships between severe weather forecasters and researchers, emergency managers, broadcast meteorologists, businesses, storm spotters and other weather enthusiasts. In addition, free storm observation training will be offered Saturday. This year's theme is "Learning and Growing Together: Expanding Severe Weather Horizons."

The National Severe Storms Laboratory is a sponsor of the event. Major sponsors include the NOAA National Weather Service Southern and Central regions, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the NOAA National Weather Service forecast office in Norman, Okla., the Warning Decision Training Branch, Oklahoma Emergency Managers Association and the Central Oklahoma Chapters of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association.

A new activity this year will be a role-playing scenario with three teams representing the NOAA National Weather Service, broadcast meteorologists and emergency managers. The teams will simulate real-life situations in an actual weather event and explore information needs for decision making by those involved in real-time warning operations and information dissemination. To help foster improved teamwork and increase empathy for the roles of others, participants will be asked to participate in a role that is different from their regular job.

Participants will identify challenges and generate ideas for improving communication. The scenario will showcase a number of "best practices" related to warning decision making and response.

John Jones, deputy director of the NOAA National Weather Service, will be a featured speaker Thursday morning. Eve Gruntfest, professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado, an internationally recognized expert in natural hazard warning system development and flash flooding, will be the featured speaker during a banquet Thursday night.

On Saturday afternoon, storm observation training will be presented by Kevin Kloesel, assistant dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, University of Oklahoma, and Rick Smith, warning coordination meteorologist at the NOAA National Weather Service forecast office in Norman, Okla.

http://www.norman.noaa.gov/nsww2006

3/2/06

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National Severe Weather Workshop March 2-4