The
National Weather Service (NWS) is a branch of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the United States
Department of Commerce. The
Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Nashville, Tennessee is part
of the Southern Region
of the NWS.
WFO Nashville is managed
by the Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC), Larry
Vannozzi, who is, in turn, responsible to the Director of
the Southern Region. Other management personnel at Nashville include
a Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM), Jerry
Orchanian, Science and Operations Officer (SOO), Henry
Steigerwaldt, and an Observation Program Leader (OPL), Ralph
Troutman.
Operational personnel
include ten forecasters, whose responsibilities include issuing
of severe weather warnings and statements, public (zone) forecasts
and discussions, aviation forecasts (called "terminal aerodrome
forecasts"), short term forecasts (called "nowcasts"), and fire
weather forecasts. The Service Hydrologist (vacant) manages the river program for Middle Tennessee and
north Alabama.
The staff at WFO Nashville
is supported by Electronics Systems Analyst Steve
Clark, Information Technology Officer Michael
Davis, and two Electronics Technicians. One of the most important
people in the office, yet also one of the least recognized, is
the Administrative Assistant.
The
forecasters are supported by three hydrometeorological technicians
(HMT's). Their responsibilities include maintaining NOAA
Weather Radio broadcasts, launching weather
balloons (twice daily), issuing various meteorological and
hydrological products, measuring ozone,
and assisting the forecaster with general duties. The HMT's also
manage the cooperative program
for Middle Tennessee.
WFO
Nashville has warning responsibility for thirty-nine counties
across Middle Tennessee. The county warning area generally extends
from the Tennessee River in the west to the Cumberland Plateau
in the east, and from the Kentucky state line in the north to
the Alabama state line in the south. The Nashville county warning
area comprises 16,833 square miles with a population of 2,114,592
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2002).
In December, 1998,
WFO Nashville was awarded the United States Department of Commerce
Bronze Medal Award for superior federal service "for providing
timely and accurate severe weather warning services during the
April 16, 1998 tornado outbreak in middle Tennessee."
There is also an outreach
team which frequently visits communities across the mid state
and gives weather talks at schools and civic organizations.
The office is located
at Langford's Cove on Old Hickory Lake in northwest Wilson County.
The mailing address is: National Weather Service, 500 Weather
Station Rd., Old Hickory, TN 37138. You can also telephone the
office at (615) 754-4633 during normal business hours.