STORM TRACK: March 31, 1987 (Volume 10 Issue 3)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES

National Severe Storms Laboratory
1313 Halley Circle
Norman, OK 73069

March 17, 1987 R/E/NS

Timothy P. Marshall
Editor, Storm Track
1336 Brazos Blvd.
Lewisville, TX 75067

Dear Mr. Marshall:

I've talked with most of the NSSL staff who are involved in the Spring Project about your list of questions concerning NSSL meteorological support available to private or free-lancing chasers this Spring. As you're aware, a number of important changes have occurred during recent months here on the O.U. North Campus. All activities this year are occurring in close cooperation with the NWS Forecast Office for Oklahoma which is now operating out of a new building directly to the east of NSSL. Guidelines that we've developed for you and your subscribers are as follows:

* Although we are willing to try to accommodate private chasers, the needs of our DOPLIGHT 87 (hereafter D87) program and the WSFO must take the highest priority. Thus, private chasers are encouraged to seek their weather information elsewhere (e.g., the OU School of Meteorology and the WSO at Will Rogers Airport). Neither we nor the WSFO will be able to deal with inquiries from walk-ins.

* The forecast area is accessible only through the southwest door of the WSFO. The forecaster on duty will rarely grant access to the D87 forecast area. Persons not involved in DOPLIGHT or employed at the WSFO who might be granted access must be limited to a small area which includes a map board and the NSSL D87 AFOS console area. Access to the WSFO forecast operations area is prohibited, a policy which will be enforced strictly by the NSSL D87 forecaster.

* The D87 daily briefings may be opened to a limited number of non- project attendees if we can obtain a briefing room that is not in the main FO area. We will attempt to keep some maps posted in the briefing area. Specific directions will be posted at the south entrance to the new building. If the briefing on any given day must occur within the FO, it will be considered a closed briefing.

* Real-time information of interest to private chasers will flow exclusively into the FO and no real-time information will be dis- played or used within the NSSL building. Thus, there is no reason for chasers to seek chase information within any NSSL facilities, but the laboratory can be visited, of course, during normal duty hours.

* We agree that NSSL and our science can benefit from the input of private chasers, so we will attempt to provide support to private chasers at the D87 forecast site (at the SW corner door of new building) to the best of our abilities with the resources avail- able. This will include the following:

l. Very limited numbers of people may be allowed to enter the D87 forecast area but only with permission of the D87 duty forecaster. They can look at maps on the map board, the Doppler consoles in the D87 chase coordination room, the D87 AFOS console, etc.. Under no circumstances should private chasers handle any of the equipment in the area without supervision. If several people are chasing in a group, they should send a single representative. When several groups are seeking weather information at the same time, we can accommodate only a single representative from each group, up to a number determined by the D87 duty forecaster. That number may vary depending on circumstances, from zero up to a maximum of about three.

2. We will attempt to post some information on the windows at the main entrance (south) door, so that chasers not granted access inside can get some guidance, but this will necessarily be limited. It may be confined to the outlook narrative discussion and our summary of the forecast.

3. Private chasers with established credentials can be given an unlisted phone number (any requests for this number must be made directly to Drs. Davies-Jones or Doswell to which they can make collect calls. This service is granted with the understanding that it must be kept confidential, its use must be limited, and we expect to get severe weather reports and the chance to review photography and chase logs, in return for short situation briefings. We will not accept collect calls from anyone not granted this privilege. Those not given the privilege will not be given the number. Private chasers must be aware that our own chase teams may be using this line as a backup operational link to the chase coordinators, so we must keep calls from private chasers brief. Calls to the Doppler room per se are out of the question.

* We will appreciate dissemination of this information in STORM TRACK,

to avoid having to spell out our operating constraints to each and every chase team. It would also be of some value to re-run Dave Hoadley's admonitions to chasers when they deal with NWS forecast offices in general. It is important for them to know that they should not expect NWS personnel to make their chase forecasts for them--the NWS can provide access to information, but it is up to the chasers themselves to decide where to go to intercept the storms.NWS personnel cannot accept a horde of chasers descending on their office, disrupting their operational tasks. Be courteous and respectful of NWS staff, stay out of their way, don't handle the AFOS consoles without supervision, and let the NWS personnel get on with their mission. Be understanding of the situations in which NWS personnel are operating--their first duty is to protect lives and property.

/signed/
Robert A. Maddox, Director
National Severe Storms Laboratory