NWS-Pueblo Saves Family's Lives

[guest]

This is an interesting article that may already be posted somewhere on this forum, but it will be of interest to many, as it was to me.

http://www.weather.gov/com/nwsfocus/fs0629...ning_Phone_Call (http://www.weather.gov/com/nwsfocus/fs062904.htm#Ground_Truth_Search_Results_in_Life_S aving_Tornado_Warning_Phone_Call)

Were any chasers on this tornado?

Chris[/url]

[Charles Kuster]

That is an interesting story. I was not out on that day. I did not even hear about that tornado. I have met Tom Magnuson before and it is pretty cool to think that he probably saved those peoples lives. :D

[Bridget Beddow]

That's a really cool story, but I'm a little confused..
Do they just make random phone calls to people in the possible
vicinity of a tornado, or was he calling someone he knew?

[Sarah Albyn]

What a real cool story.
That family was very lucky that he called them that day. If he hadn't they would have never known what was going to happen until it actually happend!

[Jeff Snyder]

That's a really cool story, but I'm a little confused..
Do they just make random phone calls to people in the possible
vicinity of a tornado, or was he calling someone he knew?

Back in the Twin Cities, MN, the local SkyWarn group (Metro SkyWarn), has a signup list for folks to volunteer to be ground-truth-verifiers-by-request". This list, which is given to the local NWS office (MPX), allows NWS forecasters or SkyWarn 'officials' to call you to request a report. I think the system was originally designed mainly for night-time thunderstorm events, since mobile spotting is not suggested (lol, won't get into that debate), or for rural areas where you may be the only 'spotter' within miles. It makes sense in cases where the NWS office isn't getting any spotter reports, as it allows them the opportunity to call you and hear what you're experiencing... Knowing the system that NWSFO MPX uses, and after reading the Pueblo article, I'm assuming that NWS office has a similar system.

[Bridget Beddow]

Thank you for clearing that up for me, Jeff. That is a really awesome way to handle that situation.