|



| |



Saturday April
14, 2012
noon and 6:00
|
JUST ANNOUNCED!
From
Tom Skilling: "We've set the date for our 31st annual Fermilab Tornado
& Severe Weather Seminar this spring. The program takes place at Noon
and at 6PM Saturday April 14--just a week shy of the 45th anniversary
of the infamous Oak Lawn/Lake Zurich/Belvidere tornado outbreak which
occurred on April 21, 1967 and resulted in 58 deaths and hundreds of
injuries here. It remains this area's largest and most deadly tornado
outbreak." Watch www.AskTom.org for details on speakers and topics when
they're released.
Tom Skilling
The programs are free of charge, require
no tickets and feature seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
I recommend arriving 30-45 minutes before the start of the seminar.
This is the 32nd year for the Fermilab tornado seminars
3/25/12: Presenter & topics added
1/23/12: First announcement of seminar date
Dr. Louis Uccellini President of the American Meteorological
Society and Director of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental
Prediction
Never before in its history has this country had to deal with 14
billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in a single year. These
events swept the country in 2011 and included a series of devastating
and deadly tornado outbreaks to record flooding and our own crippling
Chicago area snowstorm early in the year. Accurate advance forecasts of
each alerted the public of the impending threats and saved lives.
Nearly four months into 2012, the country's weather continues its
abnormal ways, having delivered a winter of unprecedented warmth and,
in many areas, limited snowfall which has, in turn, included and been
followed by a series of early season severe weather outbreaks of
stunning ferocity. There is concern about what lies ahead.
The array of historic weather events over the past months and a
historic move, years in the planning, of the key climate and
meteorological analysis and forecast operations into a new 268,762
square foot NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction on the
University of Maryland campus outside Washington, D.C. in coming months
make Dr. Louis Uccellini's visit especially timely.
Dr. Uccellini is President of the American Meteorological Society
(AMS) and is Director of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental
Prediction (NCEP), a position in which he has served since 1999. He
joined NOAA in 1989 after serving as Section Head for the Mesoscale
Analysis and Modeling Section in NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center's
Laboratory for Atmospheric Science.
As NCEP Director, Louis oversees operations of the National
Hurricane Center, the Storm Prediction Center, the Environmental
Modeling Center and the Climate and Ocean Forecast Centers as well as
the Space Weather Forecast Center. These national centers provide
weather forecasters in this country with the data and numerical model
forecasts which make possible the work, in and out of the media,
conducted by each of them across the United States. NCEP is, as Dr.
Uccellini says, "Where America's Climate and Weather Services Begin".
Louis has played a seminal role in directing the ground-breaking
advances in forecast operations within the National Weather Service
which have made possible critical and life-saving advance warning of
the historic severe weather outbreaks of recent years.
A Look At Revolutionary Advances Which Make Possible More
Accurate Forecasts Of Impending Severe Weather As The Chicago Area
Marks The 45Th Anniversary Of Its Most Devastating Tornado
Outbreak--The Oak Lawn/Belvidere Twisters Of April 21, 1967
-
Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-Chicago and
the Chicago Tribune -
The savage severe thunderstorm outbreaks, which
spawn tornadoes, life-threatening lightning and damaging winds, are
now predicted days and--and even, at times, as much as a week in
advance---with an accuracy that could only have been imagined
decades ago. How is this possible? An examination of the
revolutionary advances which have made improved forecasts
possible--yet the serious concerns of area forecasts as the Chicago
area marks the 45th anniversary of its worst tornado outbreak
ever--the infamous Oak Lawn/Belvidere storms of April 21, 1967.
Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms … From An
Eventful Chicago Area Childhood Through A Historic 2011 Tornado Season
-
Dr. Russell Schneider, Director, NOAA-NWS Storm
Prediction Center -
Russ will revisit the historic Chicago tornado
events, several of which spurred his childhood interest in weather,
describe national severe weather forecast efforts at the NOAA Storm
Prediction Center, and recap the historic 2011 United States
tornado season.
Enhancing the Weather Warning Process to Facilitate Improved
Public Response
-
Edward Fenelon, Meteorologist in Charge,
Chicago-National Weather Service Office -
2011 was a tragic year in terms of tornado
fatalities in the U.S. Despite advanced warnings, 550 people lost
their lives due to twisters, 158 of those were in the Joplin, MO
tornado. Assessment findings following the Joplin tornado indicated
most people sought confirmation from additional sources before
seeking shelter, and credible, extraordinary risk signals prompt
people to take proactive actions. To address these findings, the
NWS is conducting an "impacts-based" warning demonstration project
in 2012 designed to provide more information to the media and
emergency managers and to facilitate improved public response and
decision making. We'll take a look at what this project it all
about, and how it will improve communication of risk and more
clearly identify potential impacts.
Are You Safe?- Safety in Public Buildings
-
Brian E. Smith, Warning Coordination Meteorologist,
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley, NE -
After last year's Joplin storm, there were many
examples of common buildings (Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens,
schools, and a hospital) that were struck by that massive storm. I
will be looking at safety in the city area and what people can do
to protect themselves. I will also touch on the 1967 outbreak
(so will Russ Schneider) and what happened in the Fox Valley area.
Are you Ready? Situational Awareness for a Changing Climate
-
Jim Reed, Award-winning extreme weather
photographer, Jim Reed Photography, Wichita, Kansas -
Award-winning extreme weather photographer Jim Reed
will share life-saving tips he has experienced firsthand during his
20 years of storm chasing. Jim will show videos and photos taken
during dozens of record-setting storms, including Hurricane Katrina
and the recent tornado outbreaks, and he'll offer tactics and new
technology for receiving reliable forecasts and warnings that can
keep you and your family safe.
Jim Reed is recognized as one of the world's most accomplished
extreme weather photographers. 2012 marks his 21st consecutive year
of shooting America's changing climate, including tornadoes. He has
documented 18 hurricanes, including Katrina and 2011's Hurricane
Irene.
Severe Weather Preparedness for Large Outdoor Events
-
Jim Allsopp, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS
Chicago -
Last year 7 people died and 43 were injured when a
severe thunderstorm wind gust took down a large concert stage at
the Indiana State Fair. Every summer thousands of people are
exposed to the elements at concerts, sporting events, fairs and
festivals. How can large event organizers, emergency managers, and
meteorologists work together to keep people safer at large outdoor
events?
Where And When Do Illinois Tornadoes Strike--An
Updated Look At The History Of Illinois Tornadoes
-
Dr. Jim Angel, State Climatologist, Illinois State
Water Survey | Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign -
Despite the early stage of the new 2012 tornado
season, Illinois has already experienced its worst tornado disaster
since 2004 in Utica. Seven perished in the most recent storm during
the pre-dawn hours of February 29 in downstate Harrisburg, Il as a
deadly EF-4 twister (bearing winds of 166 to 200 mph) leveled a
huge swath of that community before the sun rose. Yet another
twister turned deadly Friday resulting in another death near Opdyke,
IL--also in downstate Illinois. Most experts fear we've not seen
the last tornado this season---more are likely to follow.
While most common during spring and summer in Illinois,
tornadoes DO sometimes occur in February, says Illinois State
Climatologist Dr. Jim Angel. Of 2,320 tornadoes reported in
Illinois between 1950 and 2011, 39 of them have occurred in
February. What else does history tell us of the tornado threat in
Illinois. When and where are these sometimes all too often lethal
storms the greatest threat? Jim shares new research which lays out
the areas which have borne the brunt of these horrific storms in
this presentation and may in the future.
Tom and Brian Smith began coordinating this annual seminar some years ago
with support and assistance from Fermilab, from the National Weather
Service, the Severe Storms Forecast Center, and many others--with the
sole intent of informing and educating the public, and emergency
volunteers and professionals.
This Severe Weather Seminar is open to the
public and includes multimedia presentations from many forecasters,
researchers, and noted personalities from the meteorological world.
"We suggest arriving early! Enter the Fermlab grounds via
the west entrance off Kirk Road.
Everyone with an interest in
understanding severe weather should come to this year's seminar and
take part in this wonderful learning experience!
See
Tom's complete bio
here.
ATTN: Severe Weather Website Newsletter
Enter your email address below and click on the Send
button (your email address will never be used for anything except information about upcoming Severe Weather Seminars)
This free seminar is sponsored by:
WGN-TV
and
Thanks for being visitor #
This page was updated
04/12/2012 © 2000-2010 Tom Skilling This web space
and site design donated by Frank Christensen |