The annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami will take place Saturday, June 4, 1300-2100 UTC (9 AM – 5 PM EDT). “The purpose of this annual station test is to test all of our radio equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes and frequencies as possible in preparation for this year’s hurricane season,” said WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Volunteer Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. “This is not a contest or simulated hurricane exercise.”
WX4NHC will be on the air on HF, VHF and UHF, plus 2 and 30 meter APRS. Suggested SSB frequencies are 3.950, 7.268, 14.325, 21.325 and 28.525 MHz, +/-QRM. Ripoll said that WX4NHC will mostly be on 14.325 MHz, but will make announcements when the station changes frequencies. WX4NHC also will be on the VoIP Hurricane Net 1700-1900 UTC (IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference) and on South Florida area VHF/UHF repeaters and simplex. Stations looking to participate in the annual station test may be able WX4NHC on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks, such as the DX Summit website.
Stations working WX4NHC exchange call sign, signal report, location and name, plus a brief weather report, such as “sunny,” “rain” or “cloudy.” Non-hams may submit their actual weather using the On-Line Hurricane Report Form. QSL cards will be available. QSL via WD4R and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Do not send cards to the NHC. Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed at NHC during the test.
The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season begins Wednesday, June 1 and goes through November 30. According to the NHC, forecasters are calling for an “above average” hurricane season this year.
Monday, May 23, 2011
2011 tornado information
Preliminary tornado statistics including records set in 2011
May 2011- The May 22, Joplin, Missouri tornado, with an estimated 89 fatalities, is the highest death toll from a single tornado since the 1953 tornado that hit Worcester, Mass., which caused 90 fatalities on June 9, 1953.
NOAA satellite shows storm system moments before spawning tornado in Joplin, Mo.
(Credit: NOAA)
- If the fatalities exceed 90, the Joplin tornado will become the deadliest since Flint, Michigan (116 fatalities - June 8, 1953).
- National Weather Service's (NWS) preliminary estimate is more than 100 tornadoes have occurred during the month of May 2011.
The record number of tornadoes during the month of May was 542 tornadoes set in May 2003.
The average number of tornadoes for the month of May during the past decade is 298.Deadliest Tornado Years in US History
(Official NOAA-NWS Record: 1950 - present; Research by Grazulis: 1875-1949)1925 794 1936 552 1917 551 1927 540 1896 537 1953 519 1920 499 1908 477 2011 454 (365 + 89 estimated Joplin fatalities as of May 23) 1909 404 1932 394 1942 384 1924 376 1974 366 1933 362
- May is historically the most active month for tornadoes. 2011 Year-to-Date (and record annual) Statistics
- NWS’s preliminary estimate is that there have been approximately 1,000 tornadoes so far this year.
- The previous yearly record number of tornadoes was set in 2004 with 1,817.
- The overall yearly average number of tornadoes for the past decade is 1,274.
- The preliminary estimated number of tornado fatalities so far this year is 454. NWS records indicate that there were 365 tornado fatalities before the Joplin tornado. Media reports currently indicate 89 fatalities in the Joplin event.
- The US tornado death toll is the highest ever through the month of May in the NOAA-NWS official record (1950-present).
- The highest recorded annual death toll from tornadoes in the NOAA-NWS official record (1950-present) was set in 1953 with 519 fatalities.
- April 2011 set a new record for the month with 875 tornadoes.
- The previous record was set in April 1974 with 267 tornadoes.
- The average number of tornadoes for the month of April during the past decade is 161.
- The previous record number of tornadoes during any month was 542 tornadoes set in May 2003.
- NWS records indicate 321 people were killed during the April 25-28 tornado outbreak.
- NWS records indicate 361 people were killed during the entire month of April 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Day 3 Oulook
The Storm Prediction Center has portions of the Ark-La-Tex under a slight risk of severe weather some of the areas include counties in the NEBAR Repeater coverage area. Counties in the NEBAR Repeater Coverage area that are in the risk area are: McCurtain; Morris; and Red River County. It is important to remember this is still 3 days away and the risk area could be shifted further east or completely removed in later outlooks.Here is the current Day 3 Convective Outlook Text from the Storm Prediction Center.
...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS FROM NORTH TX TO SERN NEB/SWRN
IA...
...CNTRL TX TO SERN NEB/SWRN IA...
GFS/NAM SUGGEST A SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL EJECT
ACROSS THE CNTRL/SRN PLAINS FRIDAY INDUCING WEAK HEIGHT FALLS FROM
NRN TX INTO SRN NEB. AT THE SFC...LEE TROUGH/FRONT WILL BE
DISPLACED EWD TO A LONGITUDE NEAR 100W BY 21/00Z. WITH WARM SECTOR
DEW POINTS EXPECTED TO BE WELL INTO THE 60S TO PERHAPS NEAR 70
ACROSS TX IT APPEARS SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY WILL EXIST FOR ROBUST
DEEP CONVECTION ACROSS A LARGE PART OF THE PLAINS INTO THE MS
VALLEY...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ERN EDGE OF STEEPER LAPSE RATES WHERE
LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED NEAR THE FRONTAL ZONE. BOTH
THE NAM/GFS SUGGEST PRE-FRONTAL CONVECTION MAY EVOLVE WELL EAST OF
THIS BOUNDARY DUE PARTLY TO INCREASED LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION.
IT/S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW THIS ACTIVITY WILL INFLUENCE MORE
DIURNAL CONVECTION FARTHER WEST ALONG THE FRONT AS SIGNIFICANT
CLOUDS/PRECIP COULD REDUCE INSTABILITY FOR MORE ORGANIZED SEVERE.
EVEN SO...SUBSTANTIAL MID LEVEL FLOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE
AFOREMENTIONED REGION OF THE PLAINS WITH 50KT+ SPEEDS EXPECTED FOR
FRONTAL CONVECTION. AS A RESULT...MULTI-FACETED STORM
MODE/EVOLUTION IS LIKELY WITH NUMEROUS WARM ADVECTION THUNDERSTORM
CLUSTERS AND EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS LIKELY.
IA...
...CNTRL TX TO SERN NEB/SWRN IA...
GFS/NAM SUGGEST A SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL EJECT
ACROSS THE CNTRL/SRN PLAINS FRIDAY INDUCING WEAK HEIGHT FALLS FROM
NRN TX INTO SRN NEB. AT THE SFC...LEE TROUGH/FRONT WILL BE
DISPLACED EWD TO A LONGITUDE NEAR 100W BY 21/00Z. WITH WARM SECTOR
DEW POINTS EXPECTED TO BE WELL INTO THE 60S TO PERHAPS NEAR 70
ACROSS TX IT APPEARS SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY WILL EXIST FOR ROBUST
DEEP CONVECTION ACROSS A LARGE PART OF THE PLAINS INTO THE MS
VALLEY...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ERN EDGE OF STEEPER LAPSE RATES WHERE
LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED NEAR THE FRONTAL ZONE. BOTH
THE NAM/GFS SUGGEST PRE-FRONTAL CONVECTION MAY EVOLVE WELL EAST OF
THIS BOUNDARY DUE PARTLY TO INCREASED LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION.
IT/S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW THIS ACTIVITY WILL INFLUENCE MORE
DIURNAL CONVECTION FARTHER WEST ALONG THE FRONT AS SIGNIFICANT
CLOUDS/PRECIP COULD REDUCE INSTABILITY FOR MORE ORGANIZED SEVERE.
EVEN SO...SUBSTANTIAL MID LEVEL FLOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE
AFOREMENTIONED REGION OF THE PLAINS WITH 50KT+ SPEEDS EXPECTED FOR
FRONTAL CONVECTION. AS A RESULT...MULTI-FACETED STORM
MODE/EVOLUTION IS LIKELY WITH NUMEROUS WARM ADVECTION THUNDERSTORM
CLUSTERS AND EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS LIKELY.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Drought Information Statement
000
AXUS74 KSHV 092121
DGTSHV
ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096-
097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-101200-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
420 PM CDT TUE MAY 9 2011
...PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL DURING LATE APRIL/EARLY MAY HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCED DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
BUT EXTREME AND EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF
EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA...
SYNOPSIS...
MUCH OF APRIL WAS CHARACTERIZED WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND BELOW
NORMAL RAINFALL ONCE AGAIN...UNTIL A SERIES OF FRONTAL SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES INITIATED A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS DURING THE FINAL TEN DAYS OF APRIL...WHICH LINGERED INTO
THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF MAY. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF FIVE TO TEN
INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS EXCEEDING TWELVE INCHES...WERE RECORDED ACROSS
THESE AREAS...WHICH EITHER ELIMINATED OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED DROUGHT
CONDITIONS. THIS EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ALSO PRODUCED MINOR FLOODING
ACROSS THE SULPHUR RIVER OF NORTHEAST TEXAS...AS WELL AS THE OUACHITA RIVER
BASIN OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. MINOR FLOODING WAS ALSO OBSERVED
ALONG THE GLOVER AND LITTLE RIVERS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND ADJACENT
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. ELEVATED RIVER LEVELS WERE ALSO A RESULT ALONG THE RED
RIVER AND LOWER OUACHITA RIVERS OF NORTHWEST AND NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH
POINTS ALONG THESE RIVERS NEAR OR JUST HAVING RECENTLY CRESTED.
UNFORTUNATELY...AREAS FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA
OBSERVED MUCH LOWER CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS...WITH AMOUNTS GENERALLY
RANGING FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES. AS A RESULT...DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE
TO DETERIORATE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS DEEP EAST TEXAS AND WESTCENTRAL
LOUISIANA...AS EXCEPTIONAL (D4) DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE DEVELOPED GENERALLY
ALONG THE LOWER SABINE RIVER AND TOLEDO BEND COUNTRY. HERE...RAINFALL AMOUNTS
WERE ONLY SOME 25-50% OF NORMAL...WITH WHAT IS USUALLY THE WETTEST PERIOD OF
THE YEAR. EXTREME (D3) AND SEVERE (D2) DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE ELSEWHERE
ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT
OBSERVED ACROSS THE EASTERN SECTIONS OF NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...EAST
OF A RUSTON...TO JONESBORO...TO RICHWOOD LOUISIANA LINE...WHERE EXCESSIVELY
HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO FELL DURING THE 26TH-27TH OF APRIL.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS.
BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL...AND MUCH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES
EXPERIENCED DURING APRIL AND THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY HAS MAINTAINED
VERY DRY SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND MUCH OF NORTH
LOUISIANA ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. HOWEVER...MUCH IMPROVEMENT
WAS OBSERVED ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD FIVE TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN
THAT FELL THROUGHOUT APRIL AND EARLY MAY. WHEREAS WET SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS
HAS GREENED VEGETATION...ELIMINATED THE BURN BANS...AND REDUCED THE FIRE
DANGER ACROSS THESE AREAS...THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS
EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA HAVE ALLOWED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF
LOW LAKE AND POND LEVELS...WITH MANY PASTURES STILL VERY DRY.
THUS...PRODUCERS ARE STILL PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL FEED TO THEIR LIVESTOCK.
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
BURN BANS ARE IN EFFECT FOR RUSK...PANOLA...NACOGDOCHES...SHELBY...
ANGELINA...SAN AUGUSTINE...AND SABINE COUNTIES IN EASTERN TEXAS. BURN BANS
ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR DESOTO...RED RIVER...SABINE...AND NATCHITOCHES PARISHES
IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. FIRE DANGER REMAINS MODERATE TO HIGH ACROSS EAST
TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20.
CURRENT WATER RESTRICTIONS.
THE PLEASURE POINT WATER SYSTEM IN ANGELINA COUNTY TEXAS REMAINS
UNDER A MILD RATIONING OF WATER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED THROUGH MUCH OF APRIL HAVE BEGUN TO AFFECT
TEMPERATURES ACROSS MUCH OF THE FOUR STATE REGION. IN FACT...MOST LOCALES
ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE WARMEST APRILS
ON RECORD. BELOW IS A LIST OF THE APRIL AVERAGE TEMPERATURES...THEIR
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND HOW THEY RANKED AS WARMEST APRILS ON RECORD...FOR
SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: APRIL 2011 DEPARTURE
AVG TEMP. FROM NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 70.8 +5.6
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 5TH WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1967, 1930, 2006,
AND 1925. RECORDS SINCE 1872.
SHREVEPORT LA 69.5 +4.3
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE THIRD WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, TIED WITH 2006.
RECORDS SINCE 1980.
MONROE LA 71.0 +5.1
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 2ND WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1981. RECORDS
SINCE 1930.
TEXARKANA AR 67.1 +2.8
NOTE: APRIL TIES AS THE 17TH WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1892.
EL DORADO AR 66.4 +2.7
DEQUEEN AR 63.5 +3.1
TYLER TX 72.1 +5.5
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 3RD WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1930 AND 1925.
RECORDS SINCE 1896.
LONGVIEW TX 71.6 +6.2
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1902.
LUFKIN TX 72.0 +5.8
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 2ND WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1967. RECORDS
SINCE 1949.
A DISTINCT NORTH-SOUTH GRADIENT IN RAINFALL WAS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE
MONTH OF APRIL...WITH WIDESPREAD SIX TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN RECORDED...WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF TWELVE INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF MCCURTAIN
COUNTY OKLAHOMA AND ADJACENT SECTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. BELOW IS A LIST
OF THE APRIL MONTHLY RAINFALL...THEIR DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND PERCENTAGES
OF NORMAL...FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: APRIL 2011 DEPARTURE PERCENTAGE
RAINFALL FROM NORMAL OF NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 2.85 -1.57 64%
SHREVEPORT LA 4.63 +0.21 105%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
MONROE LA 11.84 +7.07 248%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 2ND WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1930.
NATCHITOCHES LA 2.30 -2.22 51%
COLUMBIA LA 3.90 -2.06 65%
TEXARKANA AR 5.94 +1.99 150%
EL DORADO AR 8.29 +3.74 182%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 17TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1905.
HOPE 3NE AR 9.68 +4.79 198%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 9TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1915.
PRESCOTT 2NNW AR 11.93 +6.96 26%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 4TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD BEHIND 1966, 1973, AND 1957.
RECORDS SINCE 1896.
DEQUEEN AR 11.64 +6.79 255%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 3RD WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD BEHIND 1957 AND 1986.
RECORDS SINCE 1936.
MT. PLEASANT TX 3.46 -0.31 92%
TYLER TX 3.25 -0.45 88%
LONGVIEW TX 3.07 -0.85 78%
LUFKIN TX 1.55 -1.58 50%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 15TH DRIEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1949.
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN 7.43 +2.89 164%
BROKEN BOW 12.25 +7.71 270%
IDABEL 7.62 +3.28 176%
PLENTIFUL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF SIX TO IN EXCESS OF TWELVE INCHES ACROSS
EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
DURING APRIL HAS SIGNIFICANTLY EATEN AWAY AT THE LONG TERM RAINFALL
DEFICITS SINCE THE DROUGHT BEGAN OVER A YEAR AGO. HOWEVER...LITTLE CHANGE
WAS NOTED ELSEWHERE WITH THE LONG TERM DEFICITS...WITH SEVERE...EXTREME...
AND EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS STILL IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF EAST TEXAS
AND NORTH LOUISIANA. THESE AREAS ON AVERAGE HAVE SEEN ONLY 55-65% OF THEIR
NORMAL RAINFALL SINCE THE DROUGHT BEGAN IN MARCH 2010. BELOW IS A LIST OF
RAINFALL TOTALS FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY 2011...THEIR
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND THEIR PERCENTAGES OF NORMAL...FOR SELECTED
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: MARCH `10 - MAY `11 DEPARTURE PERCENTAGE
(THROUGH 5/7/11) FROM NORMAL OF NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 36.88 -24.23 60%
SHREVEPORT LA 36.96 -24.15 60%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
MONROE LA 59.15 -0.36 99%
NATCHITOCHES LA 34.25 -28.41 55%
COLUMBIA LA 39.73 -33.57 54%
TEXARKANA AR 37.04 -18.64 67%
EL DORADO AR 39.87 -25.11 61%
HOPE 3NE AR 44.07 -21.94 67%
PRESCOTT 2NNW AR 48.17 -18.05 73%
DEQUEEN AR 44.02 -20.92 68%
MT. PLEASANT TX 36.57 -17.41 68%
TYLER TX 36.10 -17.80 67%
LONGVIEW TX 31.17 -26.92 54%
LUFKIN TX 34.64 -19.70 64%
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN 50.25 -16.45 75%
BROKEN BOW 57.63 -9.07 86%
IDABEL 45.11 -16.09 74%
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION
THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THIS WEEK...AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE UPPER
LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
THIS RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AND DRIFT EAST WEDNESDAY...AS A LARGE UPPER
LEVEL STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO SLOWLY EJECT NORTHEAST OUT INTO THE PLAINS.
THIS WILL RESULT IN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING OVER EAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...AND
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY...AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD
FRONT THAT WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT
WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO COOL TEMPERATURES BEFORE IT WASHES OUT
FRIDAY...ALTHOUGH ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THIS
WEEKEND AS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRANSLATES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE
REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF INCH TO AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE SERIES OF SYSTEMS...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF AN INCH
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 30 CORRIDOR.
THE THREE MONTH TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR MAY-JUNE-JULY...ISSUED BY
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC)...INDICATES GREATER PROBABILITIES
FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES OVER EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA. EQUAL
CHANCES FOR ABOVE NORMAL/NORMAL/BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY
INDICATED OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. THE THREE MONTH
PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK THROUGH JULY INDICATES GREATER PROBABILITIES FOR
BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL ACROSS DEEP EAST TEXAS AND THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF
NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA. EQUAL CHANCES FOR ABOVE NORMAL/NORMAL/BELOW NORMAL
RAINFALL ARE CURRENTLY INDICATED ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST
TEXAS...NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...
AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST
TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...HAS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT RISES OF POOL
STAGES AND RIVER LEVELS ACROSS THESE AREAS DURING LATE APRIL AND EARLY
MAY. IN FACT...RESERVOIRS HERE HAVE RISEN TO SOME TWO TO FIVE FEET ABOVE
NORMAL POOL STAGE...WITH BROKEN BOW LAKE...DEQUEEN LAKE...GILLHAM LAKE...AND
DIERKS LAKE RISING SOME TWELVE TO TWENTY FIVE FEET ABOVE NORMAL POOL STAGE
GIVEN THE SATURATED GROUNDS AND EXTENSIVE RUNOFF. MEANWHILE...BELOW NORMAL
RAINFALL...COMBINED WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND WINDY CONDITIONS
DURING APRIL HAS RESULTED IN LOWER THAN NORMAL POOL STAGES ACROSS NORTH AND
NORTHEAST TEXAS...WITH RESERVOIRS SUCH AS LAKE TAWAKONI...LAKE FORK...MARTIN
LAKE...LAKE NACOGDOCHES...AND SAM RAYBURN LAKE REMAINING SOME THREE TO SEVEN
FEET BELOW NORMAL. MINOR FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS
ALONG THE SULPHUR RIVER IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...AND THROUGH MUCH OF MAY/EARLY
JUNE ALONG THE OUACHITA RIVER IN SOUTHCENTRAL ARKANSAS. FLOWS ALONG THE RED
RIVER IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA WILL ALSO REMAIN
ABNORMALLY HIGH THROUGH THE THIRD WEEK OF MAY...AS CONSIDERABLE RUNOFF AND
RESERVOIR RELEASES ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
CONTINUE TO ROUTE DOWNSTREAM.
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY EARLY JUNE.
&&
RELATED WEB SITES...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT HOMEPAGE: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SHV
NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM: WWW.DROUGHT.GOV
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
DROUGHT IMPACT REPORTER: WWW.DROUGHTREPORTER.UNL.EDU
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER: WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV
LA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.LOSC.LSU.EDU
TX OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC
OK CLIMATOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://CLIMATE.OK.GOV
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS-AGNEWS: HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU
LA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY: HTTP://WWW.LDAF.STATE.LA.US/
TEXAS FOREST SERVICE: HTTP://TEXASFORESTSERVICE.TAMU.EDU
ARKANSAS FIRE INFO: HTTP://WWW.ARKFIREINFO.ORG
OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES: HTTP://WWW.FORESTRY.OK.GOV/WILDLAND-FIRE
LSU AG CENTER: HTTP://WWW.LSUAGCENTER.COM
AXUS74 KSHV 092121
DGTSHV
ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096-
097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-101200-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
420 PM CDT TUE MAY 9 2011
...PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL DURING LATE APRIL/EARLY MAY HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCED DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
BUT EXTREME AND EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF
EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA...
SYNOPSIS...
MUCH OF APRIL WAS CHARACTERIZED WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND BELOW
NORMAL RAINFALL ONCE AGAIN...UNTIL A SERIES OF FRONTAL SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES INITIATED A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS DURING THE FINAL TEN DAYS OF APRIL...WHICH LINGERED INTO
THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF MAY. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF FIVE TO TEN
INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS EXCEEDING TWELVE INCHES...WERE RECORDED ACROSS
THESE AREAS...WHICH EITHER ELIMINATED OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED DROUGHT
CONDITIONS. THIS EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ALSO PRODUCED MINOR FLOODING
ACROSS THE SULPHUR RIVER OF NORTHEAST TEXAS...AS WELL AS THE OUACHITA RIVER
BASIN OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. MINOR FLOODING WAS ALSO OBSERVED
ALONG THE GLOVER AND LITTLE RIVERS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND ADJACENT
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. ELEVATED RIVER LEVELS WERE ALSO A RESULT ALONG THE RED
RIVER AND LOWER OUACHITA RIVERS OF NORTHWEST AND NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH
POINTS ALONG THESE RIVERS NEAR OR JUST HAVING RECENTLY CRESTED.
UNFORTUNATELY...AREAS FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA
OBSERVED MUCH LOWER CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS...WITH AMOUNTS GENERALLY
RANGING FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES. AS A RESULT...DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE
TO DETERIORATE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS DEEP EAST TEXAS AND WESTCENTRAL
LOUISIANA...AS EXCEPTIONAL (D4) DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE DEVELOPED GENERALLY
ALONG THE LOWER SABINE RIVER AND TOLEDO BEND COUNTRY. HERE...RAINFALL AMOUNTS
WERE ONLY SOME 25-50% OF NORMAL...WITH WHAT IS USUALLY THE WETTEST PERIOD OF
THE YEAR. EXTREME (D3) AND SEVERE (D2) DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE ELSEWHERE
ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT
OBSERVED ACROSS THE EASTERN SECTIONS OF NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...EAST
OF A RUSTON...TO JONESBORO...TO RICHWOOD LOUISIANA LINE...WHERE EXCESSIVELY
HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO FELL DURING THE 26TH-27TH OF APRIL.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS.
BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL...AND MUCH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES
EXPERIENCED DURING APRIL AND THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY HAS MAINTAINED
VERY DRY SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND MUCH OF NORTH
LOUISIANA ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. HOWEVER...MUCH IMPROVEMENT
WAS OBSERVED ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD FIVE TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN
THAT FELL THROUGHOUT APRIL AND EARLY MAY. WHEREAS WET SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS
HAS GREENED VEGETATION...ELIMINATED THE BURN BANS...AND REDUCED THE FIRE
DANGER ACROSS THESE AREAS...THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS
EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA HAVE ALLOWED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF
LOW LAKE AND POND LEVELS...WITH MANY PASTURES STILL VERY DRY.
THUS...PRODUCERS ARE STILL PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL FEED TO THEIR LIVESTOCK.
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
BURN BANS ARE IN EFFECT FOR RUSK...PANOLA...NACOGDOCHES...SHELBY...
ANGELINA...SAN AUGUSTINE...AND SABINE COUNTIES IN EASTERN TEXAS. BURN BANS
ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR DESOTO...RED RIVER...SABINE...AND NATCHITOCHES PARISHES
IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. FIRE DANGER REMAINS MODERATE TO HIGH ACROSS EAST
TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20.
CURRENT WATER RESTRICTIONS.
THE PLEASURE POINT WATER SYSTEM IN ANGELINA COUNTY TEXAS REMAINS
UNDER A MILD RATIONING OF WATER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED THROUGH MUCH OF APRIL HAVE BEGUN TO AFFECT
TEMPERATURES ACROSS MUCH OF THE FOUR STATE REGION. IN FACT...MOST LOCALES
ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE WARMEST APRILS
ON RECORD. BELOW IS A LIST OF THE APRIL AVERAGE TEMPERATURES...THEIR
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND HOW THEY RANKED AS WARMEST APRILS ON RECORD...FOR
SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: APRIL 2011 DEPARTURE
AVG TEMP. FROM NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 70.8 +5.6
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 5TH WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1967, 1930, 2006,
AND 1925. RECORDS SINCE 1872.
SHREVEPORT LA 69.5 +4.3
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE THIRD WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, TIED WITH 2006.
RECORDS SINCE 1980.
MONROE LA 71.0 +5.1
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 2ND WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1981. RECORDS
SINCE 1930.
TEXARKANA AR 67.1 +2.8
NOTE: APRIL TIES AS THE 17TH WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1892.
EL DORADO AR 66.4 +2.7
DEQUEEN AR 63.5 +3.1
TYLER TX 72.1 +5.5
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 3RD WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1930 AND 1925.
RECORDS SINCE 1896.
LONGVIEW TX 71.6 +6.2
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1902.
LUFKIN TX 72.0 +5.8
NOTE: APRIL RANKS AS THE 2ND WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD, BEHIND 1967. RECORDS
SINCE 1949.
A DISTINCT NORTH-SOUTH GRADIENT IN RAINFALL WAS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE
MONTH OF APRIL...WITH WIDESPREAD SIX TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN RECORDED...WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF TWELVE INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF MCCURTAIN
COUNTY OKLAHOMA AND ADJACENT SECTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. BELOW IS A LIST
OF THE APRIL MONTHLY RAINFALL...THEIR DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND PERCENTAGES
OF NORMAL...FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: APRIL 2011 DEPARTURE PERCENTAGE
RAINFALL FROM NORMAL OF NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 2.85 -1.57 64%
SHREVEPORT LA 4.63 +0.21 105%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
MONROE LA 11.84 +7.07 248%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 2ND WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1930.
NATCHITOCHES LA 2.30 -2.22 51%
COLUMBIA LA 3.90 -2.06 65%
TEXARKANA AR 5.94 +1.99 150%
EL DORADO AR 8.29 +3.74 182%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 17TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1905.
HOPE 3NE AR 9.68 +4.79 198%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 9TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1915.
PRESCOTT 2NNW AR 11.93 +6.96 26%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 4TH WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD BEHIND 1966, 1973, AND 1957.
RECORDS SINCE 1896.
DEQUEEN AR 11.64 +6.79 255%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 3RD WETTEST APRIL ON RECORD BEHIND 1957 AND 1986.
RECORDS SINCE 1936.
MT. PLEASANT TX 3.46 -0.31 92%
TYLER TX 3.25 -0.45 88%
LONGVIEW TX 3.07 -0.85 78%
LUFKIN TX 1.55 -1.58 50%
NOTE: THIS WAS THE 15TH DRIEST APRIL ON RECORD. RECORDS SINCE 1949.
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN 7.43 +2.89 164%
BROKEN BOW 12.25 +7.71 270%
IDABEL 7.62 +3.28 176%
PLENTIFUL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF SIX TO IN EXCESS OF TWELVE INCHES ACROSS
EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
DURING APRIL HAS SIGNIFICANTLY EATEN AWAY AT THE LONG TERM RAINFALL
DEFICITS SINCE THE DROUGHT BEGAN OVER A YEAR AGO. HOWEVER...LITTLE CHANGE
WAS NOTED ELSEWHERE WITH THE LONG TERM DEFICITS...WITH SEVERE...EXTREME...
AND EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS STILL IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF EAST TEXAS
AND NORTH LOUISIANA. THESE AREAS ON AVERAGE HAVE SEEN ONLY 55-65% OF THEIR
NORMAL RAINFALL SINCE THE DROUGHT BEGAN IN MARCH 2010. BELOW IS A LIST OF
RAINFALL TOTALS FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY 2011...THEIR
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...AND THEIR PERCENTAGES OF NORMAL...FOR SELECTED
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION:
CITY: MARCH `10 - MAY `11 DEPARTURE PERCENTAGE
(THROUGH 5/7/11) FROM NORMAL OF NORMAL
SHREVEPORT LA 36.88 -24.23 60%
SHREVEPORT LA 36.96 -24.15 60%
(SOUTH SHREVEPORT/SOUTHERN HILLS OFFICIAL COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION)
MONROE LA 59.15 -0.36 99%
NATCHITOCHES LA 34.25 -28.41 55%
COLUMBIA LA 39.73 -33.57 54%
TEXARKANA AR 37.04 -18.64 67%
EL DORADO AR 39.87 -25.11 61%
HOPE 3NE AR 44.07 -21.94 67%
PRESCOTT 2NNW AR 48.17 -18.05 73%
DEQUEEN AR 44.02 -20.92 68%
MT. PLEASANT TX 36.57 -17.41 68%
TYLER TX 36.10 -17.80 67%
LONGVIEW TX 31.17 -26.92 54%
LUFKIN TX 34.64 -19.70 64%
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MESONET STATIONS...
MT. HERMAN 50.25 -16.45 75%
BROKEN BOW 57.63 -9.07 86%
IDABEL 45.11 -16.09 74%
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FOUR STATE REGION
THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THIS WEEK...AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE UPPER
LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
THIS RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AND DRIFT EAST WEDNESDAY...AS A LARGE UPPER
LEVEL STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO SLOWLY EJECT NORTHEAST OUT INTO THE PLAINS.
THIS WILL RESULT IN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING OVER EAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...AND
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY...AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD
FRONT THAT WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT
WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO COOL TEMPERATURES BEFORE IT WASHES OUT
FRIDAY...ALTHOUGH ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THIS
WEEKEND AS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRANSLATES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE
REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF INCH TO AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE SERIES OF SYSTEMS...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF AN INCH
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER EXTREME NORTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 30 CORRIDOR.
THE THREE MONTH TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR MAY-JUNE-JULY...ISSUED BY
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC)...INDICATES GREATER PROBABILITIES
FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES OVER EAST TEXAS AND NORTH LOUISIANA. EQUAL
CHANCES FOR ABOVE NORMAL/NORMAL/BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY
INDICATED OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. THE THREE MONTH
PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK THROUGH JULY INDICATES GREATER PROBABILITIES FOR
BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL ACROSS DEEP EAST TEXAS AND THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF
NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA. EQUAL CHANCES FOR ABOVE NORMAL/NORMAL/BELOW NORMAL
RAINFALL ARE CURRENTLY INDICATED ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST
TEXAS...NORTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...
AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST
TEXAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...HAS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT RISES OF POOL
STAGES AND RIVER LEVELS ACROSS THESE AREAS DURING LATE APRIL AND EARLY
MAY. IN FACT...RESERVOIRS HERE HAVE RISEN TO SOME TWO TO FIVE FEET ABOVE
NORMAL POOL STAGE...WITH BROKEN BOW LAKE...DEQUEEN LAKE...GILLHAM LAKE...AND
DIERKS LAKE RISING SOME TWELVE TO TWENTY FIVE FEET ABOVE NORMAL POOL STAGE
GIVEN THE SATURATED GROUNDS AND EXTENSIVE RUNOFF. MEANWHILE...BELOW NORMAL
RAINFALL...COMBINED WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND WINDY CONDITIONS
DURING APRIL HAS RESULTED IN LOWER THAN NORMAL POOL STAGES ACROSS NORTH AND
NORTHEAST TEXAS...WITH RESERVOIRS SUCH AS LAKE TAWAKONI...LAKE FORK...MARTIN
LAKE...LAKE NACOGDOCHES...AND SAM RAYBURN LAKE REMAINING SOME THREE TO SEVEN
FEET BELOW NORMAL. MINOR FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS
ALONG THE SULPHUR RIVER IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...AND THROUGH MUCH OF MAY/EARLY
JUNE ALONG THE OUACHITA RIVER IN SOUTHCENTRAL ARKANSAS. FLOWS ALONG THE RED
RIVER IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA WILL ALSO REMAIN
ABNORMALLY HIGH THROUGH THE THIRD WEEK OF MAY...AS CONSIDERABLE RUNOFF AND
RESERVOIR RELEASES ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
CONTINUE TO ROUTE DOWNSTREAM.
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY EARLY JUNE.
&&
RELATED WEB SITES...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT HOMEPAGE: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SHV
NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM: WWW.DROUGHT.GOV
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
DROUGHT IMPACT REPORTER: WWW.DROUGHTREPORTER.UNL.EDU
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER: WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV
LA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.LOSC.LSU.EDU
TX OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY: WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC
OK CLIMATOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://CLIMATE.OK.GOV
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS-AGNEWS: HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU
LA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY: HTTP://WWW.LDAF.STATE.LA.US/
TEXAS FOREST SERVICE: HTTP://TEXASFORESTSERVICE.TAMU.EDU
ARKANSAS FIRE INFO: HTTP://WWW.ARKFIREINFO.ORG
OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES: HTTP://WWW.FORESTRY.OK.GOV/WILDLAND-FIRE
LSU AG CENTER: HTTP://WWW.LSUAGCENTER.COM
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Northern Florida Hams Respond to Aftermath of Alabama Storm
After the devastating storms that swept through Alabama last week, radio amateurs from the ARRLs’ Northern Florida Section -- at the invitation of ARRL Alabama Section Emergency Coordinator Greg Gross, K4GR -- are making their way to Alabama to provide assistance.
“We contacted Greg and worked out a disaster operation assignment,” ARRL Northern Florida Section Manager Paul Eakin, KJ4G, told the ARRL. “We have already sent two teams to Alabama and have five others on stand-by.”
Both teams from Northern Florida are comprised of two amateurs and equipment. Team 1 -- Eakin and Donna Barker, WQ4M -- came to Alabama with a motorhome equipped with a full command post, as well as a tow vehicle with HF and VHF/UHF capabilities. “We took spare UHF/VHF antennas and 600 feet of LMR-400, three HF stations, four VHF/UHF mobiles and the supplies to build portable HF antennas,” Eakin said.
The team was originally assigned to Hackleburg -- a town of slightly more than 1400 residents. On April 27, thetown suffered catastrophic damage when it was hit by an EF5 tornado that killed more than 30 Hackleburg residents. On May 2, the American Red Cross declared the town 75 percent destroyed. Instead, Eakin and Barker are now in Jasper, Alabama. “We are operating a net control station and providing a crossband repeater for Marion County’s Emergency Operations Center,” Eakin explained.
Norm Scholer, K4GFD, and Gary Alberstadt, KA3FZO, make up Team 2. Eakin told the ARRL that this team has a pick-up truck and a fifth wheel trailer with portable equipment and two repeaters. Team 2 is in Hackleburg. Both Team 1 and Team 2 were required to be self-contained for seven days.
“This was a very damaging tornado and it will be very long time before everything is cleared up,” Eakin said. “Greg, the Section Emergency Coordinator in Alabama, is on top of the situation as I can tell and he is doing a great job. It appears he has approximately five ‘hot spot’ areas going on at once.”
“We contacted Greg and worked out a disaster operation assignment,” ARRL Northern Florida Section Manager Paul Eakin, KJ4G, told the ARRL. “We have already sent two teams to Alabama and have five others on stand-by.”
Both teams from Northern Florida are comprised of two amateurs and equipment. Team 1 -- Eakin and Donna Barker, WQ4M -- came to Alabama with a motorhome equipped with a full command post, as well as a tow vehicle with HF and VHF/UHF capabilities. “We took spare UHF/VHF antennas and 600 feet of LMR-400, three HF stations, four VHF/UHF mobiles and the supplies to build portable HF antennas,” Eakin said.
The team was originally assigned to Hackleburg -- a town of slightly more than 1400 residents. On April 27, thetown suffered catastrophic damage when it was hit by an EF5 tornado that killed more than 30 Hackleburg residents. On May 2, the American Red Cross declared the town 75 percent destroyed. Instead, Eakin and Barker are now in Jasper, Alabama. “We are operating a net control station and providing a crossband repeater for Marion County’s Emergency Operations Center,” Eakin explained.
Norm Scholer, K4GFD, and Gary Alberstadt, KA3FZO, make up Team 2. Eakin told the ARRL that this team has a pick-up truck and a fifth wheel trailer with portable equipment and two repeaters. Team 2 is in Hackleburg. Both Team 1 and Team 2 were required to be self-contained for seven days.
“This was a very damaging tornado and it will be very long time before everything is cleared up,” Eakin said. “Greg, the Section Emergency Coordinator in Alabama, is on top of the situation as I can tell and he is doing a great job. It appears he has approximately five ‘hot spot’ areas going on at once.”
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