Today marks the start of the first ever National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently partnered to designate April 22-28, 2012, as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and is calling upon all Americans, in every area of the country, to Be a Force of Nature. [Organization] is committing to Being a Force of Nature and pledging to know our risk, take action, and be an example for our families and community by sharing the steps we took. Because we live in an area prone to [identify risk – tornadoes, flash floods, severe thunderstorms] the recent severe weather and tornado outbreaks reminded us that this weather can strike anywhere and at any time.

Please review the assessment of the 2011 Joplin tornado from the NWS Service Assessments.

Preface

On May 22, 2011, one of the deadliest tornadoes in United States history struck Joplin, Missouri, directly killing 158 people and injuring over 1,000. The tornado, rated EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with maximum winds over 200 mph, affected a significant part of a city with a population of more than 50,000 and a population density near 1,500 people per square mile. As a result, the Joplin tornado was the first single tornado in the United States to result in over 100 fatalities since the Flint, Michigan, tornado of June 8, 1953.

Because of the rarity and historical significance of this event, a regional Service Assessment team was formed to examine warning and forecast services provided by the National Weather Service. Furthermore, because of the large number of fatalities that resulted from a warned tornado event, this Service Assessment will provide additional focus on dissemination, preparedness, and warning response within the community as they relate to NWS services.

Service Assessments provide a valuable contribution to ongoing efforts by the National Weather Service to improve the quality, timeliness, and value of our products and services. Findings and recommendations from this assessment will improve techniques, products, services, and information provided to our partners and the American public.

Lynn P. Maximuk
Director, Central Region
National Weather Service
July 2011

Would you like to change any of these counties to green? Do you know why Bell and Fannin are green, when they are not within direct radio range of the NWS office? Help us provide a radio link from the storm spotters in your area to the Fort Worth National Weather Service forecasters. We may be able to assist in setting up a radio link with your local SKYWARN repeater. Direct, real time reports from spotters are

We have created a log of 339 contacts with a link to display a QSL card for printing. Click on the Read More to display the QSL Log page.