Did you know March, April, and May have the highest frequency of tornadoes in this part of the country? You will find out more during Severe Weather Awareness Week - the first week of March this year in Texas and Louisiana. Each year, the National Weather Service uses this week to educate the public on the dangers of severe weather. 

Every day of the week, an aspect of severe weather will be discussed – whether it is tornadoes, flash floods, hail, or even the difference between a watch or warning. 

In the meantime, check out our web page for some excellent resources on the various aspects of severe weather. Print out a color brochure in our Hazardous Weather Preparedness section. 

Do you have kids in school? The National Weather Service visits local schools and shares a wealth of information on how we make a weather forecast. Programs are geared towards the appropriate age group – we have talked to kids in pre-school, all the way to high school! Let your child’s teacher know about this free resource from the National Weather Service. 

Kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the knowledge of the National Weather Service! We have visited local businesses, civic organizations, church groups, and senior citizen homes.  If you are interested in an official National Weather Service speaker, feel free to send me an email at Roger.Erickson@noaa.gov or call me at 337-477-5285. 

Finally, if you are a total weather fanatic, we invite you to come out and visit us. The best time to visit is in the late afternoon when we launch our weather balloon. Be sure to call or email to make your reservation first!  In our Tours section, you can see some recent tour groups and even send us a request for a tour.

New Means of Transmitting Co-Op Observations 

For many years, Co-Op Observers have been required to transmit their observations over the telephone via ROSA (Remote Observation System Automation).  Many observers have asked why they couldn’t send their data over the Internet. Bob Somrek from WFO Chicago has created the means of doing this through WxCoder. A simple password generated from this office will allow you to send observations through the Internet, with no training needed. So far, about 25 sites in our county warning area are using WxCoder. I have received numerous comments about how much easier it is than ROSA. Bob is currently working on the archive of observations and form generation through this system. This would end the problem of mailing forms at the beginning of the month.

            ROSA will soon be replaced by a system called IV-ROCS (Interactive Voice - Remote Observation Collection System). IV-ROCS is still in the test phase and should be available in the next 2 to 3 months.