Untitled Document
Skip Navigation Linkswww.nws.noaa.gov 
NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA homepage National Weather Service Forecast Office   NWS logo - Click to go to the NWS homepage
WFO Lake Charles, LA
    

Local weather and forecast by
"City, St" or zip code
  
NWS logo The Jambalaya
WFO Lake Charles      Summer 2007
 Previous Editions: Winter 2004 Spring 2004 Summer 2004 Fall 2004 Winter 2005
                  Spring 2005 Summer 2005 Winter 2006 Summer 2006 Winter 2007
                             Spring 2007

Hails and Farewells

Co-Op News
 By
Todd Mogged,
Hydrometeorological Technician

Unfortunately, NWS Lake Charles had to say goodbye to its longtime Service Hydrologist Montra Lockwood in June 2007.  Montra became a member of the NWS Lake Charles staff in July 2000, and was eventually promoted to Service Hydrologist.  She was a part of numerous significant rainfall and flooding events that affected Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, including Hurricane Lili, the November 2002 floods, Hurricane Rita, and the October 2006 floods.  Montra is now a part of a joint research venture between the University of Oklahoma and the National Severe Storms Laboratory at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma.  Although she is greatly missed, we all wish her the best of luck in the rest of her career! 

NWS Lake Charles will also be saying goodbye to its Information Technology Officer Jay Morris in September 2007.  Jay has been a member of the NWS Lake Charles staff since the summer of 2005.  Not long after he joined the staff, Hurricane Rita struck the region.  Jay will be transferring to NWS Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.  All of us at NWS Lake Charles wish Jay the best in the future!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAA to Award Contract for ADS-B in the Gulf of Mexico

During the first week of September, a contract for the FAA’s $110 million ADS-B (Automatic Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast) will be awarded. This system will enhance helicopter communications, which have been non-existent across the NW Gulf, with GPS tracking used for flight separation. Another positive note with this contract is the placement of 25 to 30 AWOS (Automated Weather Observing Systems) alongside the ADS-B system on selected platforms. Deployment of ADS-B will begin in 2008. All weather systems will be deployed by 2009.

Battle Continues Between Pro and Anti Global Warming

Over the last month, the NWS Cooperative Program has been under siege by a group called Surfacestations.org, claiming that poor siting standards of temperature equipment is the cause of higher temperatures and a major contributor to global warming. To prove this, they have trespassed on private property to attain photographs of equipment, so all COOP sites should be aware of this group. A link to the organization’s website can be found at: http://www.surfacestations.org/

Siting Standards for Air Temperature Sensors: 

·          Site should be over level terrain (earth or sod) typical of the area around the station.

 

·          Site should be at least 100 feet from any extensive concrete or paved surface. 

·          All attempts will be made to avoid:

o         areas where rough terrain or air drainage are proven to result in non-representative temperature data

o         areas where water or drifting snow tends to collect 

·          If the sensor is within a shelter, position the shelter so it opens to the north with the floor 4 to 6 feet above the surface. Shelters should be located no closer to an obstruction than four times the height of the obstruction.

 

·          In the case of remote sensors not exposed in shelters, the air intake will be 4 to 6 feet above the surface. Remote sensors should be located no closer to an obstruction than four times the height of the obstruction.

 

·          An object will be considered an obstruction if the object is greater than ten degrees in horizontal width as measured from the sensor and within 200 feet of the sensor.
 

WFO Lake Charles public service staff will begin evaluating sites during the upcoming fall and winter. In addition, Fisher-Porter rain gages will be completely worked over and outside shells painted

Arrow to next page
Page last modified: August 17, 2007

Privacy Policy