NWS rolling out communications tool to boost safety

Spring thunderstorms are knocking on our door, and wildfire season is getting closer every day.

“Our goal is to save lives, and we all share that goal,” meteorologist Doug Weber said.

It’s time to meet the threat head-on.

Weber and fellow National Weather Service meteorologist Allen Polan traveled to Bend to help improve communication between the agency, emergency crews and our weather team.

“We want to share information, especially wind speeds, with anyone conducting a prescribed burn. This would increase safety,” Polan said.

By using an online chat system, all departments can communicate directly with a representative from the NWS as severe weather develops.

The server is exclusive to emergency agencies and meteorologists, and allows everyone to share information with one another.

Sharing information will also help the NWS to be more accurate, since they cover such a large area and could possibly make mistakes.

“Some areas like Bend will need an advisory if we expect more than four inches of snow, but for others we can wait until it’s six to eight inches,” Weber said.

The vast number of micro-climates can make forecasting for each zone challenging.

By sharing information, the accuracy of the NWS can be dramatically improved, and warnings can be issued a little quicker.

This new tool will help to accomplish just that.