Links to the Weather Festival at the end of this column.........
I spent some time yesterday at the National Weather Center, in Norman.
The station had me shooting some things that you will see on the air in a
few weeks. I had been at the place before, but every time just blows me
away.
It is a great concept. Combine research, operational, and education
meteorology in one place. When I think how things have changed there in
the past 30 years, it is amazing. I recall when the Storm Prediction Center,
SPC was in Kansas City. The National Severe Storms Lab, NSSL, was
in what a remember was a glorified double wide mobile home north of campus.
Somewhere in the mid 90s, maybe '96 or '97 they moved SPC down to Norman.
The OU's School of Meteorology was in an old building with leaky windows
and wooden floors that creaked when you walked on them. They had not built
the Sharkey Energy Center when I went there, later the meteorology program
moved there, which was a huge improvement.
If ever you find yourself in Norman, drop by. The PR lady told me they
do tours once a day. I could spend a week there going from office to
office finding out what each department is doing. It is the Mecca for
weather research. You have to check out the little resturant there,
called, "The Flying Cow."
Of all the cool research and amazing things going on there, the one
thing that seemed to impress the kids on tour - "Dorthy". That's right,
from the movie "Twister", the mechanical device the Hollywood
actors were trying to place in front of a tornado. It is on display in the
lobby for you to see. Next to it, is the real meteorological device that
the movie forgot to mention named, "TOTO". It was used in the mid
80s by the School of Meteorology. TOTO was short for
Totable Tornado Observatory. Guess it wasn't cool enough for
the movie makers to use in the movie. Still it sits there on display.
They are having the big National Weather Festival there on November
8th. If you like weather, and who doesn't?, check it out. I will be racing that
weekend and not able to attend. But you go and let me know what you think:
National Weather Festival is Saturday, Nov. 8th, in Norman Oklahoma.
9am - 1pm at the National Weather Center.
(corner of SH 9 & Jenkins Ave.)
Hourly ballon launches, storm chaser car show, ham radio demonstrations and
more. Here is the link:
http://www.norman.noaa.gov/events/nwf08/
Dan
