Severe Local Storms

Abstract

This paper builds upon the findings of the previous authors (in this special session) and draws them together in an overall picture that highlights our concerns and focuses upon the critical problems. It offers a set of recommended actions for the near term and points to promising directions for the future. The most important immediate steps include: 1) accelerated research and development and early deployment of Doppler radars for tornado detection; 2) consolidating the advances in the flood-warning system and bringing them to fruition: 3) studies of the public needs for and response to warnings and the design of a comprehensive warning communication system; 4) a public education and preparedness program; 5) improved construction designs and building codes; 6) a denser network of upper-air sounding stations; and 7) automation of the complete system to minimize delays. Longer-term needs must include research on 1) mesoscale numerical modeling and prediction along with improved empirical forecast methods, 2) direct acid remote probing methods to provide observational data of the required density for the numerical models; 3) an airborne detection and warning system capable of being deployed to regions of potential severe storms; and 4) interactions between storm-scale and larger-scale processes. Project SESAME (Severe Environmental Storm and Mesoscale Experiment) appears to provide an excellent framework for attacking these problems in a comprehensive and well-integrated manner.