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  NEWSLETTER  of the National Weather Service Office in Pueblo Colorado
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    PUEBLO OFFICE TAKING ON NEW CHALLENGES...

    Let us get you caught up on some of the activities that have taken place and are ongoing at NWS Pueblo.

    SIGN UP FOR COCORAHS OR RAIN-CHECK...

CoCoRahs is an effort which sprouted from a desire by climatologists to get much more detailed precipitation information in an area. It was launched after the Ft. Collins flood of 1997. Quite a dense network of volunteer observers has been established across northeast Colorado. The effort is now spreading into the rest of Colorado. If you are interested in joining the growing number of  volunteers, please visit the CoCoRahs web site.

   GFE IS EVOLVING...

Our new way of forecasting, using GFE software, has worked quite well for us. With GFE, instead of manually typing the forecast, the forecasters manipulate a series of graphical grids, and the forecast words are generated from the manipulated gridded data.  The worded forecast continues to be made available to the public, and the graphical forecasts are also disseminated. These graphical and digital forecasts have been available on our web site for over a year. Please check them out at  our web site.

    eSPOTTER AVAILABLE FOR PUEBLO SPOTTERS...

eSpotter is an easier, online way for NWS Pueblo's registered spotters to relay weather information to our office, any time of the year. This feature has been developed to enhance and increase timely and accurate online spotter reporting, as well as communications between spotters and their local weather forecast offices. While online spotter reports have been available for some time, the old method sent a report to the office via email, which may not be checked right away. The new espotter software is an interface designed specifically with storm reports in mind. NWS meteorologists can be online and sending messages out to spotters, as well as spotters sending messages into the weather service, both in real time. When your report is sent, an alert comes up on an NWS computer screen, to alert the staff and display your report. The software has also been used by NWS Pueblo to send out message to espotters with information regarding incoming weather systems, and what kind of reporting is anticipated for the event (snow totals, rainfall amounts, etc). It is important to note that timely weather reports, such as tornadoes and large hail, still should be reported directly to the office via the 800 number, since it is imperative that we know about these types of events as they are happening. Other reports such as snowfall can be reported through espotter.

For more information, or to sign up to be an espotter, go to :
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/wcm/espotter.php

    SPOTTERS CORNER - WINTER WEATHER SPOTTING FOR WFO PUEBLO....

The Winter season is again upon us, so your yardsticks should be handy for the measuring of snow.  We again ask for your accurate snowfall and snow depth reports around the clock.  We can then serve your area with the most accurate forecasts and timely updates.

PLEASE, understand the importance of your accurate weather reports!  If you know of another weather spotter in your area, DO NOT assume they've already called us.  They may be out of the house or the area.  And, we are interested in hearing from ALL our spotters.  By getting more than one report from an area, we can see small scale differences in weather.   Never think you are "BOTHERING" us by calling!  Your reports are included in our Special and Severe Weather
Statements which provide timely, critical information to radio and TV stations.  You can put your area "on the map".   To accomplish this task, we  need timely, accurate reports from dedicated spotters like yourself.

In an informal survey of offices around the central part of the country, it was noted that only around 10 percent of NWS spotters voluntarily call their local NWS office with reportable weather information.  Believe me, when we are battling a winter storm, it's a lot easier on us when you call us, rather than we call you.  You are really doing us a favor when you, a dedicated volunteer, call us.

Please CALL US using the 800# for spotters, or if you live where a call to Pueblo is free for you, use the local number  when you see the following:
 

- DENSE FOG...which reduces visibility below 1/4 mile 

- THE FIRST INCH OF NEW SNOW...and updates for each additional 2 inches of snowfall

- Your FINAL SNOW TOTAL after the snow has ended

- Measured constant wind speeds greater than 40 MPH...and gust above 60 MPH

- High winds and visibility reduced below 1/4 mile in FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW (This is a blizzard)

- FREEZING RAIN/DRIZZLE.  Tell us what objects the liquid is freezing on (vegetation, trees, vehicles, power lines, roads) and how much has  collected.

If you are not a Pueblo weather spotter and would like to become one of over 1000 volunteers, or if you know someone who would like to be a spotter for us, call or have them call us at our toll free number, or e-mail me.  Thanks.

    LASTLY...

Throughout the year, many groups wish to come and take a tour of our office.  We are allowed to give tours of our facility.  The tour groups cannot be too large, though.  We are required to visually keep track of visitors at all times, so groups, generally, cannot be any larger than 20 people.  Send us an e-mail, if you would like to arrange a tour.

Send us an e-mail

Warning Coordination Meteorologist
WFO Pueblo, Colorado