Graphically depicting the hazardous weather in southern middle Tennessee and north Alabama

This paper will document the new technology advances that have allowed for the depiction of hazardous weather information of NWS Huntsville, Alabama. The need to convey visual-based hazardous weather information to local and state emergency management, the media and the public led to the development of a series of graphics that depict the types of hazardous weather threats that are most predominant in southern middle Tennessee and north Alabama.

The graphical hazardous weather outlooks (GHWO) on the NWS Huntsville, Alabama web site include specific criteria to activate SKYWARN spotters across the Tennessee valley, three levels of flash flood threats, five thunderstorm threat levels, winter weather threat types and probabilities of occurrence and predominant weather threat types. The graphical hazardous weather outlook complements the text-based hazardous weather outlook (HWO) products that are issued by NWS Huntsville. These HWO products provide a fine-tuned assessment of threats for the NWS's customers across southern middle Tennessee and north Alabama.

Since the graphical hazardous weather outlook has been implemented, positive customer feedback has led to further changes and improvements to the products. This feedback has led to the reception of more timely and accurate forecast and warning information by EMAs, media and the public.