Understanding the Use and Applications of "Ground Truth" Observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet during Severe Weather and Flash Flooding Events

During flooding and severe weather events, having access to high-resolution surface observations allows forecasters to paint a more complete picture of the atmospheric conditions in place before, during, and after an event. Oklahoma forecasters often rely on real-time data from an extremely robust network of 120 in-situ observation towers that are part of the Oklahoma Mesonet. This network is able to provide forecasters at NWS Norman, NWS Tulsa, NWS Amarillo, and NWS Shreveport with critical “ground truth” observations. This project intends to research and assess how in-situ observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet are utilized by the National Weather Service during severe weather and flash flooding events. This will be accomplished through an analysis of NWSChat archives and severe thunderstorm warning and flood warning texts.