You read in the forecast for today that strong westerly winds are expected. This means that the winds will blow from the west toward the east.
A Tornado Watch has been issued for your county through 11 p.m. this evening. Which of the following is the best source to make sure you have the earliest possible information about any Tornado Warnings issued for your area?
True or False: A Tornado Watch has been issued for your county for the next three hours. One of the actions to take is to follow your Emergency Operations Plan’s guidance on when it might be time to activate spotter groups.
Your threats analysis should include analyzing the vulnerabilities of power generation, water, and sewage treatment facilities.
A Watch means that:
An example of an indirect weather observation system is:
Which of the following is included in a National Weather Service Area Forecast Discussion product?
In two days your community is hosting the State baseball championship and expecting record crowds. The Day 2 Convective Outlook indicates your area could have severe weather on game day. As an emergency manager, you should:
A train has derailed in your community, resulting in a hazardous materials release. Resources available to you from the National Weather Service include all EXCEPT:
Forecasting precipitation type (rain, snow, sleet, ice) is difficult because:
Who issues Tornado Watches?
When a life-threatening weather situation is occurring or is imminent, who has the responsibility to activate the local warning sirens within a jurisdiction?
What should the word ‘convection’ in a forecast discussion alert you to as an emergency manager?
Tornadoes are small, short-lived storms formed on the:
You have just arrived at the office this morning. What is the best source for quickly determining the potential for severe thunderstorms today?
You are the emergency manager in Applegate, a community located alongside a stream called Big Creek. Six miles to your northeast, near the headwaters of the creek, is a community called Bunker Hill. Your local weather forecast office has just issued this Special Weather Statement: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF BUNKER HILL…MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. Should you anticipate any potential hazards from this storm?
True or False. NOAA Weather Radio with SAME technology is programmable to sound alerts for hazards in your specific area, can be heard almost everywhere in the country, and can be relied on even if there is a power outage at your home or business.
Good warning messages for the public should:
Uncertainties in forecasts are primarily due to which of the following?
Severe weather season is around the corner. You would like to begin some public awareness efforts, as well as make sure your spotters are trained and organized. Who in the National Weather Service should you call to work with you on these activities?
Who is authorized to initiate official watches and warnings?
Your Warning Partnership includes your local National Weather Service Forecast Office, you, and all of the following EXCEPT:
Your local Weather Forecast Office has just issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the western part of the county to your north. The system is moving to the southeast. What should you do?
Advisories are issued:
True or False: Geography is not a factor in assessing community risk.
Which is a method that local Emergency Operations Centers can implement to improve coordination with partners prior to a hazardous event?
After a winter of above-average snowfall, temperatures in your area have been moderate and rainfall has been near average. On April 10, you find this phrase in the Hazardous Weather Outlook from your local forecast office: UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. THESE FEATURES WILL INTERACT WITH A MOIST AIRMASS TO GENERATE NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. What is the most likely hazard that you should be alert to?
If a community has warning sirens, other communication methods will not be necessary.
It is July 16 and the Area Forecast Discussion you are reading mentions that instability is high. Starting this morning and through the afternoon, your community is hosting a large art festival in an open park along the river. Which of the following represents an immediate action to take as you prepare for the day?
The Zone Forecast mentions: “CHANCE OF RAIN 60 PERCENT.” The correct way to interpret the forecast is:
Suppose you are the emergency manager for the small community of Lake Isabella, California Yesterday was the third consecutive day of near record high temperatures and today’s Area Forecast Discussion contains this phrase: CONTINUED WARM TEMPERATURES AND VERY LOW HUMIDITY TODAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH POOR TO NO OVERNIGHT RECOVERY OF HUMIDITY. NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL LIKELY BE GUSTING OVER 35 MPH… What is the primary hazard you should be aware of for your community?
Long-range forecast products tend to be as accurate as short-range ones.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for your metropolitan area. Snow accumulation is expected to begin between 3 and 4 p.m. and continue through the evening. What action do you take?
The components that determine the difference between an inconvenient weather situation and one that is hazardous are:
During a rain event, you observe heavy, wind-driven rain for 30 minutes. The dispatch center has received calls about small stream flooding on the southern edge of your community. You report this flooding to the Weather Forecast Office. They will use the information to:
Which of the following is NOT a consideration for a threats analysis?
In order from lowest urgency to highest, which sequence properly ranks the product categories issued by the National Weather Service? Note that not all product categories are issued for all hazard types.
Methods for receiving the most recent hazardous weather information and current updates directly from your local Weather Forecast Office (WFO) include all EXCEPT which of the following?
The Forecast Discussion says “A WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST, KEEPING RAIN OVER THE AREA FOR SEVERAL DAYS.” From a preparedness point of view, this phrase suggests that:
Today’s Area Forecast Discussion for your municipality north of Canton contains this phrase: AN AREA OF ENHANCED LIFT IN THE 850MB-700MB LAYER CONTINUES TO AFFECT LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF A CANTON TO TOLUCA LINE. TO THE SOUTH SKIES WERE PARTLY CLOUDY WITH EARLY AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES RISING INTO THE MID/UPPER 70S. As an emergency manager, what might you be concerned about based on the word ‘lift’?
Condensation is a process that can lead to precipitation, flooding, and storm development. Condensation can occur and begin providing the fuel for severe weather when:
True or False: The latest hurricane intensity forecast indicates a 20% probability for a Category 2 storm, 39% probability for Category 3 storm, and 28% probability for a Category 4 storm tomorrow afternoon as it approaches your area. Guidance for working with probabilities would suggest that you anticipate the worst-case scenario by preparing for a Category 5 event.
Today’s Hazardous Weather Outlook refers to an inversion that is likely to break after 10:00 am. What conditions might you expect while the inversion persists?
You are working on a threats analysis for your community. Which of the following would be considered a variable environmental factor?
It has been an above-average snowy winter in your riverside agricultural community in the upper Midwest. On a cloudy day in early spring, you find this phrase in the Area Forecast Discussion: RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITH TEMPERATURES REMAINING IN THE LOWER 30S. TEMPERATURES WILL RECOVER RAPIDLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS…INTO THE 50S BY SATURDAY.What weather hazard might you need to prepare for in your community?
What factors should you account for when doing a threats analysis for your community?
The forecast product you read on August 30 mentions that a cold front with instability along frontal boundary will be moving through your locality in northern Iow The weather event you are likely to be most concerned about during this frontal passage is:
As an emergency manager, what are your four primary roles in planning for and acting during periods of hazardous weather?