CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY

  • Published
  • By Second Lt. Steven S. Graves
  • Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
Via e-mail --  Just wanted to provide some clarification and additional information on the "Arkansas Twister!" article in the May/June 2011 edition of Torch (page 14):

The 26th Operational Weather Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., provides resource protection for the Department of Defense across the southeast United States. The 26th OWS area of responsibility covers 13 states and includes 133 Department of Defense installations housing more than $220 billion in assets and 1.2 million personnel.

Little Rock AFB, Ark., is one of these locations and recently experienced an EF-2 tornado. The 26th OWS regional weather team responsible for Little Rock keyed in on a dangerous weather pattern 48 hours in advance of the tornado occurrence. The 26th OWS forecasters worked hand-in-hand with forecasters from the 19th Operations Support Squadron weather flight at Little Rock to assess the timing and intensity of the storms projected to develop on the evening of April 25.

Little Rock AFB agencies require 30 minutes advance notification of tornado threats to warn the base populace and institute protective measures. Because of the outstanding collaboration between the 19th OSS and 26th OWS forecasters, the 26th OWS issued the tornado warning 56 minutes prior to the tornado's touchdown on the installation.

Exceeding the required notification time undoubtedly saved lives in what could have otherwise been a very deadly situation.