By Aaron Graves
Nice, but dry.
The last week of March 2014 featured warm temperatures, blue (sometimes dusty) skies, and no moisture for the Dalhart area. We received only 0.09” of total precipitation for the month, all of that from the last snowfall back on March 2nd. Overall, we fell 1.08” short of our monthly normal.
Daily high temperatures have been above 60 the past week, including a high of 81 degrees on March 30th, the warmest day of the month. Overnight lows are beginning to stay above the freezing mark.
Dalhart was spared another dust storm on March 27th. Although the wind gusted up to 55 mph and some dirt was blown around, the worst of it stayed east and south of us. Visibility dropped to less than 100 yards on FM 281 outside Etter. Similar conditions were reported near Hereford.
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| This small thunderstorm was one of several that dropped large hail in and around Dalhart back in July 2009. |
That’s right, YOU, dear reader, a HERO! You don’t have to be bit by a radioactive spider, or run around in a multi-colored spandex jumpsuit, or talk in a deeper voice to disguise your identity.
All you need is a telephone. The National Weather Service office in Amarillo is looking for volunteers to report dangerous weather in Dallam and Hartley counties. With this in mind, you are invited to attend a FREE two hour “Skywarn” training class on Saturday, April 12, at the Dalhart Volunteer Fire Dept. The class starts at 1 p.m.
“The class is geared for anyone that has an interest in severe weather and anyone that wants to help provide forecasters crucial information to issue better warnings,” said Justyn Jackson with the NWS. “The classes include topics such as severe storm identification, storm spotter and weather safety, and how to provide useful reports.”
Although radar is a handy tool in tracking severe weather, it cannot see below a certain point. “Due to the curvature of the Earth, the lowest height our radar sees in the Dalhart area is about 6,000 feet above the ground,” Jackson said. “We can’t detect what size hail may be falling at the surface, how strong the winds are at the surface, or if there’s a tornado… That’s why we value storm spotters so much.”
Thanks to the Internet and to reality TV, some have gotten the wrong idea about what it means to be a storm spotter. “The role of a Skywarn spotter is completely different from storm chasers and their videos that you see on YouTube and other media outlets,” Jackson explained. “We’re essentially training spotters to identify certain features in a storm that offer us forecasters clues about whether or not the storm is severe.”
Some communities have organized groups that send spotters to predetermined locations to watch the weather. Others just report what is happening at their home. “The more spotters we have in any area, the more likely we are to know what’s happening at the ground with storms,” Jackson said. “We truly appreciate what spotters do for us, so we like having as many as possible.”
Thus, by attending the training class and getting a basic understanding of severe weather, you are able to call in accurate reports from the safety of your home. Such reports lead to better warnings and could help save lives.
See, being a real hero is easy. Please, take the time to attend the class. Then, if you want to run around in a multi-colored spandex jumpsuit while reporting severe weather - who am I to judge.
More information about Skywarn, including two very useful videos, can be found at www.weather.gov/ama. Click the “SKYWARN” link on the left side menu.
UPDATE: High temperatures will stay in the mid to upper 50's through the weekend. We do have a chance of rain and/or storms Saturday and Sunday. Keep an eye on the weather this weekend, and stay safe.
High and low temps the past week:
Mar 25: 63, 22
Mar 26: 76, 41
Mar 27: 73, 47
Mar 28: 61, 35
Mar 29: 70, 29
Mar 30: 81, 43
Mar 31: 75, 45
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