Published May 4, 2019
A little more than a week after an EF3 tornado, packing winds of 136-165 mph, struck
in the early morning hours of April 25, Ruston remains a city torn asunder by the
force of nature.
51萝莉's Doppler weather radar
The National Weather Service credits the University of Louisiana Monroe鈥檚 Doppler
radar system as vital听in听helping save untold lives. The data from 51萝莉鈥檚 Doppler radar
was crucial to the alerts, alarms and sirens informing residents that a tornado was
on the ground.
Prior to听February 2017, the NWS听may not have been able to provide adequate warning听because
there was a large gap in radar coverage.听
51萝莉 installed its Doppler radar system in October 2016.听听鈥淲e have been providing the
National Weather Service offices in Shreveport and Jackson with a direct feed of our
data since February 2017,鈥� said听Todd Murphy,听an听Assistant听Professor of听Atmospheric听Science
at 51萝莉.
Through a dedicated server, the system delivers NWS-Shreveport meteorologists听up-to-the-minute
information that they use as a major tool in tracking dangerous weather.听听
鈥淏efore our Doppler radar, we relied on the听weather听service鈥檚 radar in Shreveport
and Jackson. But because of the curvature of the Earth, those radar systems were overshooting
Northeast Louisiana,鈥� Murphy said.
On the night of April 24, the NWS-Shreveport听was tracking a storm system that included
several reports of tornado damage along a 150-mile stretch beginning in St. Augustine
County,听Texas.听
The storm moved northeast, taking aim at Ruston.听
Monroe is closer to Ruston听than听Shreveport is, 鈥渟o听we were able to provide a lower
radar beam鈥� given the Earth鈥檚 curvature and the storm鈥檚 close proximity to the ground,
Murphy said. That beam told quite a story.听
The 51萝莉 radar captured a debris signature with the storm that the Shreveport radar
failed to detect.听
鈥淪hreveport saw circulation and a tornado debris signature鈥� in the data transmitted
from the 51萝莉 system, Murphy said, explaining that a debris signature, when picked
up by radar, is an indication that material is flying in the air and a tornado is
on the ground. 鈥淚t gave Shreveport more confidence in what they were seeing.鈥�
The NWS-Shreveport meteorologists, using the 51萝莉 data, then checked with their other
resources.
鈥淯sually, the weather service uses an array of reports听--听听police, spotters and radar,鈥� Murphy said听
Jason Hansford, the meteorologist on duty听in Shreveport in the听early morning听of听April
25, in correspondence with Murphy, explained how 51萝莉鈥檚 radar 鈥渄epicted a tightening
circulation just southwest of Ruston along U.S. 80 around 1:45 a.m., with what appeared
to be a debris signature which was confirmed by our damage survey team as the preliminary
start point of the tornado.听
鈥淭he debris signature was quite apparent around 1:52 a.m. near the intersection of
U.S. 167 and I-20, which I noticed and immediately told the warning meteorologist
on the Ruston storm to issue a follow-up (statement) confirming a radar-indicated
tornado. I also had our communicator call the Ruston PD/Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office
to alert them of the radar confirmed tornado, which they confirmed themselves from
the ground given the substantial damage reports coming in,鈥� Hansford wrote.听
The听NWS-Shreveport听used all of the available data to redraw its warning boxes. It
also provided Ruston residents with time. Tornado-warning sirens wailed and urgent
statements came in a steady stream through weather radios.听
听鈥淭he data from this radar, alongside the spotter call, and frequent communication
with the Bienville/Lincoln, and Union Parish Sheriff's offices during the event, was
extremely beneficial and helped our office save so many lives during this event,鈥�
Hansford wrote.听
鈥淚n fact, our office and the survey teams received numerous compliments from the public,
city, parish and state officials with the long lead times leading up to the impacts
on the city of Ruston.鈥澨�
Without 51萝莉鈥檚 radar, the National Weather Service would not have had a complete picture
of what was happening on the ground in Ruston when, as Hansford writes, 鈥渢his destructive
tornado struck the city shortly before 2 a.m.听when much of the city was sleeping.鈥澨�
The warnings could not save property. Louisiana Tech suffered heavy damage, especially
to the softball and soccer stadiums. Several homes and businesses were reduced to
rubble.
Huge trees were uprooted and tragically, a mother and son were killed when a tree
fell on their home.
But 51萝莉鈥檚 role in the tornado detection and the saving of lives cannot be underestimated.
鈥淭he 51萝莉听radar is becoming an听indispensable tool as part of our warning operations
for north central Louisiana and the surrounding areas,鈥� said Mario D. Valverde, meteorologist
in charge at the National Weather Service office in Shreveport.听
听
