Team Dyess prepares for severe weather and tornadoes

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Robert Hicks
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  With severe weather season starting in April, understanding how tornado watches and warnings are issued on-base and for the city of Abilene is more important now than any other of year.

April through July is tornado season, with May and June being the peak months. But like thunderstorms, tornadoes can form any time of the year.

"Our number one priority is protecting our Airmen and their families, whether they are at work or home," said Capt. Claire Hruska, 7th Operation Support Squadron weather flight. "We are also responsible for resource protection of $14.2 billion in Air Force assets at Dyess."

During a severe weather event, the 26th Operational Weather Squadron at Barksdale AFB La., coordinates with the Dyess weather flight to issue a tornado watch when conditions are favorable for tornado development within five miles of the base.

A tornado warning is issued when a certified observer, law enforcement representative or an air traffic controller has sighted a tornado, or when radar indicates one may threaten the base.

Dyess weather flight provides at least 30 minutes of warning, if possible, before a tornado impacts the base, which is why the base may have a tornado warning and the city of Abilene does not.

The National Weather Service issues tornado warnings for Abilene and the rest of Taylor County based on the same criteria as the Dyess weather flight, but they are not required to give 30 minutes of warning.

When a tornado warning is issued on base, the forecaster informs command post of where the tornado is or where it was indicated on radar, how fast it's moving and when it's expected to impact the base. Command post then sounds the warning sirens for three to five minutes.

In an event of a tornado, people should avoid windows, stay on the first floor and hide in some sort of interior room such as a closet or bathroom.

Between 1973 and 2009 there have been more than 220 hail events, 25 severe wind events and 21 tornadoes that impacted Dyess.

Individuals can update their personal information and receive severe weather updates via text message, personal email or phone call by clicking on the purple globe at the bottom right hand of the screen on a government computer system.

Dyess is offering severe weather spotter training April 14 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the base theater here. The training is conducted by the National Weather Service and teaches the public how to identify, describe and report local severe storms.

For more information on the training, call Captain Hruska at (325) 696-3211.