Stay safe during severe weather by learning the signs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Senior Airman Ann Winters, 7th Operations Support Squadron, uses a tactical weather system to determine the temperature, dew point, wind speed and barometric pressure June 24 on the flight line here. Airmen from the weather flight stay vigilant due to the severe weather season. The flight is required to get tornado warnings out to base members if severe activity is within five miles of base, to allow ample time for people to take proper safety precautions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jennifer Romig)

Stay safe during severe weather by learning the signs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Senior Airman Ann Winters, 7th Operations Support Squadron, uses a kestrel, a mobile weather device to determine the temperature, dew point, wind speed and barometric pressure June 24 on the flight line here. Airmen from the weather flight stay vigilant due to the severe weather season. The flight is required to get tornado warnings out to base members if severe activity is within five miles of base, to allow ample time for people to take proper safety precautions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jennifer Romig)

Stay safe during severe weather by learning the signs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Senior Airman Ann Winters, 7th Operations Support Squadron, uses tactical weather equipment June 24 on the flight line here to get a reading of the temperature, wind speed, dew point and barometric pressure. One of the weather flight’s responsibilities is to provide quick and accurate tornado and severe weather warnings to Dyess and its Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jennifer Romig)

Stay safe during severe weather by learning the signs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Senior Airman Ann Winters and Tech. Sgt. Mark Sterling, 7th Operations Support Squadron, observe the severe weather radar June 24 here. The weather flight uses the radar system to interrogate severe weather when activity is detected. They have 30 minutes prior to the actual event to warn the Dyess populous of a tornado, and two hours to give notice of any other severe weather. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jennifer Romig)

Stay safe during severe weather by learning the signs

Published June 23, 2009
By 1st Lt. Claire Hruska
7th Operations Support Squadron

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- With the severe weather season well underway, it is important the Dyess Air Force Base community is aware of how tornado watches and warnings are issued on-base and for the city of Abilene.

Our number one priority is protecting our Airmen and their families, whether they are at work or at home. Airmen can keep themselves and their family safe by paying close attention to tornado sirens on-base and also by monitoring television, radio and internet weather sources that broadcast National Weather Service watches and warnings.

At Dyess, our tornado warning process is a little different than the procedures of the NWS. The 7th Operations Support Squadron weather flight is responsible for the protection of life, property and $14.2 billion in Air Force assets at Dyess.

During a severe weather event, the weather flight issues a tornado watch when conditions are favorable for tornado development within 5 miles of the base.

The weather flight issues a tornado warning when a certified observer, law enforcement representative or an air traffic controller has sighted a tornado, or when radar indicates one that may threaten the base.

Per Air Force Manual 15-129, Air and Space Weather Operations - Processes and Procedures, and Dyess AFBI 15-1, Weather Support Procedures, the weather flight must make every attempt to warn the base populous of a tornado at least 30 minutes prior to occurrence. While the NWS issues tornado watches and warnings based on similar criteria, they do not have a requirement to give advance notice to specific locations for a tornado warning.

Our unique requirement to provide 30 minutes of warning before a tornado impacts the base can cause the weather flight to have a tornado warning in effect when the NWS does not. The opposite may also happen when the NWS has issued a tornado warning for northeast Taylor County, but no warning is issued for the base by the weather flight because the tornado is not expected to affect the 5-mile radius around the base.

The NWS and weather flight have a good working relationship when it comes to severe weather. Any tornado warning issued by the NWS or the base weather flight needs to be taken seriously.

When a tornado warning is issued on base, the forecaster informs the 7th Bomb Wing Command Post of where the tornado is or where it was indicated on radar, how fast it is moving and when it is expected to impact the base. The command post then sounds the warning sirens for three to five minutes. After the sirens stop, the command post will issue a verbal tornado warning, followed by "all clear" once the threat has passed.

People should move into nearby buildings, away from windows and onto the center of the ground floors until the weather has passed through the area and the "all clear" is sounded.

People may also find themselves on the road during a tornado watch or warning. It is safe for people to drive during a tornado watch, which identifies the potential for a tornado to form. Drivers should closely monitor the situation by radio and evaluate their safety condition.

If driving during a tornado warning, people should avoid getting into the vicinity of the tornado and, under no circumstances, drive toward it.

Anyone caught outside during a tornado warning should lie flat in a ditch or other depression.

Base officials stress it is important to remember the city of Abilene does not have any kind of audible siren warning system for severe weather conditions.