1. Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA WX)
Presented by Juan Ortiz, Emergency Management Coordinator, Fire
February 9, 2016

2. Began as NSF grant
These are the CASA partner universities
Began as a regional project – 4 radars, when they said they were coming to DFW 4 more donated (8 total)

3. CASA WX Executive Council
Fort Worth
Addison
Midlothian
Mesquite
Grapevine
McKinney
Collin County
Johnson County
Tarrant County
National Weather Service
DFW Airport
Local Broadcast Meteorologists
University of Texas Arlington
University of North Texas
North Central Texas Council of Governments
These are a few of the CASA WX Executive Council member cities.
Regional project
Region worked together to secure funding for radar installation
Membership program created to have access to CASA website with radar data and other products
Region working together to secure funding to operate radars and acquire additional radars for the network

4. Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA WX)
Gap with NEXRAD – these are low level radars
Higher resolution
Faster updating 1 min vs 5 min
Like having rain gauge every 800 feet
Will provide more precise warnings from NWS to assist with our notifications to save lives and protect property

5. Benefits of low-level, fine-scale weather information
Actual CASA WX Data from the Midlothian radar on Dec 26, 2015.
Much higher resolution, can see tornado in black box
NEXRAD Data
CASA Data
Comparison – Ovilla, December 26, 2015

6. Runoff – how much does rainfall run off?
CASA Rainfall
Runoff – how much does rainfall run off?
Return period – How often does this magnitude of streamflow occur historically?
Stream-flow- How does the runoff fill the streams and channels?
UTA is doing research with Fort Worth Stormwater using the CASA data.

7. Fort Worth Radar site

8. CHANGE MESQUITE TO RED
Fort Worth Radar site – Installed November 2015 – should be online by Spring 2016
Mesquite will be installed in March 2016 8

9. Goal is to have around 15-16 radars to cover the entire 16 County NCTCOG region
Ultimate goal is to enlarge the network to include counties outside our region.

10. Questions/Comments/Conclusion