1. Maureen McCann TFFC Workshop December 8, 2010 GIS in Hydrology Through a Broadcast Medium

2. Central Texas = Flash Flood Alley Source: The Flood Safety Education Project

4. What’s the worst type of weather in Texas?

5. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

6. News 8 Austin Severe Weather Coverage Severe T’storm and Tornado WARNINGSSevere T’storm and Tornado WARNINGS Significant Flood EventsSignificant Flood Events Maintain “first on, last off” coverageMaintain “first on, last off” coverage Meteorologist(s) in the studio, reporters in the fieldMeteorologist(s) in the studio, reporters in the field Social media interactionSocial media interaction

7. Our Coverage Area

8. What do we use now? National Weather Service, NOAA Branches National Weather Service, NOAA Branches LCRA LCRA CoCoRAHs CoCoRAHs News 8 Weather Watchers News 8 Weather Watchers WSI Suite WSI Suite

9. What would be useful? Accessing GIS data in TV graphics to enhance coverage and provide viewers with pertinent information Accessing GIS data in TV graphics to enhance coverage and provide viewers with pertinent information GIS

10. WISH LIST Collaborated with Dr. Maidment, Chief Meteorologist, ESRI professionals, held workshops… Collaborated with Dr. Maidment, Chief Meteorologist, ESRI professionals, held workshops… How could we combine… How could we combine…

11. NEXRAD/Precip data Time-based estimates Time-based estimates Manually corrected rainfall estimates Manually corrected rainfall estimates Source: CRWR Group Maps, ArcGIS.com

12. NEXRAD data sites Source: NWIS precip map, Scoffield

13. Ground Observations Surface data Surface data ASOS/AWOS sites ASOS/AWOS sites CoCoRAHs CoCoRAHs Mesonet data Mesonet data (LCRA, Brazos River, Guadalupe River, Brushy Creek, etc) Source: Upper Brushy Creek WCID Source: West Texas Mesonet

14. Flood Info Stream gauges: LCRA, USGS, other water authorities Stream gauges: LCRA, USGS, other water authorities Inundation levels Inundation levels Hypothetical flood scenarios Hypothetical flood scenarios Flood history/ comparable events Flood history/ comparable events Source: CRWR Group Maps, ArcGIS.com

15. Real-Time Data Access

16. Low Water Crossings Usually prone sites Usually prone sites Alternative routes Alternative routes Road closures Road closures TXDot data TXDot data Source: Hays County Online

17. Low Water Crossings: Travis, Hays Co.

18. Emergency Response Live data from emergency response showing where rescues are occurring (from real-time fire call data?) Live data from emergency response showing where rescues are occurring (from real-time fire call data?) Available shelters? Available shelters?

19. TXDOT Mapping Data

20. Social Media Twitter/Facebook Twitter/Facebook #hashtags relevant to the weather event (#TXwx, #weather, #Hermine etc) #hashtags relevant to the weather event (#TXwx, #weather, #Hermine etc) tweets by geographical proximity tweets by geographical proximity Photos/live web cams where available, geotagged Photos/live web cams where available, geotagged News 8 Weather stations News 8 Weather stations

21. Next Steps Combine all of these ideas into a usable interface – toggle between data sources Combine all of these ideas into a usable interface – toggle between data sources Written in one language… WaterML? Written in one language… WaterML? Merge GIS to TV Weather Vendor graphics (WSI, Weather Central, AccuWeather etc) Merge GIS to TV Weather Vendor graphics (WSI, Weather Central, AccuWeather etc) Use on air! Use on air!

22. For More Information http://news8austin.com/weather

23. Thank you! Maureen McCann AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist mmccann@news8austin.com@maureenmccann8