Norman — Editor, The Transcript:
In expressing his viewpoint: “Global Warming — OU Meteorologists Were Wrong,” (Feb. 20) Professor David Deming commented that, “As a result of misinformation provided by the OCS (Oklahoma Climatological Survey), Oklahoma was ill-prepared for the severe winter weather we are currently experiencing.” I respectfully disagree with such an observation, and take exception to Professor Deming’s comments regarding the OCS and their level of preparedness involving severe winter weather.
For the past 12 years, the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives has worked closely with officials from the Oklahoma Climatological Survey at the University of Oklahoma to study real-time environmental and weather data and its impacts on our collective electric cooperatives across the state. In particular, OCS products and services have been used:
· As input to load forecast models to dispatch available generation resources in an economic manner;
· To improve short-term forecasts of temperatures for efficient start-up/shut-down of generation units;
· To reduce outage time by proactively using forecasts of storms with high probabilities of freezing rain, ice or lightning;
· To mobilize personnel and to streamline operations prior to the impact of developing weather events;
· To increase the safety of line workers during hazardous weather, such as tornadoes, ice storms, high wind conditions, etc.
Officials from the OCS also have played a critical role in the development of the “Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation Index,” or “SPIA Index,” which has been used by the National Weather Service’s Tulsa forecast office for more than three years. The SPIA Index is a winter weather preparedness tool that can be used by a host of disaster response agencies — including FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, Oklahoma Emergency Management, count emergency managers, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Red Cross, the Salvation Army and many others — to elevate levels of preparedness and readiness for approaching ice storms.
It should be noted that ice storms have caused at least eight federally-declared disasters in the state since 2000, with two more ice storm disaster declarations (Christmas Eve 2009 and Jan. 28-31) under consideration by FEMA and the White House at the present time. Collectively, these 10 ice storm events have caused nearly $2 billion in disaster-related damages across Oklahoma.
Whether these ice storms are attributable to changes in winter weather patterns or are in some way related to climate change, I cannot answer, because I am not a trained climatologist or meteorologist. Then again, neither is Professor Deming.
What I can say is that officials with the OCS have been of invaluable assistance to the Electric Cooperatives of Oklahoma in enhancing our preparedness efforts to deal with severe winter storms — particularly ice storms. By combining use of real-time data from the Oklahoma Mesonet with digital forecasting technologies of the National Weather Service, electric and communications utilities and dozens of other disaster preparedness organizations are better equipped in advance to respond to potentially devastating impacts of severe winter weather.
OCS personnel have provided accurate, timely and useful information that has no doubt been responsible for helping reduce electric system outage times. Their assistance to our cooperatives is welcome and deeply appreciated.
SIDNEY K. SPERRY
Oklahoma City
