[EAS] Maryland tornado missed

[Edwin Bukont]

Poster wrote:

>
> >Several years ago a tornado hit Washington D.C. and
> >suburbs...
>
> >The NWS missed it entirely, >
>
> ------------------------------

If you are referring to the LaPlata tornado, let me fill in some blanks please.
 
They did not so much miss it, as they ignored it as a matter of policy.  Skywarn is pretty useless in that area because of the politics.  Sounds stupid doen't it?
 
The area is ostensibly served by Sterling, VA and is considered in that operational area.  Yeah, 1kW on VHF is going to cover So. Md from clear across the otherside of the beltway, nestled near Dulles Airport.  But in practice, at the time, the area actually was not monitored except for perhaps the efforts of skywarn.
 
The official reason for ignoring is that there are three recognized military installations covering that area.  (Andrews, Dahlgren, Pautuxent IIRC) The NWS believes any of these is in a better position to observe and react to a problem, because, Sterling is a little far, by their own admission.  However, because of all the military in that area, Congress will not approve funds for a local transmitter, per NOAA.
 
I tried with little success over a period of 10 years to rectify the lack of inclusion of Southern Maryland in the NWS/NOAA plan. 
 
I asked of NOAA/NWS, FCC and Maryland EMA for approval, which was received, to do the following.
 
Received the Sterling, VA signal using a receiver in Arlington, VA, whose output fed studio site (Arlington) microwave and T-1 to Waldorf broadcast site of LP-1.  At Waldorf, the two sources were selected (and a Marti Rx was another source) and fed to a SAGE Endec, which then fed the 67 SCA.  A limited number of Compol and GE SRIIII SCA receivers were then provided to critical first responders and public safety officials.
 
That system ran for about five years but was dismantled after I left Bonneville and sometime before that 'missed' tornado.
 
Edwin Bukont CTS, CSRE/DRB, CBNT