(May 8, 2007) -- The Albuquerque National Weather Service Forecast Office and Center Weather Service Unit teamed up with the forecast office in Phoenix to organize a cross-regional Southwest Aviation Weather Safety (SAWS) Workshop. Held in Phoenix on April 10-11, the workshop drew pilots and weather forecasters from Texas to California; and presenters from NWS Forecast Offices, Lockheed Martin, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Phoenix Air Traffic Control Tower, Southwest and Mesa Airlines.

The day one schedule provided FAA WINGS qualifying aviation weather safety briefings to pilots; and included presentations on aircraft icing, turbulence, low clouds/Instrument Flight Rules, low level wind shear, microbursts, radar interpretation, aviation hazards, NWS web products, effective use of Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFS), Transcribed Weather Broadcasts and hot topics from the FAA.

Day two targeted NWS customer needs and explored aviation meteorology forecasting topics in greater depth. Presentation topics included interpretation of TAF verification statistics, a mountain wave signature methodology, operational tactical decision aids, Marginal Visual Flight Rules/Visual Flight Rules, ceiling operational impacts, cloud seeding, aviation forecast discussion guidance, use of TAFs and recommendations for improvements.

Climatologist and Arizona State University Professor, Dr. Randy Cerveny, was the featured speaker. He shared stories from his recent book Freaks of the Storm: From Flying Cows to Stealing Thunder, the World's Strangest True Weather Stories.