(Feb. 10, 2011) - As anyone who has ever received an award or special honor can tell you, it is a great feeling to be publicly recognized for your achievements. When that award or honor is bestowed by your peers, it is particularly gratifying. Just ask the National Weather Service Southern Region recipients who were honored this year by the American Meteorological Society at its 91st annual meeting in Seattle, Wash.
"The annual AMS meeting is clearly the premier meteorological and hydrological conference in the world," said Bill Proenza, AMS Fellow and regional director of the National Weather Service Southern Region. "Our Southern Region honorees should take great pride in being recognized by such a prestigious organization of atmospheric and oceanographic scientists."
Francis W. Reichelderfer Award:
Co-Recipients of the AMS Francis W. Reichelderfer Award are Science and Operations Officer Chris Darden and Information Technology Specialist Jason Burks of the National Weather Service forecast office in Huntsville, Ala.Each year, the award is given in recognition of distinguished contributions to the provision of operational environmental services to the public.
Darden and Burks were honored for their collaborative work with NASA to integrate real-time NASA observations and forecast products in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System for use in daily NWS operations as well as forecaster awareness and training.
Exceptional Specific Prediction Award:
This year's AMS Award for Specific Prediction was presented to the staff of the National Weather Service forecast office in Mobile, Ala. The Mobile team was recognized for accurately predicting and communicating the deep snowfall event of Feb. 11-12, 2010.By the 12th, deep snowfall was reported across much of the Deep South from Texas to the Florida Panhandle with up to six inch accumulations in portions of central Georgia and southern Alabama.
As early as five days prior to the snowfall, Mobile's forecasters began to prepare emergency managers and the public for what would be a very rare snow event. In the days that followed they continued to articulate how it would unfold, helping to insure the region's 1.5 million residents were well aware and prepared for the hazards associated with it.
Charles L. Mitchell Award:
The Charles L. Mitchell Award was presented to retired Fort Worth, Texas forecast office Meteorologist Alan R. Moller. The Mitchell Award is presented to individuals in recognition of outstanding performance and exceptional weather forecast service. Moller was recognized specifically for exceptional research on severe storm structure and evolution and its contribution to storm spotter training.This year's recipients were honored during the 91st AMS Awards Banquet in the main ballroom of the Washington State Convention Center.
