Arkansas’ Super Tuesday Outbreak Using GIS for Rescue & Recovery Efforts

1. Date Length (miles)‏ Rating 5 Feb. 2008 123 EF4 20 Feb. 1951 112 F2 30 Apr. 1954 92.4 F3 20 Mar. 1955 89.4 F2 24 Dec. 1982 63 F4 Long Track Supercell and Tornado Applications of GIS Data Arkansas’ Super Tuesday Outbreak Using GIS for Rescue & Recovery Efforts Christopher C. Buonanno, Dan Koch, Tabitha Clarke, John A. Lewis III Presented by Renee R Fair NOAA/NWS WFO Little Rock Super Tuesday Outbreak: Arkansas 5 Feb 2008 • 12 Tornadoes • includes state record for • tornado path length • 30 reports of severe hail • 4.25” reported in Chicot County • 31 reports of severe • thunderstorm winds • Feb 6 2008 (immediately after outbreak) • Received requests for storm tracks • Where would the worst damage be? • Relief efforts to be supported from national, state, and local levels • NWS Little Rock -- Initially provided latitude/longitude points of mesocyclone track that were subjectively analyzed from radar data • Post Super Tuesday Event: Exchange of Geospatial Data Between Agencies • Arkansas Geospatial Information Office (AGIO) provided a clearing house for geospatial data • Provided high access to high resolution satellite imagery • NWS Little Rock provided geospatial data from ground and aerial surveys • Additional data provided by USGS, Forestry Commission, FEMA • Data utilized by agencies such as American Red Cross and U. S. Health and Human Services to