ABSTRACT

Weather is ubiquitous with Oklahoma. From its' famous state song lyrics to an official state waltz alluding to "surviving the wind," Oklahoma's weather is embedded in both daily life and culture. It is not a stretch to say that a sustainable Oklahoma is based upon how each citizen prepares for, mitigates, responds to and recovers from the weather. As such, sensing the weather on all time scales and generating actionable weather information and decision making aids is compulsory. This talk will outline the work ongoing at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey and the Oklahoma Mesonet - a partnership between Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. Special attention will be given to the intersection of weather and emergency management and how trained non-meteorologists from all walks of life assist in applying weather data to protect communities large and small.