UTEP is now a Weather-Ready Nation thanks to earning the WRN Ambassador™ title from NOAA

POSTED ON Jun 14, 2023

The Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, has forecasted that the Atlantic hurricane season between June 1 and November 30 is expected to be near-normal this year. There is a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season, and a 30% chance of a below-normal season. (Photo credits: NASA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted 12 to 17 named storms (wind speeds of 39 mph or higher), with 5 to 9 potentially turning into hurricanes (wind speeds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; wind speeds of 111 mph or higher).

In related news, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Santa Teresa has announced that The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has become the first university in the region to receive the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador™ designation.

This initiative recognizes NOAA partners for their contributions toward increasing the nation’s readiness, responsiveness, and resilience against extreme weather, water, and climate events.

As a WRN Ambassador, UTEP has committed to collaborating with NOAA and other ambassadors to strengthen the country’s resilience against extreme weather. UTEP collaborates with the NWS Santa Teresa field office on safety management, and the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador designation further solidifies their preparedness.

UTEP has also agreed to promote WRN messages and themes to their student population, collaborate with NOAA and NWS personnel on potential opportunities, share success stories of preparedness and resiliency, and educate employees and students on local weather preparedness.

In response to the deadly tornado incidents in 2011, NOAA established the Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) program to improve severe weather information to the government, emergency management, media, and partners.

The WRN Model was developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) to generate Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) for extreme weather events.

These services provide crucial information before, during, and after such events, enhancing the NWS’s forecasts and warnings. The IDSS uses historical context and real-time decision-making support to assist governmental entities and affiliated partners.

The Weather Act, passed by Congress in 2017, directed NOAA to evaluate the impact of social and behavioral science on the message conveyed to the public, core partners, and vulnerable populations. The objective was to determine whether people understand the risks being communicated and respond appropriately to dangerous weather and water events.