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The 6^th Annual Weatherman’s Classic Golf Tournament, held Monday, April 16^th at Hearthstone, was a great success. Rain delayed play in the mid afternoon, and it was decided to call the tournament based on the first 9 holes.

The team of Dr. Neil Frank, Ron Frank, Dustin Tucker and Greg Jacobson and the team from Network Interstate Dean Clark, David Hoke, Stacy Smith and Clay Bruce were tied after 9 holes.

The Weather Channel Team of Keith Westerlage, Marshall Seese, Eric Seymour and Patrick Walshe, tied with the Metro Networks Traffic Team of Marty Ambrose, T.S. Kincy, and Jarrod Carroll. With the shotgun start, standard methods of tie breaking could not be applied. After discussion with the tournament chairperson and the course marshals, all teams agreed to a coin toss to decide first and second and a second coin toss decided third and fourth place teams. The first place team was Dr. Neil Frank, Second place was then awarded to Network Interstate, Third Place winners were the team from the Weather Channel and fourth place was awarded to the Metro Networks Traffic Team.

The Crystal #1 was again awarded to Dr. Neil Frank who was the best weathercaster on the golf course.

Lloyd Baggott of the Seatrax team won the Grand Prize drawing for the 24" Galelio thermometer.

The weather provided excitement, and gave the meteorologists and weather buffs a chance to compare notes, look at radar and predict the end of the showers.

Major Sponsors of The 6^th Annual Weatherman’s Classic were BP, Halliburton, KHOU-TV, Metro Networks, Staybridge Suites and Stewart and Stevenson’s Houston Branch.

Numerous Door Prizes were donated by local business, see www.wxresearch.com and click on The Weatherman’s Classic for a complete list of Sponsors. While you are there, click on the Ebay Auction, and see all the weather equipment (weather radios, Anemometers, a marine altitude barometer), jewelry, and other collectibles. The Weatherman’s Classic is hosted by Weather Research Center and benefits The Weather Museum™ at Weather Research Center. For more information go to www.weatherresearchcenter.com or www.theweathermuseum.org.

Last issue Weather Research Center announced the project with The Hall Group. The 30-day project was a great success and has started a storm of activity for The Weather Museum ™ at Weather Research Center. The campaign called Tame the Tornado was received with enthusiasm by the Houston community. Over 200 people were sent Pet Tornadoes and informed about the project. Very positive responses were received from major corporations, city and county agencies, and area foundations. The resulting Advisory Board, chosen from the responses, met on April 27^th to set priorities for fundraising, make action plans, and form committees for major planning. The Hall Group has committed to stay active in project. Among the priorities set were partnering opportunities for the Museum, development of funding for a co-ordinator for the various groups, and planning major events to make the Museum more visible in the community. We would like to thank all those who participated in the discussions, and welcome our new advisory board members. We would like to specially thank Jackie Hall and The Hall Group team for a wonderfully efficient job. Updates will be issued regularly as we work toward the goal of having The Weather Museum completed. If you or your company would like to participate in any of the events, call Weather Research Center.

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS. We had great support from the Board, the Hall Group, WRC Volunteers. Everyone had a great time making popcorn and telling people about Weather Research Center and The Weather Museum. The exhibit demonstrated the various services available at the Center. The Center featured its business card CD which describes the Center’s service such as Environmental Studies, Site Specific Current Profiles, Wave Spectra, Ocean Current Modeling as well as our educational programs. If you could not attend OTC, contact the center for a CD and thermometer key chain.

The total number of birdies for the Houston Shell Open this year was 1463. A total of 27 people correctly guessed the number of birdies. One of the 27 was a member of Weather Research Center’s Board of Directors, Mr. John Bomba of R J Brown Deepwater. The next step will be an event for the 27 winners to draw keys and the person with the set of keys that will start the Buick will keep the car. Other prizes will be awarded by drawing. According to the Shell Houston Open’s official count, the number of birdies was significantly lower this year. The count for the 2000 event was 1809. Winds gusting to 28 mph are credited for the lower count this year. For those of you who participated in the Birdies for Charity pledge drive, if you pledged a penny per birdie, you will receive an invoice for $14.63. Invoices will come from the Shell Houston Open, but all monies pledged will be given to Weather Research Center for The Weather Museum. We hope to have more participation next year in this event.

Research meteorologists at Houston based Weather Research Center are forecasting a high probability that a tropical storm or hurricane will make landfall somewhere on the Gulf Coast in the area from Louisiana to the Florida Keys. The Orbital Cyclone Strike Index [OCSI] indicates that there is a 70% chance of a tropical storm or hurricane making landfall on that section of the Gulf Coast. There is a 60% chance that a tropical cyclone will make landfall somewhere on the East Coast from Georgia to North Carolina. The Northeast Coast of the United States has a 50% chance of experiencing a tropical storm or hurricane in 2001.

According to research meteorologists Jill F. Hasling and Dr. John C. Freeman of Houston-based Weather Research Center, the Gulf of Mexico could be an active place for storm activity this summer. These forecasts are made using the Orbital Cyclone Strike Index [OCSI] model.

A secondary prediction from the OCSI models is the predication of the number of storms expected in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The outlook calls for nine named systems with six of these storms intensifying into hurricanes. There is a 90% chance that one of these nine storms will intensify into a strong hurricane of category three or higher. The outlook calls for at least three of these storms to make landfall somewhere along the United States coast.

The OCSI model is based on the premise that there are orbital influences that are reflected in the global circulation pattern on the sun and subsequently, the global circulation pattern of the earth.

The sun's circulation is tracked by the sun spot cycle. Using this solar cycle to make an index, hurricane climatology has been summarized into an index called the OCSI. This index has been used since 1985 to make annual forecasts of which section of North America has the highest risk of experiencing a tropical storm or hurricane.

Last year, the section of coastline with the highest risk was along the West Coast of Florida with a 60 percent chance and along the Georgia to Virginia border. This forecast for the highest probability did verify with Tropical Storms Gordon and Helene making landfall on the west coast of Florida. There were 14 storms during the season with eight becoming hurricanes. The Center forecast eight storms of which six were forecast to become hurricanes.

In addition to its ongoing research, the Center also provides storm and hurricane information via the Internet through Storm Navigator. This service helps people navigate weather information on the Internet as well as providing detailed storm updates and related information. All of the Center's projections including past predictions can be found on the Internet, http://www.wxresearch.com/outlook.

For those who subscribe to our Weather Navigator ® or Storm Navigator® and hurricane alert services, you will soon receive your emergency response forms. Please fill out and return these as soon as possible, so in the event of severe weather we can get all pertinent information to the correct people in your organization.

Weather Research Center teams up with Gulf Consultants to host Hurricanes and Industry 2001. The conference will be held at the Marriott Hotel on the West Loop, and we will be targeting offshore oil & gas, coastal chemical production, utilities, communication and energy trading industries. If you are interested in exhibit space or would like to attend, see the enclosed flyer. If you would like to participate in planning or have particular areas of discussion you would like to see included email them to jldf-gc@swbell.net. We hope to see many of you in November.

The 2001 Weatherman's Classic Auction for The Weather Museum is being held on EBAY beginning April 5 and lasting through the end of June. We have many new items that have been donated exclusively for the golf tournament. Keep looking for new items, as this is a great way to support The Weather Museum! Click on http://www.wxresearch.com.

The click onto the EBAY logo and then click on The Weather Museum.

If school isn’t out soon enough for you, let’s think about the summer and Weather Camp. WRC staff is already preparing for an exciting summer. Sessions are available for children of 5 to 17 and all adults. Take a look at the schedule below and see what interests you. There are also opportunities to volunteer and help the meteorologists.

 The Weather Museum at Weather Research Center

In helping The Weather Museum develop an accelerated growth strategy, The Hall Group, Inc. conducted a series of interviews with leaders from a diverse group of organizations. The following are the top 10 benefits gleaned from the transcripts of those discussions.

1. Promotes Houston’s future. Organizations who donate time or money to build The Weather Museum are making an investment in the community. "It only makes sense for us to support the community."
2. Involves children. "These days, anything that involves children is a great thing. It must be something that can attract the attention of public and media."
3. Enhances education. Children and adults alike benefit from the programs available from The Weather Museum. "Educational programs are important to me…It is important that the cause have an important link with what the individuals are doing."
4. Increases awareness about the weather and its impact. "Yesterday, we had heavy rain and hail. People couldn’t get to work or go home. When there is a tornado warning, we must have the right procedures in place. So, the biggest impact would be the flow of people…" "Weather has an impact on event planning." "It is very important. We have to prepare for it. We have a contingency plan for different weather conditions."
5. Increases awareness about the science of meteorology. "I get friends and the company involved through public affairs shows, events with news coverage, or feature stories. The station is physically at the event." "I think the Weather Museum should come to us – to the schools. Our school just opened a science lab and would love to get that type of curriculum."
6. Supports a unique public institution – the only one of its kind in the country. Supporting the museum is a way to add to the rich fabric of Houston-area cultural life. "I am of that generation that I want to be involved where my money goes."
7. Promotes conservation and energy-awareness. "Environmental and wildlife causes. These two causes are by far the two most important causes."
8. Creates a path for encouraging new meteorologists. "There should be science contests where school groups and/or community people can participate in the contest. It is a way to get people engaged in science."
9. Promotes the study of weather – this is especially important for companies that trade in commodities or weather derivatives. "Well, since we trade commodities, the weather drives the market."
10. Benefits the power industry, offshore drilling companies and refineries. We are in the refining business. The weather affects our driving. We sell gasoline and diesel…We pay attention to weather forecasts to maintain and prepare for safe driving conditions."