June 2012 Derecho after-action report released

[Ted Jacobson]

The National Weather Service has released its 'Service Assessment'
for the historic June 2012 derecho event.  This document is an
after-action evaluation of what went well,...what needs
improvement,... best practices applied during the event,
and lessons learned.

DOCUMENT PREFACE:

On June 29, 2012, a derecho of historic proportions struck the Ohio
Valley and Mid-Atlantic states. The derecho traveled for 700 miles,
impacting 10 states and Washington, D.C. The hardest hit states were
Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as Washington,
D.C. The winds generated by this system were intense, with several
measured gusts exceeding 80 mph. Unfortunately, 13 people were killed
by the extreme winds, mainly by falling trees. An estimated 4 million
customers lost power for up to a week. The region impacted by the
derecho was also in the midst of a heat wave. The heat, coupled with
the loss of power, led to a life-threatening situation. Heat claimed
34 lives in areas without power following the derecho.

Due to the significance of this event, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service formed a Service
Assessment Team to evaluate the National Weather Service's performance
before and during the event. The findings and recommendations from
this assessment will improve the quality of National Weather Service
products and services and increase awareness related to severe
thunderstorms and intense heat. The ultimate goal of this report is
to help the National Weather Service better perform its mission of
protecting life and property and enhancing the national economy.

Document Link (61 Pages PDF, 2.61 Mb):
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/derecho12.pdf

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