Earth Networks - WeatherBug Showcasing Weather and Lightning Research and Technology Innovations at AMS 2013

AUSTIN, Texas & GERMANTOWN, Md. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Earth Networks^SM the operator of the largest weather, lightning and climate observation networks and owner of WeatherBug®, is presenting and exhibiting in Austin, Texas at the 2013 American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting. From Monday to Thursday, company representatives will be at Booth #715 at the Austin Convention Center to discuss the company’s vast networks, scientific initiatives and how its real-time data and patent-pending technology are helping all levels of governments and businesses in a variety of sectors worldwide better prepare for and respond to extreme weather.

Professionals from Earth Networks - WeatherBug will demonstrate their knowledge during 14 panel sessions, oral presentations and poster sessions – more than during any previous AMS meeting. These sessions will cover the ongoing expansion of the company’s global networks for monitoring weather, lightning and greenhouse gases, technological innovations relating to the use of atmospheric data and groundbreaking research. For a full list of presentations, visit http://earthnetworks.com/MediaCenter/Events/AMS2013.

Session highlights include:

• The Effectiveness of Using Total Lightning Data for Severe Storm Prediction (1/10, 9:45 - 11:00 am, Exhibit Hall 3): With severe weather, minutes matter. Earth Networks analyzed all tornado reports in 2011 which were covered by both National Weather Service (NWS) Warnings (Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado) and Earth Networks Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts^TM (DTAs). DTAs improved lead times by 50%, or an additional 9 minutes, over the 18 minute lead time afforded by National Weather Service (NWS) Warnings for these reports. These alerts are sent via professional products and the popular WeatherBug website, desktop application and mobile apps. The methodologies employed in creating these groundbreaking DTAs and the statistical analysis on the performance of the DTAs will be discussed.
• PulseRad^SM: A Proxy Radar Based on Total Lightning Data (1/9, 10:30 am, Room 14): Earth Networks’ PulseRad is the first radar alternative for convective storms based on total lightning detection. A patent-pending, cutting-edge technology, PulseRad is designed to improve forecasting and lead times for dangerous storms with the potential of flooding or severe weather in places where actual radar coverage is incomplete or nonexistent, including mountainous terrain, oceans and remote regions. In this presentation, PulseRad’s capabilities for storm tracking and alerting will be discussed and illustrated.
• Effective Public/Private Sector Partnerships for Insight and Resilience (1/10, 11:15 am, Ballroom E): Earth Networks has grown its premier partner portfolio to include leading public and private entities worldwide. From NWS, NOAA and NIST in the U.S., to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), in Brazil and ICOS in Europe, Earth Networks believes successful public-private partnerships provide the competitive edge. This presentation will explore the current state of the enterprise relative to partnering to achieve a truly Weather-Ready Nation.
• Importance and Applications of Total Lightning to Aviation (1/9, 4:15 pm, Room 17A): The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently published a safety recommendation stating that the Federal Aviation Administration should consider several enhancements to its operations including the incorporation of total lightning data into air route traffic control centers and terminal radar approach control facilities as well as into products supplied to pilots in the cockpit. This presentation will explore available total lightning networks and potential applications for enhancing aviation safety.
• Combined Lightning and Thermodynamic Observations of the Destructive June 2012 Derecho (1/10, 11:00 am, Room 14): In 2012, Earth Networks established a new Boundary Layer Network to fill critical observational gaps that will enable meteorologists to greatly improve mesoscale forecasts and storm warnings. This case study will illustrate the promise for severe storm forecast improvement based on continuous monitoring of temperature and moisture in the boundary layer and above during the June Derecho.
• Panel Session on Improving the Research-to-Operations Transition Process (1/7, 4:00 pm, Ballroom A): Panel members will give their perspective on transitioning successful research to successful operational use and they will discuss the central role R2O (research-to-operations) plays. Earth Networks’ President and CEO Bob Marshall will participate alongside with Thomas J. Bogdan, UCAR, Boulder, CO; Laura Furgione, NWS, Silver Spring, MD; Sandy MacDonald, NOAA/ESRL, Boulder, CO; and David W. Titley, NOAA, Washington, DC.
• Integrating Weather Data with Internet Connected Thermostats to Manage Residential HVAC Load Shifts (1/8, 8:45 am, Room 6A): One of the largest demands on the electrical grid in the summer is due to residential air conditioning loads. In this study, Earth Networks will present results of a summer project with Centerpoint Energy in Houston to shift residential HVAC loads using real-time neighborhood-level weather conditions, combined with Internet-connected thermostats and software tools, to help homeowners save on their electric bills while conserving energy during times of peak use.
• Greenhouse Gases at Local and Regional Scales: Atmospheric Observations and Modeling the Sources (1/7, 2:30 – 4:00, Hall C): To better understand dynamics of GHG sources and sinks and their links to climate change and anthropogenic factors, long-term continuous observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane at local and regional scales are needed. Data collected across the U.S. reflects high variability of GHG emissions and dependence of atmospheric concentrations on local weather and wind patterns. Impacts of spatial aggregation and temporal resolution and their relevance to uncertainties in emission estimates are analyzed in this study.
• Monitoring Methane in the Northeastern U.S. Using a Network of Instruments at Tall Towers (1/10, 11:30 am, Room 16A): During 2012, Earth Networks deployed a dense GHG continuously observing network in the Mid-Atlantic region. Data was analyzed from towers around area of an ongoing hydraulic fracturing to identify spikes in the observations when winds are from that area. Measurements of GHGs taken at two heights show periods when the boundary layer is well mixed and periods when nearby sources significantly impact methane readings. GHG atmospheric observations and methane inventories will be discussed.

“From the tornado outbreaks in the Midwest and Southeast U.S. during February and March, to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast in October, 2012, extreme weather is becoming the new normal,” says Bob Marshall, President and CEO of Earth Networks. “Fortunately, with information collected from our weather, lightning and greenhouse gas monitoring networks, we are making discoveries that are beginning to help advance our understanding of the atmosphere and severe weather phenomena, while contributing to the creation of new technology that are enabling faster alerts to help save lives and livelihoods in both developed and emerging nations.”

About Earth Networks^SM

For 20 years, Earth Networks^SM has been Taking the Pulse of the Planet with the world’s largest weather observation, lightning detection, and greenhouse gas monitoring networks and is establishing a network for collecting data within the planetary boundary layer. The company’s popular WeatherBug® website, desktop application and mobile apps for major smartphone platforms provide real-time neighborhood-level weather and advanced severe weather alerts to millions of consumers. Enterprise solutions from Earth Networks enable organizations and markets, including energy and utilities, agriculture, schools, sports and recreation, emergency operations and government entities, to safeguard lives, prepare for weather and climate events and improve business operations. Founded in 1993, Earth Networks (www.earthnetworks.com) is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with additional locations in Mountain View, Calif.; New York, NY; Milan, Italy and a local presence in 50 countries worldwide.