FEMA TORNADO INCIDENT JOURNAL
Summary
FEMA’s Tornado Incident Journal provides relevant spatial decision-making support for FEMA leadership and a view into federal information available to the general public. This journal displays data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center (NOAA SPC). This website is a part of the FEMA GeoPlatform.
This storymap is comprised of multiple application. Individual applications shown in this journal are linked to at the bottom of each section.
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MODELED TORNADO DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS
Summary
This GIS-based tornado damage assessment model incorporates US national parcel data, the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT) tornado path polygons and damage functions based on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale damage indicators used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to rate tornadoes according to structural impacts. The model has tested for the three previously mentioned case studies, resulting in 80-95% accuracy when the output damage assessments are compared to those derived manually from high resolution aerial optical imagery and field surveys.
Data Sources
Methodology
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The Enhanced Fujita Scale is a set of wind estimates based on observed damages. It uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of level of damage. The EF scale tornado path polygons are available through the Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT) typically 24-72 hours following a tornado.
- The EF scale attributes of the DAT polygons are associated with varying Degrees of Damage for 28 different Damage Indicators.
- The Property Indicators and the Land Use Codes of the National Parcel Dataset are used to assume a Structure Type for the parcels. Additionally, vacant parcels and duplicate parcel points are removed from the analysis.
- The Degrees of Damage for each Damage Indicator are categorized into FEMA Damage Categories, and then applied to the parcel dataset according to each parcel’s Structure Type.
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Parcels are intersected with the DAT tornado path polygons in ArcGIS, and assigned a damage category based on the EF scale of the tornado path. These damage counts can be used for preliminary situational awareness and should be replaced by field verified information when it becomes available
Access & Use Information
Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use.
Downloads & Resources
Contact
FEMA Mapping & Analysis Center
Disclaimers
References
Jones, M. and Pitts, R. An Automated Tornado Damage Assessment Model: Providing Rapid Situational Awareness to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Abstract #326485 presented at 98th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas, 7-11 Jan 2018.
NOAA DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT (DAT)
Summary
The National Weather Service (NWS) Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT) has been utilized experimentally since 2009 to assess damage following tornadoes and convective wind events. The DAT is a GIS-based framework for collecting, storing, and analyzing damage survey data, utilizing the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale for the classification of damage. Data collected from individual locations via mobile device are transmitted to a central geospatial database where they are quality controlled and analyzed to assign the official EF rating. In addition to the individual point, the data are analyzed to generate track centerlines and damage swaths. High resolution satellite imagery and radar data, through partnership with the NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center, are also available to aid in the analysis. The subsequent dataset is then made available through a web-based graphical interface and GIS services.
Through 2016, experimental use of the DAT has spread across most of the Southern and Central Regions of the NWS, with more gradual implementation across the Eastern and Western Regions. This usage has resulted in over 38,000 quality controlled damage points being collected. Data from the DAT have been used by a wide variety of end users, including emergency management agencies (Federal and State), the research community, as well as the reinsurance industry. Data from a sample of damage surveys will be presented, along with example end user cases. In addition, the current status of the DAT will be addressed, along with an outline of future plans as the DAT is transitioned to operational status.
Data Sources & Methodology
Access & Use Information
Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use.
Downloads & Resources
Contact
Disclaimers
While the data has been quality controlled, it is still considered preliminary. Official statistics for severe weather events can be found in the Storm Data publication, available from the National Climate Data Center (NCDC) at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html