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NOAA Begins Five-Day Hurricane Forecasts
This Season
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)
National Weather Service will begin issuing five-day hurricane forecasts
this year, which extends the three-day forecasts it has issued since
1964.
According to James R. Mahoney, Ph.D., assistant secretary of commerce
for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA deputy administrator, “This
five-day forecast provides a valuable planning and preparedness
tool and is a tangible step forward in our efforts to protect lives
and property, and enhance the U.S. economy. The new forecast is
particularly useful for those who need more than 72 hours advance
notice to move resources out of harm’s way, such as U.S. Navy
ships. Furthermore, as people and infrastructure crowd coastal areas,
earlier awareness to a potential problem is needed to increase public
safety.”
Max Mayfield, NOAA National Hurricane Center director (see HP, Winter
2003, page 10), said, “NHC and the Central Pacific Hurricane
Center have been working closely with our customers since 1999 to
extend the forecasts, and went through a rigorous set of experiments
during the 2001 and 2002 Atlantic and eastern and central North
Pacific hurricane seasons to test this capability.”
NOAA is charged with protecting life and property against tropical
cyclones by issuing timely and accurate hurricane forecasts, watches
and warnings. The agency is extending the forecasts after a two-year
test. The agency cited customer needs for longer-range forecasts
and major improvements in track forecasting skill over the past
few decades as reasons for lengthening the forecasts.
Pella Hurricaneshield Windows, Doors Ready
for IBC Standards
Pella Corp. Pella, IA, announces the nationwide availability of its
HurricaneShield commercial windows and doors for the new International
Building Code (IBC) standards.
“The IBC changes performance requirements for windows and doors
sold in coastal areas, and there are implications for commercial buildings
throughout the United States, as well,” said Terry Zeimetz, AIA,
CSI, commercial market manager for Pella Corporation.
Research has shown that during a hurricane the most severe building
damage is caused by glass breakage as a result of flying debris. Strong
winds gusting in excess of 165 mph can create enormous external pressure
on a building. When windows or doors fail to perform properly, hurricane-force
winds can penetrate the building envelope causing the walls and roof
to be forced out and allowing the structure to collapse.
Pella products have an ionoplast layer of rigid plastic heat-sealed
between two layers of glass, which results in a laminated glass with
100 times the rigidity and five times the tear resistance of a commonly
used impact-resistant laminated glass. Pella is one of only a few
manufacturers with products featuring this breakthrough technology.
“If flying debris hits a HurricaneShield product, the exterior
layer of glass may break, but the glass fragments will remain affixed
to the interlayer and the window will remain intact,” notes Dan
Tauke, strategic programs and support product manager.
Pella’s HurricaneShield windows and doors passed and exceeded
the rigorous Miami-Dade County large-missile impact/cycling tests,
the most stringent standards in the nation. Committed to developing
the industry’s strongest impact-resistant windows and doors,
Pella utilizes a hurricane simulation testing area constructed at
its company headquarters.
Garage Door Expo Slated
The International Garage Door Exposition (Expo), produced annually
by the International Door Association (IDA) will be held April 23
to 26, 2003, in San Antonio, TX. According to IDA president, Ed Niit,
the event will draw 3,000 door and access systems dealers from throughout
the world.
The Expo will include exhibits, educational sessions, the IDA Scholarship
Foundation Golf Tournament, an awards banquet and a Fiesta Party.
The week of April 21 is also Fiesta Week in San Antonio. The Fiesta
has been described as a Texas Mardi Gras.
Brian Tracy, world-renowned speaker, will present the Expo keynote
address. His talks are fast-moving, informative, enjoyable and entertaining.
For complete information including online registration, contact www.doors.org.
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