VOA慢速英语2012 Technology Report - Experts Work to Develop Better Tools to Predict Severe Weather

 

Technology Report - Experts Work to Develop Better Tools to Predict Severe Weather

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric¹ Administration is celebrating the one year anniversary of its Weather-Ready Nation project. Weather experts from across the United States have been working to improve the way the country reacts to extreme weather. They say scientific progress has made weather forecasts, or predictions, better than ever. But, they say the cost of severe weather on life and property is still too high.

NOAA says a new generation of equipment has already made its global numerical weather prediction system nearly three times faster in the past seven months. This is expected to improve NOAA’s forecast models.

Scientists and weather experts have launched a similar effort in the Philippines. It is called Project NOAH -- the Nationwide Operational Assessment² of Hazards.

Mahar Lagmay is the head of Project NOAH. He says his country needs high-resolution imaging to predict when and where natural disasters will strike.

“To be able to construct hazard maps you need very high resolution topography. To do the simulations of floods you do need high resolution topography.” 

A surfer rides a wave whipped up by Tropical Storm Isaac at Haulover Beach Park in Miami Beach, Florida. 

He also says these images will be used to create smaller area maps, which will shape how people react to natural disasters.

“By doing local scale, or community scale maps, people can relate with the problem because they see their houses, they see their neighbor’s houses, the bridge in their community, the river in their community in relation to the hazards - the flood hazards in particular.”

Geologist³ Carlos Primo David also works with Project NOAH. He says the group depends on satellites, Doppler radar⁴ and hundreds of rain gauges⁵ across the country. He says the resulting forecasts are very detailed⁶, and can even predict the intensity⁷ of rainfall.

The Philippine state weather agency used rainfall information from Project NOAH when Manila flooded in August. The weather agency also re-broadcast its warnings on the social networking website Twitter. And a color coded warning system was also put in place.

Mahar Lagmay says the project passed its first test. He says the government used the information to move people to safety.

“Relatively it was successful because what we wanted to avoid was mass death.”

He says now the government has to get people to take severe weather events more seriously, and to actively⁸ prepare for the worst.

1 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

2 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

3 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

4 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

5 gauges   

n.规格( gauge的名词复数 )；厚度；宽度；标准尺寸v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的第三人称单数 )；估计；计量；划分

参考例句：

• A thermometer gauges the temperature. 温度计可测量温度。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fuel gauges dropped swiftly. 燃料表指针迅速下降。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。