Baron Tornado Index

The Baron Tornado Index (BTI) is a meteorological computer model. Its main usage is to determine the probabilities of a tornado inside a Tornadic Vortex Signature on the rear flank of a storm, to better alert potential high-risk areas for tornadoes and to easily track them.

With the help of NEXRAD weather radar data, mesoscale models and algorithms, the index is measured on a scale of 0 to 10. The higher the BTI value is, the most likely a tornado is on the ground. Shear markers from different colors are used depending on the scale above 2. Yellow markers are used for values between 2 and 3.9, Orange markers are used for values between 4 and 6.9 and red markers are used for values over 7. [ [http://www.baronservices.com/bti/bti.php Baron Services: About BTI] ] [cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6528310.html|publisher="Broadcasting & Cable"|date=2008-02-04|title=Small Scale for the Big Screen] [cite web|url=http://www.tvtechnology.com/pages/s.0017/t.11648.html|publisher=TVtechnology.com|date=2008-02-29|title= Deployed Guardsman Uses Station’s Online Video to Give Family Tornado Info] [cite news|url=http://broadcastengineering.com/newsrooms/baron_tornado_index_predicts_0125/|publisher="Broadcast Engineering"|date=2008-01-25|title=New Baron Tornado Index predicts likelihood of twisters]

The product was developed and is marketed by Baron Services of Huntsville, Alabama, and is a part of the company's VIPIR radar analysis product. The system is primarily used by television stations The BTI first saw public usage in early 2008. WMC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee was the first station to implement the BTI during the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak on February 5, 2008 when tracking tornadoes over the Memphis and Jackson areas. The precise tracking of severe storms led WMC-TV in a significant viewer rating. [cite news|url = http://www.baronservices.com/news_pdf/BTI_success.pdf|publisher = "Baron Services"|accessdate = 2008-05-13|title = Station's Severe Weather Coverage Results in Big Ratings Boost]

BTI Partner Stations

This is a listing of stations which use the new BTI system. In all, 250 stations use the BTI system.

Footnotes

* ¹WOAI is currently owned by Newport Television. The company is in the process of selling the station to High Plains Broadcasting, Inc., however Newport will continue to operate the station under an agreement once it is sold.
* ²WBMA and WCFT are owned and operated by Allbritton. However Allbritton does operate WJSU, which is owned locally by Flagship Broadcasting under a Local Marketing Agreement.
* ³WISE is owned and operated by Granite Broadcasting, but under a Local Marketing Agreement the station also operates WPTA which is owned by Malara Broadcasting.
* ⁴WLNS can also be seen on low-power repeater W67AJ in Ann Arbor, owned by Eastern Michigan University located in Ypsilanti.
* ⁵WSWG serves as a semi-satellite of WCTV. It is digital-only on channel 43 after it voluntarily returned its license to operate its analog signal on channel 44 to the Federal Communications Commission. This coming days after that signal went dark after its transmitter was damaged on January 30, 2007.
* ⁶KCLO is a full-time satellite of KELO-TV.

References

External links

* [http://www.baronservices.com Baron Services official web site]