Tornado Warning bugs

[bugo]

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the local Little Rock and Fort Smith TV stations used a little bug in one of the corners at the bottom of the screen during severe weather events. The earlier graphic for tornado warnings was a little clip art tornado that had the words "TORNADO" above the icon and "WARNING" below. Severe thunderstorm warnings said "T-STORM" above the icon. They used the same icon for tornado watches if my memory is correct. By 1985, most if not all of the Little Rock stations were using a primitive graphic map outline of Arkansas with the counties the watch or warning is under filled in white. The filled in sections didn't necessarily follow county lines, the filled in parts looking like they were drawn in by hand using a light pen. I did some searches and I couldn't find any screenshots of these bugs. I thought I had a screenshot but I must have lost it. I'd love to see more screenshots of the stations KFSM (Fort Smith) and the Little Rock stations KARK, KATV and KARK. It seems like KARK (NBC) and KATV (ABC) used the state outline before CBS affiliates KFSM and KTHV still used an icon. All of the stations had scrolling crawls, usually along the bottom of the screen, during watches and some warnings. When tornado warnings were issued, the weather team would break into the program, depending on where the storm was located and where it was headed.

Do you have any images of the bugs, preferably from one of those stations?

[hbelkins]

As an aside, the NWS no longer issues whole-county warnings. On their maps, they draw a polygon to show the affected area.

I do remember the type of "bug" you mention as being used in the Lexington TV market several years ago.

[SEWIGuy]

As an aside, the NWS no longer issues whole-county warnings. On their maps, they draw a polygon to show the affected area.

The funny thing is that in many states, warnings are set up on the county-level. Earlier this year, we had a morning severe thunderstorm warning "polygon" that included a far part of my county.

However, 20+ miles away where I live, there was no storm. Not even rain. And the storm was not headed in our direction and never impacted us. But the storm sirens went off - as children were getting onto school buses. It was surreal.

[Scott5114]

Supposedly, these map "bugs" were invented by Gary England of KWTV in Oklahoma City. I believe it, and not just because I don't want him to get upset and make a freak tornado hit Las Vegas.

[hbelkins]

As an aside, the NWS no longer issues whole-county warnings. On their maps, they draw a polygon to show the affected area.

The funny thing is that in many states, warnings are set up on the county-level. Earlier this year, we had a morning severe thunderstorm warning "polygon" that included a far part of my county.

However, 20+ miles away where I live, there was no storm. Not even rain. And the storm was not headed in our direction and never impacted us. But the storm sirens went off - as children were getting onto school buses. It was surreal.

I don't think they have the geo-location aspects of their polygon system worked out yet. Before I disabled those warnings on my phone, it used to go off for a warning that did not affect my part of the county.