JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
In Chattanooga’s nearby suburban community of Harrison, a public presentation dedicated to weather safety and preparation was held within the town’s Community Center.
Hosted by both the Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club (CARC) and the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), the presentation centers around weather safety and the ways which individuals can plan and prepare for inclement weather. Anthony Cavalluci, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NWS’s Morristown office, noted on three core factors the presentation covered: planning, preparing, and taking action. Throughout the presentation, each was detailed in its significance to weather safety and preparation, a variety of weather facts, tools, and radar information being displayed to demonstrate how an everyday individual can pinpoint and better prepare for the telltale signs of incoming weather, whether small or severe in magnitude.
“Our main mission is to protect lives and property,” Cavalluci said. “The way that we do that is issuing advisories, watches, and warnings.”
Tracing its roots as far back as 1870, the NWS serves as the nation’s primary weather forecast center and provider for all major weather alerts across all 50 states, utilizing state-of-the-art satellite and radar technology to track varying weather patterns across the country. During the presentation, Cavalluci pointed out how everyday citizens can help play a major role into providing accurate data for the NWS to showcase. Community members can directly contact each state’s major NWS weather stations, East Tennessee’s regional facility located in Morristown. Contact through phone serves as the most effective means of providing information to the NWS, and those reaching out are required to provide as much information regarding inclement weather and its location as accurately as possible.
“Everyday people help fill in the gaps that we aren’t seeing on radar,” Cavalluci said. “We can put the report with the radar imagery and be able to be more accurate with our warnings, especially downstream.”
The presentation was held Thursday, Feb. 26, days before this year’s Tornado Season officially began on March 1, the season lasting annually until June. Because of timing, Cavalluci felt the presentation could allow community members to better understand and prepare for the warning signs and signals today’s weather equipment and imagery can provide, ensuring residents are more alert for potential severe weather.
Cavalluci explained weather presentations were also held in Marion County in the past. However, due to a lack of staff needed to travel and host the event, a presentation more localized within the area was unable to be established, despite attempts made by county Emergency Manager Steve Lambs. Regardless, hopes and ideas are still in the air for another weather safety presentation to make a return for Marion County and its residents, one where the community can become more weather wary and prepared for any form of weather event Nature brings to the area.