Hello from Starkville Mississippi! The White Squirrel Weather program here at Western Kentucky University is currently attending the Southeast Severe Storms Symposium. This is the 20th annual meeting here at Mississippi State University. The symposium has speakers come from all over like Joanne Culin from the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi, and Danielle Breezy from WKRN in Nashville, Tennesse. Some special guests included: James Spann from ABC 33/40 News and Amy Freeze from Fox Weather.
This symposium allows professional meteorologists to get together with students to talk about current breakthroughs in meteorology and recent severe weather events. Like reviewing the December 10th-11th, 2021 tornado outbreak or using GIS to inform the public of flood zones. James Spann wrapped up the first day with a great half-hour talk about how to be a successful meteorologist and how to connect with your audience. He reminds you to go out of your way to constantly remind people of the dangers of the weather. James also reminds us that even though the weather is beautiful it is also destructive and tragic.
Our fellow students, Jake Disinger and Cooper Bennett will be presenting tomorrow on the White Squirrel Weather program and how using drones helped to analyze the destruction paths from tornadoes. Afterward, we get to make the six-hour drive back to Bowling Green, Kentucky!
Bret G