How to cover severe weather
By Dan Randolph, Loras College
Be knowledgeable about weather coverage, Marc Russell, a meteorologist at the national weather service, told the 2008 IBNA convention.
“Journalists who cover severe weather should do some background research about storms,” Russell said. “Knowing the history of severe weather will help improve weather coverage.”
The history of weather coverage has improved from a guessing game into a high tech, high powered guessing game, he said.
“Scientists can use sophisticated technology to track storms now, but we heavily rely on our spotters in the field.”
How storms are formed
“The space between an up-draft, an up-burst of wind, and a down-draft, a down-burst of wind, is the most likely place a tornado can form,” he said.
Storms in Iowa move to the northeast in the spring, Russell said, and east to southeast during the high summer months.
Severe storms should be viewed from a distance, he said. A safe distance of two to three miles east to south east of the storm will give the best angle of the developing storm, while keeping the spotter safe.
“A wall cloud can form a tornado in only a matter of a few seconds,” Russell said. “This is why journalists should know the storm’s motion to stay out of harm’s way.”
The use of a mobile radar device such as a laptop or cell phone will increase the likelihood of being in the right place to get the best coverage of the developing storm.
“It is all about being safe really,” said Russell. “While the tools have changed and made weather coverage easier, it all still depends on the knowledgeable coverage of spotters and journalists on the ground.”
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