Storm chasers say National Weather Service data critical to chasers, meteorologists' jobs
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Following reports that employees at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Norman would be fired as part of massive on going federal cuts, storm chasers say they want the public to know how vital NWS data is for them, and any meteorologists you may follow, to keeping bringing life-saving forecasts and information.
'I was really afraid of storms as a kid,' said storm tracker Conner Tune, with News 4's 4Warn Storm Team.That was until Tune had a close brush with the power of Mother Nature himself.'I grew up in the town of Bridge Creek, and was there in '99 when we got hit,' Tune said.
NOAA layoffs impacting National Weather Services workers in Oklahoma
He became, maybe even a little obsessed.'My fear turned into a real deep fascination,' Tune said.He harnessed that fascination and became a storm chaser.For the past several years, he's been a storm tracker for News 4's 4Warn Storm Team.Tune showed News 4 his chasing vehicle, the 4Warn 'Weather Wrangler.'
His Weather Wrangler has all the bells and whistles. The most important of them might be his iPad, full of apps bringing him the latest data from the National Weather Service.
'The computer models that we look at to plan where we should stage for days of severe weather,' Tune said. 'It's hard to know where tornadoes are gonna be on days where there's tornadoes. We rely on that data, that observed data from the Weather Service to make an educated guess. It takes many, many teams all working together.'
That's why, when he heard the news that the National Weather Service will not be immune to the ongoing federal cuts, he grew concerned.'Without those people, none of that data is going to be collected,' Tune said.
It brought back that old childhood feeling.
'It's scary,' Tune said. 'Without the data, we're blind.'
He says it wouldn't just put storm chasers in the dark, but also every TV and social media meteorologist too.
'No matter what you choose to gather your weather information, the fact is all of these organizations are reliant upon this information, this data gathered by the National Weather Service,' Tune said. 'They're not gathering this data themselves.'
Now, with storm season fast approaching, he'll still be hitting the road.'I'm playing an important role in public safety,' said Tune.
He just hopes he won't encounter too many bumps along the way.'I do think we need to be very vocal,' Tune said. 'We all, as Oklahomans, we should know the importance of our weather service.'
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