Emergency weather meteorologist professional#

Professionalism: A high level of professional expertise is required to perform properly during severe weather. On-air promotions or “teases” of future weather should reflect the reality of the anticipated situation and should be consistent with the forecast that is ultimately presented, as hype leads to a loss of credibility and may cause improper public response in a real situation.ĥ. However, the broadcast meteorologist should always place the interests of the public first when balancing market forces with the public good during periods of severe weather. Fair and open competition based on quality of service is in the public’s best interest. Balance: “Being first” and “being the best” are important motivators and highly desirable in the private sector. Creation of a Spanish-language glossary with the collaboration of the NWS staff and the Spanish-language media should be pursued in order to benefit the communities they serve.Ĥ. Experienced broadcast meteorologists with local knowledge can aid NWS personnel in fine-tuning forecasts and warnings. NWSChat is an excellent tool for this type of communication. During severe weather situations, private entities are encouraged to pass along storm reports along with videos and photographs to NWS forecasters and emergency management personnel. Private sector meteorologists have much to contribute to such teams while retaining autonomy and independence. Collaboration: Cooperation and coordination are necessary to build an effective integrated weather warning team.

However, where it is judged necessary to depart markedly from the NWS warnings, the situation should be well explained.ģ. A trained and experienced meteorologist who is knowledgeable about local conditions can add value to NWS forecasts and warnings. Media are encouraged to engage with and educate the public about probabilistic information and other types of uncertainty. Proper terminology translations should be used by Spanish-language media and standards should be implemented across the country. Standard definitions and terminology should be used in discussions to reduce confusion. Cautionary and qualifying remarks are particularly important with long-range outlooks and forecasts with high degrees of uncertainty (e.g., hurricane landfall predictions).

Accuracy: Presentation of a warning or a forecast should include an estimate of the confidence or uncertainty associated with the event. Any cancellations and “all clear” bulletins should follow suit.Ģ. Storm reports from the NWS and other sources are of great value during an emergency and should be made available to the public as quickly as possible. Information about areas impacted and the valid time period should always be included. Immediacy: All official watches and warnings for the area of concern should be broadcast in a timely and prudent manner, with the issuing authority clearly identified. Performance attributesīelow are the most desirable performance attributes for media providing severe weather information:ġ. With numerous and diverse means and formats and a high degree of flexibility, broadcast meteorologists remain well positioned to educate the public on proper responses to hazardous weather events and effectively communicate actionable advice in severe weather situations. An educated public, informed and advised by trusted media sources, can help build a Weather-Ready Nation. The media communicates essential information about potentially dangerous phenomena through timely dissemination of NWS and official emergency management information and by providing supplementary observations, interpretation, discussion, integration, and tailoring to an audience. Education in advance of severe weather helps prepare the public to appropriately respond during an emergency situation. The media promotes effective public response to severe weather threats through the dual roles of educator and communicator. This examination expresses the desirable attributes for media performance during potentially severe weather. The Society’s goals are to highlight the media’s vital role in the integrated warning system while underscoring the need for sound performance as an essential element for ensuring the appropriate public response takes place. Many of the attributes considered desirable in broadcast media performance are equally applicable to any platform providing weather information to the public. This public–private collaboration continues to evolve as these partners respond to and drive the revolution in information technology. The long-standing collaboration between the National Weather Service (NWS) and media has served the public well, especially during severe weather events. A Professional Guidance Statement of the American Meteorological Society Adopted by the AMS Council on 2 March 2021

Emergency weather meteorologist