[♪♪] WEATHER IN KENTUCKY IS SOMETIMES EXTREME AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS.

BEING UNPREPARED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES CAN BE DEADLY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE?

WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER, STAYING SAFE.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

I'M CHRISTIE DUTTON.

WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER: STAYING SAFE.

OVER THE NEXT HOUR, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT KENTUCKY'S DYNAMIC WEATHER AND WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO BE READY FOR THE WORST OF IT.

WE'LL LOOK BACK AT RECENT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS IN OUR STATE, AND WE'LL LOOK AHEAD AND DISCUSS WHAT'S TO COME.

BUT FIRST, I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR EXPERT PANEL GUESTS THAT WILL HELP US PREPARE FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON AHEAD.

WE HAVE: ERIC GIBSON, DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SHANE HOLINDE, OUTREACH MANAGER FOR THE KENTUCKY MESONET & KENTUCKY CLIMATE CENTER JOHN GORDON, METEOROLOGIST AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE NEE JACKSON, DIRECTOR OF PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

FIRST, I WANT TO BEGIN WITH THE DEVASTATING SEVERE FLOODING THAT IMPACTED EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN KENTUCKY LAST MONTH IN FEBRUARY.

AN INTENSE STORM SEVERE WITH DOWNPOURS SWEPTD THROUGH THE REGION FEBRUARY 15TH AND 16TH.

THE HEAVY RAIN LED TO RIVERS AND CREEKS OVERFLOWING SUBMERGING ROADS, HOMES AND BUSINESSES AND PROMPTING WIDESPREAD EVACUATIONS AND CLAIMING THE LIVES OF KENTUCKIANS IN THE PATH OF THE RISING WATERS.

GOVERNOR BESHEAR UPDATED THAT DEATH TOLL TO 24 WITH FATALITIES FROM WESTERN KENTUCKY ALL THE WAY TO EASTERN KENTUCKY IN PIKE COUNTY.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT NUMBER COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER IF IT WEREN'T FOR OUR FROINERS PERFORMING A THOUSAND WATER RESCUES TO SAFE OTHERS AND THAT DESERVES SOME ACCOLADE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THE RISING WATERS CLOSED 300 ROADS AND KNOCKED OUT POWER TO 40,000 HOMES.

TAKE A LOOK HAT THIS TWO DIFFICULT DAY RAIN TOTAL MAP FROM THE KENTUCKY MESONET AND THAT FEBRUARY WEEKEND THE RAINFALL VARIED WIDELY FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

SOME PEOPLE GOT ALMOST SEVEN INCHES OF RAIN AND YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS IN WESTERN WESTERN KENTUCKY, THE DARK AREA IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE, TOO.

ALTHOUGH EASTERN KENTUCKY HAD THAT TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR EVEN WITH THE LIGHTER AMOUNTS, THEIR TERRAIN CAUSED THE MOST EXTREME FLOODING NEAR THE RIVERS, CREEKS, STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.

AND ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS IS PIKE COUNTY.

FEELING THE IMPACTS LONG AFTER THE WATER RECEDED.

I WANT TO START WITH NEE JACKSON FROM PIKE COUNTY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE THAT WEEKEND?

>> IT WAS VERY SURREAL.

YOU WERE MENTIONING THERE THAT WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND RESCUES IN THE STATE.

BUT WE HAD 600 IN PIKE COUNTY ALONE.

WE DID HAVE FOUR FATALITIES IN PIKE COUNTY.

AND IT WAS DEVASTATING BECAUSE OF THE FACT, TOO, BECAUSE WE HAD TWO RIVERS FLOODED AT THE SAME TIME.

WE HAD THE TUG RIVER AND THE FORK OF THE BIG SANDY AND THEY FLOODED AT THE SAME TIME.

THE TUG RIVER CRESTED AT 48.4 FEET AND BIG SANDY CRESTED AT 46.68 FEET.

TO HAVE THE TWO RIVERS FLOOD AT THE SAME TIME AFFECTED EVERY CORNER OF THE COUNTY OF PIKE COUNTY.

PIKE COUNTY 789 SQUARE MILES AND A THOUSAND MILES OF COUNTY ROADS.

SO WE'RE LARGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

YOU KNOW, TOPOGRAPHY WISE IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT.

THE FIRST WATER RESCUE CREW THAT I SENT OUT WENT TO ELK HORN CITY WE RESCUED 103 PEOPLE IN A NURSING HOME THAT WE HAD TO EVACUATE.

WE EVACUATED 47 IN PIKEVILLE MEDICAL CENTER AND SENT 56 TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL.

SO AND FROM THERE, WE HAD CREWS THAT COULDN'T GET THERE.

THEY HAD TO TRY OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE FROM BELFRY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF OBSTACLES WE HAD TO OVERCOME.

>> WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT VIDEO NOW.

THAT LOOKS DEVASTATING.

WERE PEOPLE SCARED?

WERE PEOPLE CALM?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE THERE?

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE SCARED.

WE, YOU KNOW, IN ALL HONESTY WE STARTED WARNING OVER A WEEK IN ADVANCE KNOWING THIS WAS COMING.

THE THING ABOUT IT WAS, WAS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE ACTUAL FLOODING STARTING TO HAPPEN, THEY STARTED TO BACK OFF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A NORTHWESTERLY TURN AND THE ORIGINAL PROJECTIONS WEREN'T GOING TO HIT.

AND THEN ON SATURDAY MORNING, IT TOOK A TURN TO THE EAST.

AND CHANGED THEIR TRA JEKION QUITE A BIT.

>> DIRECTOR GIBSON FOR AN EVENT LIKE THIS WHERE YOU KNOW THAT A BIG PART OF THE STATE IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED, WHAT IS IT LIKE ONCE THE CALLS COME IN FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES DEALING WITH DEVASTATING FLOODS ALL AT ONE TIME?

>> IT IS A GOOD WAY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THE STATE IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN FLOODING WE'VE SEEN THAT IS AN ISOLATED PART OF OUR STATE.

THIS EVENT STARTED IN THE WEST.

YOU SAW THE SIX-INCH TOTALS IN HEART AND WARREN COUNTIES OUR FIRST PHI AT THAT TIMES STARTED IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE AS THE STORM MOVED TO THE EAST.

AS WE STARTED RESPONDING WE TRIED TO HAVE AS MANY RESPONDERS READY TO GO ALERT ABOUT THIS EVENT.

MOVING OUR TEAMS INTO POSITION SO THEY CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE WHERE THE DISASTER MAY FALL.

AS IT STARTS TO MOVE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE NORTHEAST OR THE SOUTHEAST CORNER AND HAVING THOSE TEAMS READY TO RESPOND ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT PIECE THAT WE TRY TO BUILD IN FOR THIS EVENT.

WE READIED 32 SWIFT WATER TEAMS BEFORE THE EVENT STARTED.

PART OF OUR FUNCTION IS CORD NATALLING WITH THE RESCUE SQUADS AND HELP THE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS AND SO MANY OF OUR CITIES WERE ABLE TO SEND OUT TEAMS TO HAVE THE TEAMS READY TO QUICKLY GET TO PEOPLE THAT WERE IN NEED.

AS THE EVENT SHIFTED EAST AND WE SAW THAT THE FOCUS WAS GOING TO BE AROUND PIKE, PERRY AND MARTIN COUNTIES WE STARTED PULLING THOSE TEAMS AS THE WESTERN PART STARTED TO GET TO A STABLE POSITION WE STARTED PULLING THE TEAMS, THEY STARTED HEADING EAST.

AND AT THE END OF THE EVENT ALL OF THE ASSETS WERE OVER TO PIKEVILLE DOWN TO HAZARD AND HARLAN AREA.

AND THEN WE STARTED CALLING IN TEAMS FROM OTHER STATES TO HELP US AS WE SAW THE NUMBER OF RESCUES AND THE HOURS THAT OUR FROINERS WERE SPENDK IN THE WATER AND THE BOATS STARTED TO BE LONG HOURS WE STARTED BACKING UP WITH OHIO'S TEAM.

WE ASKED MISSOURI BROUGHT A TEAM IN AND INDIANA BROUGHT A TEAM IN FROM THE CONSERVATION OFFICERS.

NORTH CAROLINA SENT TWO TEAMS TO HELP US THROUGH THE INCUMBENT GAP.

AS WE SAW THE NEED WAS RISING WE TRIED TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CONTINUE TO HELP OUR FIRST-RESPONDERS.

>> JOHN GORDON YOU FORECASTED THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL EVENT.

WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE BAD.

AND WE HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET HEAVY RAIN AND THERE WAS FLOODING CONCERN ALREADY IN PLACE THERE.

WERE YOU EVER WORRIED THAT THIS MIGHT BECOME A DEADLY EVENT LIKE JULY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY JULY, 2022?

>> NO QUESTION.

JANUARY WE STARTED OFF WITH THE INFAMOUS SNOW SANDWICH OF SNOW, SLEETED, FREEZING RAIN BACK TO SNOW.

WE WERE COLD ALL THAT MOISTURE IS TRAPPED IN THE GROUND AND WE HAD TWO RAIN EVENTS.

I BRIEFED THAT MONDAY MORNING THE 7TH, MAYBE.

AND I JUST TOLD THEM YOU ARE GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE NEWS.

YOUR STATE'S GOING TO FLOOD.

I DON'T SCREW AROUND THERE IS A 42% PROBABILITY.

NO, IT'S COMING.

WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY SATURATED AND YOU'VE GOT SLOW FLOW COMING IN.

IN OTHER WORDS THERE IS A RIDGE ON THE EAST COAST AND IT CAN'T MOVE OFF TO THE EAST YOU ARE STUCK ALL THAT MOISTURE IS GOING TO COME INTO THE MEDICAL.

COMMONWEALTH.

WE HAD SEVEN PEOPLE THERE WORKING OUR BUNS OFF AND WE HEARD THE MOTHER AND THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND WE ALL DID THIS.

AND WE WERE SICK.

WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET INJURED.

FLOODING IS ALTHOUGH GOING TO BE KENTUCKY'S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM.

THAT IS WHAT WE GOT.

>> YEAH.

THAT IS WHAT WE GOT.

AND IT WAS MORE WIDESPREAD THIS TIME.

HAD A BIGGER IMPACT IN PIKE COUNTY, I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THAT JULY OF 2022 WAS BAD.

BUT THIS WAS WORSE FOR PIKE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THOSE THE RIVER FLOODING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS THE SECOND ON THE TUG RIVER AND SECOND ONLY TO 1977 WHICH HAPPENED ON APRIL THE FIFTH AT 52.6 FEET.

>> WHICH YOU REMEMBER?

>> YES.

I REMEMBER WORKING -- I REMEMBER THAT MORNING WAKING UP AND SEEING THE WATER FROM MY MOM AND DAD'S BEDROOM THE THE BACK WATER AND THAT WAS APRIL 5, 1977 AND THIS FLOODING WAS THE SECOND TO THAT ON THE TUG RIVER.

ON THE LA FIZ SA FORK THE TOTAL WAS 52.7 FEET AND THAT WAS IN '57 AND THIS IS FIVE.

AND IT'S 46.68 FEET.

AND YOU KNOW YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SPRING FLOODING, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT RECORD FLOODINGS, NONE OF THEM ARE IN THE SPRING THEY ARE ALL IN THE WINTERTIME IN PIKE COUNTY.

>> INTERESTING.

AND WE SHOWED, THE MESONET MAP AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING US USE THAT.

YOU ALWAYS ASK SHANE I NEED A MAP AND YOU WILL SEE THE MESONET MAPS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.

SHANE, YOU HEAR THE NUMBERS WE KNOW IT'S THIS AND THAT AND THIS MUCH RAINFALL AND THE MESONET HAS HOW MANY 78 DIFFERENT STATIONS ACROSS THE STATE THAT MEASURE THIS.

AND MEASUREMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND TELL US WHY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A HIGH-END RESEARCH GRADE NETWORK OF NETWORKS.

TALKING ABOUT KENTUCKY MESONET.

WE ARE NOW TO 81 STATIONS IN 76 COUNTIES.

WE PUT A NEW ONE ON-LINE IN CLAY COUNTY.

IT'S EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND WE ARE POISED FOR MORE GROWTH IN THE NETWORK IN THE WEST, CENTRAL AND EAST BEFORE THIS YEAR IS OUT.

AND THESE MEASUREMENTS ARE CRITICAL FOR OUR PARTNERS WITH NOAA, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SUCH AS WHAT WE SAW ON 15 15TH AND 16TH.

SOMETIMES WE GOT LOST IN THE NUMBERS.

I GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED THREE YEARS AGO IN JULY OF 2022 WE HAD MORE RAIN IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AROUND JACKSON 10 INCHES OF RAIN FELL WITHIN A 48-HOUR SPAN.

THIS TIME THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS WERE A THIRD OF WHAT WE HAD NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO.

THAT SAID WE HAD FLOODING IN OUR MESONET SITE.

IT WENT OFF LINE ON FEBRUARY 16TH.

AS IT DID, NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO.

>> AND I HEARD THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON WANTS THE FLOODING BEGAN IT CUT THE ROAD OFF.

SO THEY HAD TO SHELTER IN PLACE THERE.

THEY HAD TO SPEND THE NIGHT THERE?

>> MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN JACKSON GOT TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE OFFICE.

THIS HAPPENED JULY A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

THIS HAPPENED BEFORE.

WATER RUNS DOWNHILL.

IN EASTERN KENTUCKY ALL YOU HAVE IS THIS.

>> ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE.

>> THOSE FOLKS IN JACKSON IT IS A SHOUT-OUT TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

THEY WORKED HARD FOR THE EASTERN KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WE USED THE MESONET TO MAKE DECISIONS.

YOU ARE IN THE HOTSEAT IT'S EASY WHEN YOU ARE ON A VIDEO GAME YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DATA, THE RADAR AND GROUND TRUTH TO MAKE QUICK DECISIONS AND THEY UPGRADED THE WARNING TO CATASTROPHIC BECAUSE IT WAS VERY BAD STUFF.

>> MOTHER NATURE HAS A WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE.

AND ALSO, SHANE, I WANTED TO MENTION WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE MEASUREMENTS ARE, AND THERE ARE SOME GAPS AS WE MENTIONED.

BUT WE CAN HELP OUT WITH THAT, RIGHT?

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

THIS IS AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO DO IT.

THIS IS THE SHOW AND TELL PORTION OF THE SHOW.

I HAVE A PROFESSIONAL RAIN GAUGE AND THIS IS CALIBRATED TO THE NEAREST 1 HAD HUNDREDTH THIS IS KNOWN AS COCOA ROZ OBSERVERS, COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE, RAIN HAIL SNOW NETWORK.

WE NEED MORE OBSERVERS IN KENTUCKY.

>> I WOULD DRAW A LINE FROM MARIAN ACROSS TO THE EAST TOWARDS CAMPBELLSVILLE WHERE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNTIES WHO DO NOT HAVE OBSERVERS.

WE HAVE GAPS TO FILL IN THAT CENTRAL PORTION OF KENTUCKY AND SOME IN EASTERN KENTUCKY PIKE COUNTY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE OBSERVERS.

ANYBODY CAN DO THIS.

PURCHASE ONE OF THESE GAUGES IT'S $35.

THERE IS ANOTHER ONE MORE ON THE HIGH-END BUT THEY WORK MUCH THE SAME.

YOU SET THIS UP ON A POST AND ATTACH IT IN THE BACKYARD AND COME OUT IN THE 8:00 A.M. EASTERN AND TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENT JOT IT DOWN ON-LINE THROUGH THE LINK ONCE YOU BECOME CERTIFIED TO DO SO OR THROUGH THE APP.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THAT FOR FREE.

EASY TO DO.

TAKES NO MORE THAN TWO OR THREE MINUTES BUT WE NEED MORE OBSERVATIONS THIS IS CRITICAL INFORMATION USED FOR RESEARCHERS AS WELL.

>> COCOA ROZ.

>> COCORAHS.ORG.

THERE IS A SHORT INFORMATIONAL VIDEO A SLIDE SHOW BEFORE YOU BECOME CERTIFIED TO MAKE THE OBSERVATIONS ON-LINE BUT IT'S EASY PROCESS.

>> AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND JOHN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE HEARTBREAKING STORIES THE LOSSES FROM FEBRUARY'S FLOOD.

IT HAPPENED IN HEART COUNTY NEAR BACON CREEK WHERE A MOTHER AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHILD WERE SWEPT AWAY BY FLOODWATERS.

AND WE HAVE THE STORY.

>> IT CAME DOWN LIKE A GULLY WASHER.

>> SATURDAY'S TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR DROPPING 4.3 INCHES OF RAIN ON HEART COUNTY IN A SINGLE DAY.

>> IT'S FLOODED EVERYWHERE.

>> WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH RAIN THE CREEKS CAN'T HANDLE IT.

>> THAT INCLUDES BACON CREEK KNOWN TO RISE.

>> I'VE SEEN THE BACON CREEK OUT OF ITS BANKS MANY TIMES.

>> IT'S TRAGIC TO THE HEART COUNTY.

>> A WOMAN AND HER SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DRIVING ON TO THE ROAD FRIDAY NIGHT.

>> THE CAR GOT STUCK AND WAS SWEPT AWAY INTO THE TREE LINE.

>> CORONER SAYS THE VICTIM AMY WAS ABLE TO CALL SOMEONE WHO ALERTED FIRST-RESPONDERS.

>> THE PHONE SERVICE IS NOT REAL WELL.

AND SHE GOT OUT TO SOMEBODY.

>> POLICE, FIRE AND RESCUE AGENCIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY RECOVERED THE CHILD'S BODY SATURDAY EVENING.

>> WE WORKED UP TO 2:00 A.M. BEFORE WE HAD TO CALL THE RESCUE BECAUSE IT GOT TOO TREACHEROUS.

>> SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS RESUMED SUNDAY MORNING AND THE CAR AND THE BODY WERE RECOVERED SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

>> OUR COMMUNITY IS DEVASTATED.

>> WILL IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT.

>> BACON CREEK IS CALLED A CREEK AND PEOPLE SAY IT IS A RIVER IT IS A LARGE CREEK.

>> HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVED ON CAMPGROUND ROAD FOR 10 YEARS AND THE BRIDGE IS OFTEN UNDERWATER AFTER HEAVY RAINFALL.

>> THE APPROACH TO THE BRIDGE IS A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT.

YOU CAN COME ON WATER AND NOT KNOW IT.

>> SHE LIVES IN PRICEVILLE.

>> I HAD TO STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM LAST NIGHT.

>> HER ROAD IMPASSABLE DUE TO FLOODWATERS.

>> WE ARE AT CAMPGROUND CHURCH WATCHING THE WATER TO GO DOWN AND PRAY TO GOD WE CAN GET IN TONIGHT.

>> SINCE THIS INTERVIEW THE WATER RECEDING FOR REYNOLDS TO RETURN HOME.

IT'S NOT JUST BONNIEVILLE AFFECTED BY FLASH FLOODING IN MUCH FORWARDVILLE, THE GREEN RIVER OVERFLOWING LEAVING THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, PICNIC AREA AND SOCCER FIELDS ALL UNDERWATER.

>> AND JOHN GORDON WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

DON'T CROSSOVER FLOODED ROADWAYS.

IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WE COULD CONVINCE PEOPLE TO DO AS METEOROLOGISTS THAT WOULD SAVE THE MOST LIVES IN KENTUCKY AND IN THE U.S., IT WOULD BE DO NOT DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADWAYS.

>> 100%.

I'M TELLING YOU I WISH I HAD A FUND WHERE I HAND YOU MONEY NOT TO DO IT.

EVERY YEAR, PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA MAKE VERY FOOLISH DECISIONS.

AND INDIANA HAS A NEW LAW WHICH IS INTERESTING.

THE LEGISLATURE CAN LISTEN TO THIS.

IS THAT INDIANA HAS A THING IF YOU GO AROUND A BARRICADE, WHY IS IT THERE.

>> TO KEEP YOU FROM DRIVING.

>> IF YOU DRIVE AROUND AND YOU HAPPEN TO GET CAUGHT AND THE EMS HAS TO RESCUE AND THE SEARCH AND RESCUE PEOPLE A.

YOU GET ARRESTED AND B.

YOU GET CHARGED WITH THE RESCUERS WHO CAME OUT TO RESCUE YOU.

IT ONLY TAKES SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT.

I HAVE A GIANT TRUCK IT DOES NOT MATTER.

NEVER EVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED STRETCH OF ROAD.

>> AND DIRECTOR GIBSON, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, TOO?

THIS IS A MAJOR TALKING POINT FOR THE STATE.

IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE COUNTY WHEN THERE'S FLOODING RAINS ROADS FLOOD.

SO HOW -- BESIDES TELLING PEOPLE HOW ELSE DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS?

>> WELL, AS YOU SEE THESE EVENTS CONTINUING TO BE REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE THIS EVENT STARTED ON THE 15TH BUT IT LASTED WE HAD DAYS OF RESCUES BEYOND THE 15TH AND THE 16TH.

PEOPLE WERE WORKING THEIR WAY AROUND THE BARRICADES AND GETTING INTO THE STANDING WATER.

THOSE PROBABLY WENT ON INTO THE WEEK.

THERE WAS ONE LAST ONE THAT WAS WAY LATE IN THE EVENT WHERE WE HAD TO SEND OUT OUR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS TO GET SOMEONE OUT OF THE STRANDED WATER.

AND IT OFTEN BECOMES FATAL.

THE FACT THAT THE CARS GET SWEPT AWAY IT'S QUICK WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THAT PERSON FROM THE CAR BEFORE THEY ARE OVERCOME WITH THE WATER.

MANY FATALITIES IN THIS EVENT WERE FROM DRIVING THROUGH THE ELEVATED WATER AND NO ONE MENTIONED YET, THIS EVENTS WAS FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD OF COLD WEATHER.

AND THAT OFTEN GETS MISSED BUT MANY OF THE FATALITIES WERE DUE TO HYPOTHERMIA AS VICTIMS HAD GOTTEN WET.

THEY WERE COLD.

PEOPLE WERE OUT OF DOORS.

ONE IN PIKE COUNTY WAS A PERSON TRYING TO SHELTER IN PLACE.

POWER WAS OUT BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING AND WE HAD A LOT OF COMPOUNDING FACTORS THAT CREATED THOSE ISSUES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SHELTER TODAY.

SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

DON'T DRIVE AROUND THE BARRICADES.

IF YOU SEE STANDING WATER, STOP, TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

IT'S EASY TO DO.

AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE IN A HURRY TO GET TO THEIR HOME AND IT DOESN'T WORKOUT WELL.

>> AND PEOPLE DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM.

BUT THEY MUST THINK I CAN IF I GET SWEPT AWAY GET OUT OF THE CAR.

WHY DON'T PEOPLE JUST GET OUT OF THE CAR AT THAT POINT?

>> WELL, I THINK IT HAPPENS SO QUICKLY.

YOU ARE IN TOO FAR BEFORE YOU REALIZE YOU ARE IN TOO FAR.

YOU THINK IT'S OKAY AND MANY TIMES IN THE SITUATIONS PIKE COUNTY NOW YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A ROAD THAT ROAD HAS BEEN DAMAGED OR WASHED OUT IN A WAY THAT WHAT WAS A FEW INCHES MAYBE DEEPER BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE HIDDEN UNDER THE WATER THAT YOU DON'T SEE AND THINGS THAT CAUSE THE CARS NOT TO MOVE, THE WATER CONTINUES TO RISE AND THE CAR GETS SWEPT AWAY.

YOU HAVE THE PRESSURE OF THE WATER AGAINST THE DOORS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

>> CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR THEN.

AND WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS, YOU CAN'T TAKE THE WINDOWS DOWN OR ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN AS WE USED TO SAY.

THIS IS I HOPE I'M NOT OVERSTEPPING MY BOUNDS HERE, BUT THIS IS SUCH A AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE AND WE COMMUNICATE IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WE ARE ALL PART OF THIS COMMUNICATING THIS.

HAS ANYBODY HEARD ANY NEW MARKETING IDEAS TO GET THIS POINT ACROSS MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN IT HAS COME ACROSS THUS FAR BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?

>> THE GOVERNOR GETS ON THERE AND TALKS ABOUT IT EVERY TIME I DOES A PRESS CONFERENCE.

I WISH MY COUNTRY MUSIC STARS WOULD DO PSA'S WE NEED FAMOUS PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY IN THE HORSERACING OR COUNTRY MUSIC I WISH THEY WOULD DO A SHORT THING AND MAYBE THAT WILL GET THROUGH TO SOMEONE.

KIDS, SHANE AND I DO TALKS TO KIDS.

I GOT THE JINGLES, THUNDER ROARS GO INDOORS.

LOOK FOR HOT CARS.

AND ESPECIALLY TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

TELL YOUR PARENTS IF THEY START TO DO THIS SCREAM TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

>> MY GOLDEN RULE IS IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE YELLOW LINE CHANCES ARE THE WATER IS TOO DEEP TO CROSS DON'T CHANCE IT.

>>00 NEE JACKSON IN PIKE COUNTY YOU DEAL WITH FLOODED ROADWAYS DURING THE HIGH WATER EVENTS.

HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE THIS OUT TO PEOPLE?

IS THERE -- CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO GET THE POINT ACROSS?

>> THE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN I PROBABLY HAVE SAID THAT AS MUCH AS I'VE SAID ANYTHING.

AND YOU GET TIRED OF SAYING TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A SHALLOW THING.

BUT I MEAN, ONE OF EVERY FOUR FATALITIES WAS A GENTLEMAN DROVE INTO AND HE HAD BEEN TO HELP PEOPLE AND HELPED RESCUE PEOPLE.

BUT HE DRIVES THROUGH WATER.

AND HE'S LITERALLY ON THE PHONE WITH A DISPATCHER WHEN HE TELLS HIM HE IS GOING TO DROWN.

>> OH, MY GOSH.

>> SO, I MEAN, THE IMPACT THAT IT NOT ONLY HAD ON HIM AND HIS FAMILY BUT THE DISPATCHER WHO HAD TO TAKE THAT CALL, AND TALK TO THAT GENTLEMAN AS HE IS DROWNING.

>> OH, MAN.

>> THERE'S MANY TRAGIC STORIES THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.

NO DOUBT.

AND YOU HAVE LOCAL DIRECTORS ACROSS THE STATE YOU KNOW THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THESE AT THEIR COUNTY LEVEL, THEY ALL HAVE VERY TOUCHING STORIES THAT TELL OF THIS TRAGEDY OF DRIVING THROUGH STANDING WATER THE HYPOTHERMIA THAT FOLLOWED WITH THE COLD WEATHER.

AS YOU SEE THIS EVENT THERE'S WAYS THAT TRAGEDY CAN STRIKE IN ONE OF THE WEATHER EVENTS.

WHETHER IT BE FROM THE DRIVING TOO FAST AND HYDROPLANING AND SLIPPING OFF THE HIGHWAY OR SWEPT AWAY IN RUSHING WATERS OR TEND TO FOLLOW-UP WITH THE ELEMENTS THAT CAUSES SOMEONE'S BODY TEMPERATURE TO DROP AND THEY PASS AWAY.

WE SEE, MANY, MANY WAYS THERE ARE TRAGIC STORIES THAT COME FROM THESE EVENTS.

TO MESSAGE IT PROPERLY OUR GOVERNOR DOES A GOOD JOB AND OUR METEOROLOGISTS I TALK WHEN I GET A CHANCE OR HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA OUTLETS AS THEY COME IN FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCES, IS WE ARE A WHISPER AND THEY ARE THE MEGA PHONE.

AS THOSE WEATHER AND METEOROLOGISTS ARE ABLE TO REPEAT THE INFORMATION IT'S REACHING INTO OUR KENTUCKY HOMES AND MAYBE SOMEONE HEARS IT THAT DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT.

IF THEY THINK ABOUT THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED IN THIS EVENT FROM THAT, MAYBE IT STICKS WITH THEM.

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ARE LAUNCHING CAMPAIGNS TO CLICK IT OR TICKET AND THOSE THINGS.

SPEEDING ENFORCEMENT.

AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PUSHING A MESSAGING OF TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN AND THEY MAYBE.

I KNOW WE WORK HARD THROUGH OUR OUTLETS TO GET IT DONE ANYTIME THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A MEGA PHONE IN SOMETHING THAT IS DEADLY THOSE WOULD BE GOOD PARTNERS FOR US.

>> AND THE SIGNS ON THE HIGHWAYS THAT THE LIGHTED SIGNS THAT CHANGE IS THAT -- WOULD THAT BE A PART OF THAT?

>> THOSE WOULD BE AN OPTION AS WELL.

THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THEY MESSAGE MANY SAFETY MESSAGES ACROSS THOSE.

ENHANCED AWARENESS IS ALWAYS GOING TO HELP BUT IT TAKES SOMEONE WILLING TO READ IT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND REALIZE THE DANGER THAT IS FROM SHOWS LIKE THIS.

SOMEONE HEARS IT AND THINKS, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T NEXT TIME.

MAYBE I COULD BE MORE CAREFUL OR THEY HEAR ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES AND IT RESONATES IN A WAY THAT IS IMPACTFUL.

WE HAVE YOUNG DRIVERS THAT ARE NEW TO THE STEERING WHEEL.

AND IF WE SPREAD THAT MESSAGE IT'S ONE LIFE SAVED.

>> GOOD POINT.

AND HEARING HOPEFULLY THIS MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL HEAR THIS AND SPREAD THAT HELP US COMMUNICATE WITH THAT EVEN THE STORY YOU TOLD NEE JACKSON ABOUT THE DISPATCHER.

HEARING THAT STORY, TOO.

NOW, I WANT TO SHIFT GEARS AND I WANT TO DISCUSS A TOPIC THAT GETS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM MAYBE TOO MUCH INTEREST SOMETIMES TORNADOES.

SO KENTUCKY HAS AN AVERAGE OF 26 TORNADOES A YEAR ACCORDING TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER THE 30-YEAR AVERAGE.

AND SOME ARE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE WARNINGS ISSUED.

JOHN GORDON WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND WARNING.

>> WATCH BE PREPARED AND WARNING IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT WORDS -- THEY BOTH START WITH A W. SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT.

MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY.

AND ERIC GIBSON WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET WARNINGS?

>> SO BACK TO THE NOAA WEATHER RADIOS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THOSE ARE AN EXCELLENT SOURCE.

WHEN THE WEATHER SERVICE SENDS OUT THAT ALERT.

TODAY WE HAD A 10:07 OUR STATE-WIDE TORNADO DRILL AND PEOPLE TELL ME MY COMPUTER MEMED ME, MY WORK CALLED ME, EVERY YEAR THE TECHNOLOGY IS GETTING BETTER AT REACHING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

WE OFTEN HEAR WELL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHERE I'M AT.

BUT THE STATE IS A BIG PLACE AND WHEN OUR METEOROLOGISTS ARE TELLING US STORIES OUR WEATHER SERVICE ARE TELLING US STORIES BECAUSE IT IS NOT IN YOUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T MEAN THERE IS NOT COMMUNITIES AFFECTED ACROSS THE STATE.

AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TALK THIS WARNING OUT A LOT.

THE WATCH VERSUS THE WARNING AND THEN THE WEATHER SERVICE HAS GOTTEN GOOD WITH THE NEWER TECHNOLOGY AT BEING ACCURATE WHEN THEY TELL US THERE IS A SEVERE RISK THE HIGH CONFIDENCE WHEN JOHN GORDON SAYS THERE'S HIGH CONFIDENCE OF SEVERE WEATHER WE KNOW IT'S TIME TO COME TO WORK NO DOUBT ABOUT IT HE HAS DONE IT LONG ENOUGH AND THE WEATHER SERVICE WE REALLY HAVE WORKED HARD TO HELP OURSELVES BEING MORE PREPARED BY PARTNERING WITH THE WEATHER SERVICE.

DURING THE LAST EVENT AND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ANYTIME WE HAVE A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING ONE OF THEIR METEOROLOGISTS TO COME IN AT THE KENTUCKY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TO WE HAVE REALTIME INFORMATION.

IF WE ARE PUSHING SOMETHING OUT WE ARE SENDING OUT THE ALERTS WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME SO YOUR STATE AGENCIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER WELL BEFORE THE STORM HAPPENS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO HELP AND THEIR WARNINGS ARE BEING HEEDED.

>> WHEN HE IS SAYING STAY HOME YOU ARE ALL GOING TO WORK.

>> THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKS.

>> NEE JACKSON, WHERE DO PEOPLE GO WHERE DO YOU TELL THE FOLKS THERE IN PIKE COUNTY WHERE TO GO IF THERE IS A TORNADO IF THEY HEAR THAT WARNING?

>> IF THEY HAVE A SHELTER, WHICH IN PIKE COUNTY, THERE'S MAYBE HALF A DOZEN, BUT TO GET IN A LOWER AREA.

IF IT IS A TWO STOREY HOME AND YOU HAVE A CRAWL SPACE GET INTO THE LOWEST OF LOW AREAS.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE AWAY FROM ANY OF ALL WINDOWS.

BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT FLYING DEBRIS IS WHAT KILLS A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH TORNADOES.

GET TO THE LOWEST AREA AND COVER YOURSELF UP IF YOU HAVE BLANKETS ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN COVER YOURSELF UP AND COME TO THE CENTER OF THE STRUCTURE.

IF IT IS A SINGLE WIDE TRAILER OR DOUBLE WIDE TRAILER GET TO THE INNER MOST PART OF THE TRAILER INTO A BATH TUB AND COVER UP.

STAY AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE OUT IN THE OPEN, TRY TO FIND A LOW AREA A DITCH, A LOW AREA AND TRY TO COVER YOURSELF UP IF POSSIBLE.

>> YEAH.

HOPEFULLY YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT OUTSIDE.

>> NOAA WEATHER RADIOS, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET A HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT IN PIKE COUNTY FOR 5,000 WEATHER RADIOS.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE DONE 13 DISTRIBUTIONS IN PIKE COUNTY AND AT THIS POINT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SO FAR GIVE OUT 4400 OF THOSE 5,000 WEATHER RADIOS AND WE GET ALL KINDS OF CALLS MY RADIO IS GOING OFF THAT MEANS THAT SOME BAD WEATHER IS COMING YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.

TAP THAT WEATHER BUTTON AND LET IT TALK TO YOU IF YOU MISSED IT.

AND SIGNING UP FOR THINGS LIKE IN PIKE COUNTY WE USE ALERTS.

SIGN UP FOR THE WEATHER ALERTS.

THEY CAN BE INVALUABLE TO YOU IN THOSE TIMES WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS COMING.

BECAUSE WHETHER IT WAS IN 2012 THAT HIT WEST LIBERTY TO THE 2021 IN WESTERN KENTUCKY, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS.

SEVERE WEATHER CAN AND WILL HAPPEN IN KENTUCKY.

>> AND DOVETAIL OFF, IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME OF THE DAY.

NOCTURNAL TORNADOES THE MOST DANGEROUS AND MOST OF THOSE TORNADOES THAT OCCUR IN 2021 WERE DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.

I COVERED THAT EVENT IN MY TIME AS A CHIEF METEOROLOGIST I WILL NEVER FORGET THE BUILDING BETWEEN 1:17 AND 1:20 THAT MORNING AS THAT MONSTER EF3 ALMOST A FOUR WAS GOING TO THE NORTH OF OUR STATION MISSING US BY 800 YARDS AND THE POWER GOING OUT.

OUR GENERATOR KICKING ON.

AND WE HEAR OURSELVES TALKING.

THERE ARE INTERRUPTED FEEDBACK EARPIECES BUT WE ARE HARDLY GOING OUT TO ANYBODY AND WE LOST RADAR.

WE HAD TO GO BACK TO 1970s STYLE WEATHER ME AND MY COLLEAGUE, HAND DRAWING RED POLYGONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT EVENT UNTIL ABOUT 5:30 THAT MORNING WHEN THE LAST OF THE TORNADO WARNINGS FOR THE EASTERN PART OF OUR AREA RESPONSIBILITY AROUND LAKE CUMBERLAND WENT OFF THE BOARD.

IT WAS A HORRIBLE NIGHT.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER EVENT LIKE THAT?

WE WILL IT IS A MATTER OF WHEN.

BUT ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN AND BE PREPARED.

>> AND KRISTY, THE WEATHER RADIOS WILL WAKE YOU UP.

HALF OF OUR TORNADOES IN THE STATE ARE AFTER SUNSET.

THE WEATHER RADIO WAKE UP AND THERE'S THREE THINGS.

BLIZZARD WARNINGS, FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS AND TORNADO WARNINGS.

HAVE WAYS TO RECEIVE A WARNING TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE.

HALF ARE AFTER DARK.

>> I WILL ADD, JOHN ASSEMBLYWOMANNIONED WE GO OUT TO SCHOOL TALKS A LOT AND WE HAVE TO DEBUNK A COUPLE MYTHS ONE GOES BACK TO THE DAYS PRIOR TO THE APRIL 3, 1974 TORNADO OUTBREAK AND THAT IS WINDOWS DO YOU OPEN THEM OR CLOSE THEM.

GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS.

GET AWAY FROM THEM AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

AND LOOK FOR AN INTERIOR ROOM OR A BASEMENT, CELLULAR UNDERGROUND.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE WINDOWS THERE IS NO TRUTH ABOUT PRESSURE EQUALIZATION BETWEEN INDOORS AND OUT.

THE WINDOWS THE DAMAGE IN THE EVENT OF A TORNADO.

AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER IF YOU ARE IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OR NORTHWEST CORNER THERE IS NO TRUTH TO THAT EITHER.

>> AND ALSO, WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR WE HAD A TORNADO ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER THREE TIMES AND CAME OUT OF INDIANA AND KEPT CROSSING THE RIVER.

WELL, THEY CAN'T CROSS THE RIVER.

YES THEY CAN.

AND IN 2012 THEY CAN'T GO UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY.

YES IT CAN.

>> ALL THESE NONSENSE THINGS PEOPLE MAKEUP WE NEVER HAD A TORNADO AND YES BUT IT'S NEVER HIT WHERE I AM.

AND I'M LIKE WAKE UP.

>> IT IS A MATTER OF TIME.

PEOPLE USED TO SAY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY THE TOPOGRAPHY THERE THE HILLS, TORNADOES AREN'T THERE.

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE AT ALL.

>> NO, IT'S NOT TRUE.

I WAS TALKING TO DOUG THE FORMER DIRECTOR EARLIER TODAY AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO IN PIKE COUNTY.

SMALL ONE OF THEM DAMAGED A HOUSE AND A BARN.

BUT THEY WERE BOTH VERY SMALL AND LUCKILY IN REMOTE AREAS AND IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

BUT THEY CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

TORNADO AND IN ALL HONESTY WHEN IT DOES GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAIN IT IS COULD BE LIKE A PING PONG BALL.

ONCE IT GETS STARTED, HOW DEVASTATING THAT COULD BE.

>> I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT TORNADO OUTBREAKS THAT WE HAD LAST SPRING IN KENTUCKY.

WE HAD ONE OUTBREAK APRIL 2 AND ANOTHER ONE MAY 26.

WE'LL START WITH APRIL 2 TORNADO.

AND SEE VIDEO FROM THAT.

THAT INCLUDED STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE.

BY MY COUNT AND IT'S HARD TO PIECE TOGETHER THE WESTERN, EASTERN AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY NUMBERS, 15-20 TORNADOES IN THAT THE STATE JUST THAT DAY WHEN THAT ONE DAY.

SO YOU ARE LOOKING AT VIDEO FROM JESSAMINE, FAYETTE, UNION COUNTY AND THE STRONGEST TWISTERS TOPPED OUT AT EF2 AND JEFFERSON, OLDHAM, BOYD AND UNION COUNTIES AND JOHN GORDON WE WERE OUT THERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY OUTSIDE OF LOUISVILLE THAT DAY LOOKING HOW MANGLED THOSE HOMES WERE?

>> AND THAT WAS A DOUBLE EVENT.

IN THE MORNING BETWEEN 8-10:00 A.M. WE HAD A LINE OF STORMS THAT PRODUCED TORNADOES IN MERCER COUNTY COMES TO MIND.

JESSAMINE COUNTY AND I'M MORE FLAMBOYANT ON TV WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT WE'RE SCREWED.

I WAS OVER THERE IN JESSAMINE COUNTY AND I SAW THE SUN AND OH, NO.

AND WHAT HAPPENED PROSPECT AND THAT CROSSED OVER TO JEFFERSON AND OLD MA'AM AND HENRY COUNTIES.

THAT WAS A DOUBLE EVENT.

I'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN MULTIPLE TIMES THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAVES OF ENERGY THAT WAS A BAD EVENT SOME OF THE FOLKS THOUGHT IT WAS OVER IN THE MORNING.

NO IT'S NOT OVER YOU DO NOT WANT THE SUN TO COME OUT.

>> IT REENERGIZES THE ATMOSPHERE.

>> AND THIS OCCURRED MAY 26 LIKE A COUPLE ROUNDS OF SEVERE WEATHER BRINGING 15, 20 TORNADOES STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND RIVER FLOODING AND THE VIDEO THIS IS FROM WARREN COUNTY.

BOWLING GREEN AREA, THE STRONGEST TORNADO WAS AN EF3.

160-MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS.

THAT RESULTED IN 21 INJURIES AND ONE FATALITY.

SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT NEAR BOWLING GREEN AREA YOU PROBABLY HEARD THE SIRENS THAT DAY.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNEW WHAT TO DO WHAT WAS IT LIKE THERE?

>> WE HAD A TWO-PRONGED EVENT.

STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WITH TORNADOES THROUGH WESTERN KENTUCKY A BOW ECHO ON SUNDAY MORNING THAT RACED QUICKLY ABOUT 60-70-MILES-PER-HOUR THROUGH WESTERN AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY IT PRODUCED WIND DAMAGE IN THE BOWLING GREEN AREA.

LARGE TREES WERE DOWN.

PART TWO CAME TOWARD THE EVENING WHERE WE HAD THE SUN COME OUT IN THE AFTERNOON, DESTABILIZED THE ATMOSPHERE AND WITH THE SYSTEM WE SAW THAT LARGE TORNADO YOU REFERRED TO WHICH TRACKED A FEW MILES NORTH OF THE ONE THAT HIT DAWSON'S SPRING THE EF4 FROM DECEMBER 2021 THIS DID NOT TAKE THE SAME PATH BUT IT PARALLELLED I-69 THROUGH CALDWELL COUNTY AND ARRIVED HAD IN THE DAWSON SPRINGS COMMUNITY AND KILLING ONE PERSON THERE.

WE HAD ANOTHER STRONG TORNADO THOUGH IT WAS E6789 F1 THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WEAK TORNADO.

BUT JOHN AND I WERE ON THIS SURVEY IN BUTLER AND WARREN COUNTIES LONG TRACKED EF ONE THAT DOWNED THOUSANDS OF TREES NEAR THE BEACH MONT COMMUNITY.

SO THAT WAS A BILLION DOLLAR WEATHER DISASTER.

AS WAS THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED ON APRIL SECOND WHICH WAS ONE DAY BEFORE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1974 SUPER OUTBREAK.

>> THAT WAS THE WEIRDEST TORNADO THAT I SURVEYED.

BECAUSE MOST EF ONE TORNADOES ARE 100 YARDS WIDE AND THREE MILES.

IT WAS 20 SOMETHING MILES.

>> 27 MILES.

>> IT WAS A THIRD OF A MILE WIDE AND THOUSANDS IF YOU NEED HARDWOOD GO THERE.

AND ON BOTH SIDES THEY HAD STRAIGHT LINES BOTH ON THE SOUTH FLANK AND THE NORTH FLANK LIKE A HALF A MILE LIKE A SNOWPLOW CAME THROUGH.

IT WAS VERY BAD.

>> I'VE BEEN ON SURVEYS WITH JOHN AND WITH EF ONES MOBILE HOMES ARE TUMBLED AND FLIPPED OVER.

YOU ARE NEVER SAFE IN A MOBILE OR MANUFACTURED HOME.

NO MORE SAFER THAN YOU ARE OUTSIDE.

IF YOU KNOW THAT TORNADOES ARE GOING TO THREATEN ON A DAY AND YOU LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME GET OUT AND LOOK FOR A SAFER STRUCTURE ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER A NEIGHBOR DOWN THE ROAD AND HANGOUT AT THEIR PLACE UNTIL THE EVENT IS OVER.

>> THAT TIES INTO SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS TAKEN ON WE ARE WORKED WITH COUNTIES TO GET THE SHELTERS IN IN PLACE AND THERE'S 99 THAT WE HELPED GET CONSTRUCTED AND EACH HAVE DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.

WE HAVE ROOM FOR I THINK IT'S 99 SHELTERS THAT ARE OPEN ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH PAID FOR THROUGH HAZARD MITIGATION DOLLARS SAME PROGRAM HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE USED TO BUY RADIOS.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING KITS THAT WE DISTRIBUTED WITH WEATHER RADIOS TO REACH PEOPLE THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO THE STORMS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HEAR THE WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND THE KITS PROVIDED PILLOW SHAKERS AND STROBE LIGHTS TO ALERT OUR MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE DEFENDER HARD OF HEARING NEEDS.

THAT IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE USE AFTER OUR DISASTERS, IT COMES WITH THE DISASTER DECLARATIONS.

THE HAZARD MITIGATION IS A PERCENTAGE OF THAT RECOVERY PROJECT TO HARDEN OR PROTECT US FROM THE NEXT EVENT.

AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE SHELTERS THAT WE'RE BUILDING AND HELPING THE COMMUNITIES BUILD IT IS THE COMMUNITY THAT PUTS THE APPLICATION IN AND DOES THE CONTRACTING AND THE WORK.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SHELTERS AND MOST HAVE BEEN MORE TOWARDS THE WESTERN PART OF OUR STATE BUT IT IS A GOOD PROJECT THAT TALKS ABOUT SAFETY AND THE FUTURE IF THERE IS A NEED FOR THE SHELTERS AND WE HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR FUNDING TO GET MORE OF THESE SHELTERS IN PLACE THE TORNADO SHELTERS.

>> THERE'S ONE GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DECEMBER 2021 OUTBREAK IN THE BOWLING GREEN AREA IN WARREN COUNTY WE HAVE MORE SHELTERS NOW PUBLIC SHELTERS THAT WE DID PRIOR TO THAT EVENT.

YOU CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF TORNADO SHELTERS WE HAD PRIOR TO DECEMBER 2021.

NOW THAT NUMBER IS UP OVER A DOZEN.

SOME ARE IN COUNTY PARKS AND SOME ARE ATTACHED TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS THERE'S ONE IN MY COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN WARREN COUNTY.

THERE'S BEING PROGRESS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN THAT REGARD.

>> ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PARTS LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT A MOBILE HOME THAT IS AN UNSAFE PLACE TO WEATHER OUT A STORM THE SHELTERS CAN BE PUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS A PIECE OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.

ARE THERE AVAILABLE SHELTERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HELPS DETERMINE THE NEED FOR WHERE THE SHELTERS GO.

IT DOESN'T MEAN BECAUSE EVERYONE ASKS FOR THEM GETS ONE.

THE STATE HAS A HAZARD MITIGATION PERSON THAT WORKS THROUGH THE LIST.

THERE'S PROJECTS TO MAKE KENTUCKY SAFER THAT ARE GOING ON.

KNOW WHERE THE SHELTERS ARE IT'S THERE FOR YOU TO USE.

>> MULTIPRONG APPROACH TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

TORNADOES, FLOODS IT WOULD BE BE BETTER TO PREVENT EVERYTHING.

YOU DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS, SAYS BOB DYLAN.

AND THERE'S MORE KNOWING AND POSSIBLY CONTROLLING WHERE THE WIND BOWS.

GEOENGINEERING IS BECOMING A POPULAR TOPIC.

THERE ARE TWO BILLS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION THAT WOULD BAN GEOENGINEERING METHODS AIMING TO CHANGE THE WEATHER.

I SPOKE TO A SPONSOR OF ONE OF THOSE BILLS, KENTUCKY HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HODSON AND LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> REPRESENTATIVE HOD SON YOUR BILL IS AIMK TOWARD GEOENGINEERING WOULD MAKE IT A FELONY.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GEOENGINEERING.

>> WELL, IT'S SOMETHING NOBODY KNEW EXISTED BUT IT IS THE IDEA THAT MANKIND CAN GO INTO THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND DO STRAT FERRIC INJECTION AND INJECT CHEMICALS TO DO THINGS LIKE SOLAR RADIATION MODIFICATION AND THEY WOULD INJECT ALUMINUM FLAKES OR SALT CRYSTALS OR CHEMICALS TO REFLECT SOLAR RADIATION AT 35,000 FEET AND PREVENT THAT FROM REACHING THE EARTH THEREFORE COOLING THE EARTH AND ADDRESSING WHAT SOME PERCEIVE AS A GLOBAL WARMING CRISIS.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO THINK THAT GEOENGINEERING IS HAPPENING.

AND I MEAN I KNOW I SEE CHEM TRAILS IN THE NEWS AND THE CONCERN ABOUT THAT.

AND YOU HAD A LONG CAREER IN AVIATION.

WHAT ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS SAYING?

AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> EVERYBODY LOOKS UP IN THE SKY AND SEES WHITE STREAKS UP THERE THAT ARE FOLLOWING JET AIRPLANES.

IF YOU GO ON FLIGHT RADAR YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT AIR PLAN THAT IS, DELTA, SOUTHWEST AND YOU CAN BE 99.9% SURE ONE OF THOSE FLIGHTS IS NOT SPRAYING SOMETHING OUT.

EVERY OUNCE OF FUEL IS MEASURED AND REGULATED.

BUT THERE COULD BE SOME ACTORS, DARK PLANES SPRAYING SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT COULD BE HAPPENING BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT YOU SEE IN THE SKY IS ORDINARY JET CONDENSATION TRAILS YOU BURN HYDROCARBON FUELS AND THE HYDROGEN COMBINES WITH OXYGEN AND IT PRODUCES WATER VAPOR AND THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE IS WHITE AND IT COMBINES WITH OXYGEN AND THOSE ARE POLLUTANTS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD FOR US.

BUT TO GET RID OF THOSE YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF JET AVIATION AND WHEN THE HUMIDITY IS HIGH YOU SEE WHITE STREAKS IN THE SKY.

TODAY I'M LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND I DON'T SEE A STREAK IN THE SKY.

THEY FORM BASED ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AT 35,000 FEET.

THEY LOOKED AT DROPPING THE ALTITUDE OF FLIGHTS FROM 35,000 TO 25 WHERE THE CONTRAILS WOULD NOT FORM BUT THE EXTRA FUEL BURN YOU CREATE MORE ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION OVERALL BY TRYING TO AVOID THE WHITE STREAKS.

AT ANY GIVEN TIME THERE'S 6,000-8,000 JET FLIES OVER AMERICA THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BELIEVING CONTRAILS.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET CLEAR SKIES IS GROUND AVIATION.

>> DOES THAT INCLUDE CLOUD SEEDING WHICH WE KNOW GOES ON I HAVE NOT SEEN PROOF DOCUMENTED PROOF FOR KENTUCKY BUT THAT IS A COMMON THING THAT HAPPENS IN WESTERN U.S. AND IN PLAIN STATES.

WOULD THIS BAN THAT?

>> WE DON'T HAVE CLOUD SEEDING IN KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW ACCORDING TO THE GENTLEMAN I SPOKE TO FROM THAT INDUSTRY.

THERE'S EIGHT OR 10 WESTERN STATES WHERE THEY DO THAT AT LOWER ALTITUDE.

15,000 FEET OR BELOW.

IT'S OVER A GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFINED AREA.

MAYBE 100 SQUARE MILES OR LESS.

OVER A SKI AREA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO TRY TO MAKE IT SNOW MORE.

SO, YES, THIS WOULD PROBABLY BAN THAT ACTIVITY IN KENTUCKY BUT THEY ARE NOT DOING IT NOW.

IT'S POSSIBLE WE COULD PUT SOME CARVE OUT LANGUAGE IN THE FUTURE IF CLOUD SEEDING BECAME SOMETHING THE PUBLIC THOUGHT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF RAIN AND SNOW.

WE OCCASIONALLY GET DROUGHT CONDITIONS THERE ARE RISKS THAT CLOUD SEEDING YOU MIGHT CREATE TOO MUCH RAIN OR A DROUGHT CONDITION FOR A NEIGHBOR NEARBY.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT REGULATING BEFORE WE TRY THAT IN KENTUCKY.

>> YOUR BILL THAT AIMS TO BAN GEOENGINEERING WHAT IS THE HARM YOUR BILL AND BILLS LIKE THAT ARE AIMING TO AVOID?

>> UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

FIRST OFF IF YOU GO AND TEND TO BLOCK SOLAR RADIATION IT WILL GET COOLER ON THE EARTH THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE.

IT WILL INTERFERE WITH MY SOLAR PANTS AND TURN UP THE THERMOSTAT BECAUSE IT'S COOLING THINGS OFF.

AND YOU CAN LIKE WHEN WE HAVE AN ECLIPSE IT GOT COOLER AND DARKER AND IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING.

AND OTHER THING IS THE SPRAYING CHEMICALS IN THE ATMOSPHERE THAT ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS AND HAVING THOSE FILTERED FROM 35,000 FEET AND ACCUMULATE IN THE SOILS.

WE DON'T NEED ALUMINUM AND METALS IN OUR SOIL INTO OUR FOOD SUPPLY.

>> LAWMAKERS IN 12 STATES ARE CONSIDERING BILLS LIKE THIS.

THE DEBATE IS HEATING UP.

SHANE WE TALK ABOUT CLOUD SEEDING AND I DID NOT EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WAS.

>> THAT IS SEEDING CLOUDS WITH SILVER IODINE AND THIS IS NOT NEW THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP MORE RAIN DROPLETS.

I KNOW THIS WAS TRIED WITH NOAA WITH HURRICANES WITH CLOUD SEEDING TO TRY TO DAMPEN THE INTENSITY, IF YOU WILL, OF THE EYE WALL, THE STRONGEST PART OF THE HURRICANE.

THAT WENT ON WITH I BELIEVE IT WAS PROJECT FURRY IN THE 1960s AND THE 1980s BUT IT WAS ABANDONED DECADES AGO BECAUSE FINDINGS WERE INCONCLUSIVE.

>> JOHN, NOAA DOESN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER BUT THEY TRIED?

>> THEY TRIED AT SOME POINT.

>> WE WOULD HAVE SAN DIEGO WEATHER MOST OF THE YEAR.

>> BUT NOAA DOES KEEP RECORD OF ANY WEATHER MODIFICATION ACTIVITY, RIGHT?

>> WE KEEP TRACK OF CLIMATE RECORDS GOING BACK TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

WE HAVE THE DATA.

SO WE HAVE THE DATA.

AND I AM AWARE OF THE BIDEN PROPOSAL ABOUT THE REPRESENTATIVE TALKED ABOUT, WHICH I DON'T THINK GOT OFF THE GROUND.

SHANE TALKED ABOUT CLOUD SEEDING.

WE DON'T CONTROL THE WEATHER.

WE JUST DON'T.

IF I DID, I WOULD BE A BETTER FORECASTER.

MY NUMBERS WOULD BE MUCH BETTER.

PEOPLE THOUGHT THERE IS A RADAR IN ALASKA CALLED HARP AND PEOPLE THINK THAT CONTROLS THE WEATHER I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE RADAR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT CONTROLS THE WEATHER.

JAMES BOND SOMETIMES DOES THAT.

BUT I AM NOT A MEMBER OF SPECTER.

>> SO NEE JACKSON, ERIC GIBSON ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THIS?

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE HEARD OF THE WEATHER MODIFICATIONS OR ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT?

>> TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO ONE IN MY AREA TALKING ABOUT IT.

THERE'S CONSPIRACY THEORIES WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HERE IN PIKE COUNTY A LOT.

BUT IT'S NOT TO SAY THOSE CONVERSATIONS AREN'T HAPPENING.

>> YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

SO.

>> THE WEATHER IS HUMBLING I WILL TELL YOU THAT.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HUMBLED JOIN SHANE AND I IT IS A HUMBLING BUSINESS EVEN WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

>> MANY OF SLICE OF HUMBLE PIE.

>> HUMBLE PIE THE SIZE OF THIS.

>> ISN'T THAT THE TRUTH.

LET'S GET BACK TO PREDICTING THE WEATHER WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO PREPARE FOR THIS SPRING WE HAVE THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER ISSUING TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION.

LET'S START WITH THE TEMPERATURE FOR THIS SPRING THIS IS FOR THE REST OF THIS MONTH AND APRIL AND MAY.

SHANE CAN YOU SEE THAT?

EXPLAIN WHAT THIS MEANS TO US?

>> WE ARE LOOKING AT METEOROLOGICAL SPRING THAT IS THE PERIOD NOW THROUGH THE END OF MAY.

THE LEAN FOR KENTUCKY IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES.

THAT WOULD BE CLIMBING FROM HIGHS IN THE 50s NOW TO HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70s AS WE GET TO THE END OF MAY.

OVERNIGHT LOWS CLIMBING FROM THE 30s INTO THE 50s AS WE GO ON IN TIME.

ANOTHER THING THAT IS NOTEWORTHY IS PRECIPITATION.

THE LEAN IS FOR ABOVE AVERAGE RAINFALL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SPRING.

YOU SEE IT FOR THE OHIO VALLEY THAT LEAN EXTENDS INTO THE GREAT LAKES IN RESPONSE TO LA NINA.

IT REFERS TO THE ABNORMAL COOLER WATERS NEAR THE EQUATOR AND THAT RESULTS IN A SUBTROPICAL JETSTREAM THAT HAS MORE ACTIVITY INVOLVED AND MORE STORM SYSTEMS USUALLY SEVERAL DOWN THE PIPELINE.

WE SAW THIS DEVELOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER SEASON.

IT'S ONGOING NOW AND IT'S FORECAST TO WEAKEN AS THE SPRING WEARS ON.

EL NINO OR LA NINA IT DOESN'T MATTER.

LAST WE HAD EL NINO GOING INTO THE SPRING AND WE HAD SEVERE WEATHER LIKE ON APRIL 2 AND TWO OUTBREAKS DURING MAY.

THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE CHANGE IS THAT SEVERE WEATHER MIGHT START SOONER THAN IT DID LAST YEAR DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF LA NINA.

>> JOHN GORDON WHEN YOU SEE THE PRECIPITATION MAP, DO YOU THINK FLOODING?

OR DO YOU THINK SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS?

>> THINK OF BOTH.

THE LAST TWO SLIDES ARE INTERESTING.

IT'S WARM IN ARIZONA AND YOU SAW THE WARMTH ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH AND THE COLD UP IN WASHINGTON AND IDAHO.

WHAT THAT MEANS THERE IS A LOT OF WARM AIR TO THE SOUTH AND COLD AIR.

CANADA IS STILL VERY COLD IN THE CENTER PART OF THE CANADA.

WE HAVE THE COLLISION OF AIR-MASSES AND THE PRECIPITATION LEAN YOU SAW FROM THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER THAT MEANS THE JETSTREAM WILL BRING THAT WARM AIR NORTH AND THE COLD AIR WILL COME IN AND THAT MEANS STORMS.

IF YOU WERE IN ARKANSAS, TENNESSEE, MISSOURI, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA COULD BE BUSY WE WILL BE ON THE EDGE OF STORMS.

IT WILL BE A WET SPRING.

DON'T ASK ME ABOUT THE SUMMER.

ONE SEASON AT A TIME.

ESPECIALLY SOUTHWEST OF US.

>> WE ARE COMING TO THE END OF OUR SPECIAL.

I DO WANT TO ALLOW YOU TO SAY 2350EU7B8 THOUGHTS.

AING ERIC -- FINAL THOUGHTS.

ERIC GIBSON ONE FINAL THOUGHT FOR KEEPING KENTUCKY SAFE DURING THIS UP COMING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S THE TIME TO PREPARE IS NOW.

MAKE YOUR PLAN.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THOSE EMERGENCY KITS READY THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT.

THE THINGS YOU NEED IF SEVERE WEATHER DID STRIKE.

YOUR RADIO, YOUR FLASH FLIGHTS YOUR EMERGENCY BLANKET MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT CELLPHONE BATTERY THAT YOU CAN CHARGER BOX.

THINGS THAT HELP YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD TO MAKE SURE YOU LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU ARE IN DISTRESS OR OKAY.

NOW IS THAT TIME TO MAKE SURE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUY A WEATHER RADIO YOU LEARN HOW TO OPERATE IT.

AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS NOW.

WE HAVE TIME AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR AGENCY IS FOUR TENANTS, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, RECOVERY AND THE MITIGATION.

AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A TIME OF RECOVERY OF THE LAST FLOODING EVENT WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE NEXT WEATHER EVENT THAT MAY COME WHETHER THAT BE SPRING FLOODING OR TORNADO SEASON.

OUR TEAM IS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT EVENT ALWAYS AND WE ASK THAT OUR COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS DO THE SAME.

>> TAKE THE TIME AND PREPARE NOW.

>> SHANE?

>> STICK WITH TRUSTED SOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO FORECASTING THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE ON THE PLATFORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

IF SOMEBODY IS POSTING SNOW TOTALS, NINE DAYS OUT OR SAYING A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT IS GOING TO BE WORSE THAN THE '74 OUTBREAK ODDS ARE THEY WILL BE WRONG.

MODELS WE HAVE TO TREND AND WATCH THE TRENDS OVER TIME AND THAT IS WHAT RESPONSIBLE FORECASTER DOES.

ALWAYS STICK TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, TRUSTED METEOROLOGISTS WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE FORECASTS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> FAILURE TO PLAN IS A PLAN TO FAIL.

BE PREPARED.

>> TAKE US OUT.

>> FLOODING.

NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED ROAD.

THUNDER ROARS GO INDOORS.

SPORTING EVENT STOP THE GAME WHEN THERE'S LIGHTNING.

NEVER LEAVE A KID IN A HOT CAR EVER.

THESE ARE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO.

YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN LIVE ANOTHER DAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AND STAY SAFE.

[♪♪]