East Kentucky's Inaugural Severe Weather Awareness Day

NWS Jackson booth, featuring a tornado machine.

In concurrence with Severe Weather Awareness Week across Kentucky, NWS Jackson organized the first ever Severe Weather Awareness Day in eastern Kentucky. The event took place on Saturday, March 7, 2020, concluding the week’s awareness activities.

One dozen partner organizations participated with National Weather Service Jackson to host the inaugural Severe Weather Awareness Day in Prestonsburg, KY. This included the East Kentucky Science Center who graciously hosted the event, helping to draw a great crowd in this naturally-fitting venue for such an event. The director of the East Kentucky Science Center, Steve Russo, more than reinforced his role as a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador by being so supportive and accommodating from the initial planning stages through the cleanup of the event.

Each partnering agency took part in multiple activities including staffing informational booths, exhibits and displays, while also conducting experiments and giving presentations geared toward preparing the community for severe weather. Activity stations included:

AEP workers running their live line demonstration.

Demonstrations of a live electric line, offered by AEP, a local electric company
Tours of a weather simulator trailer by local emergency management
Up close looks at fire department search and rescue trucks and boats
Presentations on thunderstorm damage cleanup safety including how to properly use chain saws
Programs for children on preparedness and safety from the American Red Cross/Christian Appalachian Project
Information on becoming a CoCoRaHS observer
Demonstrations of communications between the Paintsville Amateur Radio Club and NWS Jackson during a severe weather event
Information about the Kentucky Mesonet stations/equipment from Western Kentucky University
Background on how local healthcare experts aid severe weather recovery
A look at the State Transportation Cabinet’s mobile command center
Opportunities to experience broadcasting the weather via a portable green screen by local television affiliate WYMT-Hazard TV

About 160 people participated throughout the day, making this a successful first year of what hopes to become a long-running event across the eastern reaches of the Bluegrass State!