Carolina Weather Group

More than a dozen people died Monday from tornadoes and damaging winds during a severe weather outbreak in the Carolinas. Across the Southeast, more than 77 tornadoes. Tonight we're joined with broadcast meteorologists across both North Carolina and South Carolina to talk about the impacts in their communities.  

Guests:

Brad Panovich and Brandon Goldner, WCNC Charlotte, NC

Tim Buckley, WFMY Greensboro, NC

Efren Afante, WLTX Columbia, SC

Shane Hinton, WCTI New Bern, NC

Ed Piotrowski, WPDE Myrtle Beach, SC

Rob Fowler, WCBD Charleston, SC

Kendra Kent and Isaac Williams, WHNS Greenville, SC

In the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, storm chasers are trying to keep themselves safe from both the weather and the virus. Chasers and storm spotters provide essential on-the-ground, eyewitness reports of severe weather. With more people staying at home, what will the weather enterprise look like with less reporting?

Storm chasers, including Live Storm Media's Brett Adair, photographer Mike Olbinski, and storm surveyor Tim Marshall, join us to explain how their lifestyle on the road has changed amid the pandemic, including less eating out and more nights sleeping in the car. They also discuss their decision making into when and how to chase; to keep themselves safe from both the weather and the virus.

We're also joined by Kevin Smith from the the National Weather Service who receives and analyzes storm reports from chasers and spotters.

The Waffle House Index is used by the restaurant chain to track which restaurants are open and which are closed - but it's so much more than a list of operating restaurants. The federal government has traditionally used it to track community responsiveness after major storms. The wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, Waffle House's operation center in Atlanta has activated the index, which as of Wednesday was showing over 400 restaurants closed across the country. Tonight we revisit our interview with Waffle House public relations director with Pat Warner, who joined us in January of 2019 to discuss the storm response capacity of the company.

With schools closed amid concerns for the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich and the entire First Warn weather team are producing at-home weather classes for students, teachers, and parents. Brad conducted his first set of science experiments Wednesday with daily lessons starting this week on the WCNC Charlotte YouTube page.

Brad provides us a preview of the experiments and weather knowledge they'll be providing for free to parents, teachers, and students during this at-home school environment. 

Severe Weather Awareness Week continues in the Carolinas this week. We check in with WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich, who had just completed weather-proofing work on his house a week before an EF-1 tornado in Charlotte.  Plus we'll revisit the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety in Chester County, South Carolina. This lab generates the weather-proofing certification used by construction companies and insurance companies around the country.