KVOE’s partnership with the National Weather Service when it comes to hazardous and severe weather information is receiving national attention.
KVOE has been named a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador of Excellence by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The honor reflects KVOE’s longstanding work with the Weather Service to alert the public of severe weather events and the need for planning. National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chad Omitt, who nominated KVOE, says the program’s overall goal is to recognize partners for their work in helping to spread the word.
Omitt says the honor signifies the typical information about watches and warnings, but it also represents KVOE’s information feed to the Weather Service during different weather events. Besides the traditional severe weather instances, including tornadoes, hail, high winds, flooding and wintry weather, KVOE was also noted for its coverage of the spring fire weather risk during the Flint Hills’ spring burn season.
KVOE News Director Chuck Samples says it highlights the station’s goals of keeping everybody safe, regardless of the weather conditions. In addition to its longstanding partnerships with the Weather Service offices in Topeka and Wichita, and our use of the volunteer Storm Team spotter network, Samples says this new status will add another tool for keeping the public safe in all kinds of weather.
