BLACKSBURG, Va. – The National Weather Service in Blacksburg will be hosting its first Open House in 6 years on Saturday.
It comes at a time when weather has been at the forefront of many minds. I asked Phil Hysell, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the NWS Blacksburg, to reflect on what he’s seen of the destruction from Helene from here in Southwestern Virginia into North Carolina.
“The first thing that comes to mind is heartbreaking. Just heartbreaking to see the devastation, how widespread the damage was, how long it’s going to take to recover,” said Hysell.
So, how do Phil and the other meteorologists prepare for a catastrophic event like Helene, and what’s on the itinerary for this Open House? Earlier today, I had the privilege to get a sneak peek at what to expect. It all starts with a Q&A session along with a short presentation followed by a tour of the operations center. This is where you can learn to forecast alongside some of the best in the business, and even start the process of becoming a Skywarn Spotter.
You’ll also be taken to an upper air station to analyze a weather balloon.
“In this shelter twice a day, we will bring in a balloon, attach it to this inflation device, and fill it with hydrogen, and for the tour, we will also include a radiosonde instrument that launched with the balloon that collects critical weather data twice a day.”
Weather enthusiasts! This event is for you. Just come by the office between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and admission is free. Have fun!