The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lincoln North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd St. It will include spectacular storm videos, talks by storm chasers and storm photographers, visits with television meteorologists, and free information and displays by weather-related organizations. Weather permitting, a weather balloon will be launched and tracked by computer from the symposium site.  The public is also invited to participate in the storm spotter training at the symposium and see a multimedia presentation to learn about becoming a volunteer storm spotter.

      Two weather professionals will keynote the event. Storm-chaser and photographer Jeff Piotrowski, who won an Emmy award for his storm video,  will talk about his experiences capturing major Nebraska storms including the 2000 Brady-Maxwell tornado, the 2001 Seward tornado, the 2001 Edgar tornado, and the June 2003 Aurora storm which produced a U.S.-record size hail stone. Also speaking will be Rick McCoy of Van Wert (Ohio) Emergency Management. McCoy helped relay tornado warnings on Nov. 10, 2002, 25
minutes before a tornado hit a theater. His tornado video is quite spectacular.  Additionally, weather teams from the following television stations will be on hand: KOLN/KGIN Channels 10/11 Lincoln and Grand Island; KLKN, Channel 8 Lincoln; KETV, Channel 7 Omaha; KMTV, Channel 3 Omaha; and KPTM, Channel 42 Omaha.

Jeff Piotrowski on the Weather Channel Emmy Award winning Jeff Piotrowski has captured stunning video and still images of weather for over 25 years. Jeff's storm chasing has received national and international attention from CNN, Pioneer Productions, Discovery Channel, TLC, Weather Channel, National Geographic, NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox News Networks. Notable images of weather events photographed by Jeff and his wife, Kathryn, are published worldwide.  Nebraska, the focus of Jeff's most intense storm chases of this decade. The most memorable being the Brady-Maxwell F3 tornado (May 17, 2000), Seward F4 tornado (June 13, 2001), and the near life threatening chase of the Edgar F3 tornado (Sept. 22, 2001).  Jeff's weather pursuits do not end with storm chasing. His professional work focuses on sales & marketing with Baron Services Inc. offering state of the art storm tracking and Doppler radar systems to national television stations.

Photo by Paul Van Dyke, Indiana Michigan Ohio Skywarn

Photo by Jeff McCall, Bellefontaine Examiner, via AP

A timely tornado warning and quick action by the theater manager got about 50 moviegoers out of harm's way only minutes before a tornado tossed these cars into the screen and front seats of the Van Wert Cinemas in Van Wert, OH, 
November 10, 2002. Read the Complete Story

Key Note Speaker: Rick McCoy, Van Wert Ohio Emergency Management, (PHOTO above).

“NOAA is proud to honor Rick McCoy,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph. D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA  administrator. “His actions have enhanced the safety of citizens in Ohio.”  A long-time NOAA Weather Service customer and partner, Van Wert County Emergency Management is also a long-time proponent of NOAA Weather & All Hazards Radio. NOAA.  McCoy utilized the system Nov. 10, 2002, to receive warning of a deadly tornado and relay  information to theater management over the county system 25 minutes before the tornado hit. More than 50 children and parents were moved to interior areas that provided better  shelter. When the tornado passed, three cars were left in previously occupied seats in one  theater of the multi-plex.  According to Steve Eddy, warning coordination meteorologist at the Northern Indiana NOAA  Weather Service Forecast Office in Syracuse, many lives were saved as a direct result of  the Federal-county partnership.

"The combination of improved severe weather detection and forecasting capabilities, and  expansion of our Weather & All Hazards Radio network is a proven formula for saving lives,"  National Weather Service Central Region Director Dennis McCarthy said.

Mark Conner, who will direct the balloon launch, will also show some video taken from previous balloon trajectories over the midwest.

Sponsors:
Meteorology Program, Geosciences Department, University of Nebraska
Lancaster County Office of Emergency Management
National Weather Service, Omaha/Valley Nebraska
University of Nebraska Student AMS Chapter