WEATHER BASICS

WATCHES VS WARNINGS

A watch means "conditions are favorable" for a weather event to happen.  It does not neccisarily mean its happening at that time. 

A warning means severe weather is actually happening and listeners need to be advised to keep them safe.

Rule number 1:

During a weather warning you probably can't announce it too many times.  When a weather warning happens, you must switch to full service information for your on air breaks.  Gather all the information.  Rehearse it off air.  WHEN YOU ARE CONFIDENT and ready to go on air, give the details as soon as possible.  Repeat the information and advise listeners to keep listening for updates.  

Rule 2:

Because Joe and Bay are unattended, you must record the same information for those stations and upload it to OpX through file manager.  

MAKE SURE YOU PUT AN END DATE AND TIME ON ALL WEATHER REPORTS so we are not accidentally airing old weather minutes and hours after it's relevant.  

WATCHES

When a Thunderstorm watch or a Tornado watch is announced, make sure to mention it in your normal weather and mention it a second time about 30 minutes later.  Keep that in the forecast until the National Weather Service says all clear. 

THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS

When a Thunderstorm warning is announced, gather all the important information.  Rehearse it.  Go on the air at the next available moment, likely between songs or after a commercial.  Announce all the information twice and go back to normal programming.  At that point, go on the air every 2-3 songs and repeat the information.  You may speak between songs to give this information.  Severe weather and emergency information is when we stop music.  Record this information to upload to Joe and Bay between your announcements on KCQ.  

If you are on the air when a warning is announced by the National Weather Service, text Cooper or I so we can be in the loop and support as needed.

TORNADO WARNINGS

When a Tornado Warning is announced, gather all the information needed.  Break into programming when you are confident and ready to deliver the information.  You may fade out music.  You may fade out a commercial if needed.  Deliver this information 4-5 times, over and over again.  Then play a song.  Record a quick announcement for Bay and Joe and upload.  Then, go back on the air at KCQ as soon as you can and repeat the information 4-5 times.  Play a song.  Continue to announce this information after each song until the all clear is given by the National Weather Service.

If you are on the air when a tornado warning is announced by the National Weather Service, text Cooper or I so we can be in the loop and support as needed.

TIME LIMITS

The National Weather service usually puts a deadline on all weather activity.  A WATCH may be in effect for hours or days. 

A Warning is likely in effect for minutes because those events happen fast and end fast.  

When announcing these weather events you should include how long that weather event is expected to last.  "The NWS has issued a Thunderstorm warning in effect until 3pm." 

COUNTIES

KCQ has a huge footprint on air.  You must primarily cover all weather events in Saginaw, Bay, Genesse and Midland Counties.  All other counties are somewhat discretionary.  A Tornado in our listening area must be covered.  A Thunderstorm watch for Ovid may not be as critical.  County and coverage maps for all three stations are posted in every studio. 

The Bay and Joe don't generally cover Genessee county weather.  However, Tornados should be announced. 

EAS

Our EAS sytem is set to take over the station in the event a warning has been issued. Because DJ's listen to the PROGRAM SIGNAL in the studio, you may not even hear it on the air.  Be advised it's airing and let it air fully.  You can switch to AIR to hear it, but to go back on the air, you have to switch back.  For perspective, you can see the two buttons in this picture.

Here they are up close at the top of the board.  To hear the EAS you must hit the WKCQ AIR button.  But to be on the air, you must ALWAYS have HDPN AIR FAKE AIR pressed. 

THE RACK

Upper.  Notification lights and the Sage EAS Box. 

Lower. Including speaker, on air off buttons.

When there is a pending weather event, this yellow light will blink. 

To hear weather anytime, hit the red button and turn up the volume on the speaker. When the yellow light is blinking, hit the black button to make it stop.  THEN, turn up the volume on the speaker to hear the pending wweather information. 

Obviously we are using the National Weather Service website for the bulk of our information.  It is bookmarked in the KCQ studio.   Please check it multiple times so you can stay in the loop for our listeners. 

Not all stations make take the time to deliver accurate and consistant weather information but this company does.  

Our philosopy remains to be of service to our communities to the best of our ability.  WIth people using radio in cars, along with our compainies long history and track record of being where people stay connected locally, it's critical that each of us stay on top of this information. We must make sure its accurate, delivered well and in a timely fashion.

Remain calm.  Be the voice of authority.  Give the info with urgency but not panicked.