Welcome to our 2020-2021 program year. While the situation may evolve, our current plan is for all of our meetings to be virtual this program year. If possible, we may try for an outdoor initiation ceremony in the spring. We will make a final decision on that next spring when we are closer to initiation. We will host all of our meetings through Zoom. An email with the link to join the meeting will be sent to people who RSVP for the meeting. For our Friday meetings, we will have a speaker at 7 and then a social hour afterwards for anyone who wishes to stay online.
Meeting Information:
Meeting Date and Time: Friday, April 9, 2021
7 pm Central Time - Presentation (via Zoom)
8 pm Central Time - Social Hour (via Zoom breakout rooms)
Abstract: Spring and summer in northern Illinois are marked by warming temperatures and passing systems that bring storms to the region. Many times, these storms become severe and bring damaging winds, hail and tornadoes causing millions of dollars in damages along with injuries and, occasionally, loss of life. The mission of the National Weather Service is the protection of life and property and while NWS forecasters have numerous tools at their disposal for forecasting severe storms and issuing warnings, storm spotters still play an integral part of the warning process. This presentation will be an abridged version of the Duluth office's yearly spotter training class covering thunderstorm life cycles, various types of severe weather, where to find weather information and how to report severe weather to your local NWS office.
Speaker Bio: Bryan is originally from Lockport, Illinois, and is a 2007 graduate of Valparaiso University. He has been working in meteorology for over a decade, starting first in radio before moving to the private sector and creating forecasts for large energy companies in the Northeast and Florida, state DOTs, and sports teams, including the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. After a brief hiatus obtaining an IT degree, Bryan was hired by the National Weather Service in Duluth, Minnesota, in August 2016 and forecasts winter storms and summer severe weather for the residents of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, along with western Lake Superior. In addition to his forecasting duties, Bryan is responsible for the office's website and verification activities along with performing community outreach such as teaching spotter classes every spring. Outside of the office, Bryan enjoys model railroading, playing the tuba and volunteering on the North Shore Scenic Railroad where he is an engineer and brakeman. Bryan and his wife Jessica live in Superior, Wisconsin, and enjoy road trips and trying new restaurants.
RSVP: by Evite or to Gretchen Shearer at by Wednesday, April 7, 2021. You will receive an email with the link and instructions to Log in to the meeting.
If you have not already done so, we also encourage you to visit the ISP national Website to pay your annual dues. Teresa Bixby prepared a very helpful video to walk you through the process using the link