We are talking about preparing for and responding to ever more frequent extreme weather events impacting upstate New York this weekend on In Focus.
JoDee Kenney sat down with Nick Bassill, director of the State Weather Risk Communication Center on the University at Albany campus. Meteorologists at the SWRCC, Bassill said, take weather data from sources including New York’s Mesonet and create tailored briefings for state agencies and local emergency managers. Most recently, Bassill pointed to the wildfires in the Hudson Valley region, where SWRCC briefings are aiding firefighters on the ground and providing state and local officials a forecast on drought conditions. As we approach the winter months, Bassill said the SWRCC is providing appropriate context on the National Weather Service seasonal outlook for state agencies. Bassill said Hurricane Helene demonstrated that any location can be impacted by extreme weather due to climate change, and The New York State Weather Risk Communication Center and Mesonet are serving as a model for other regions of the country working to inform their response to storms…