Change of Seasons and Time to Vote!

The change of seasons always seems to bring out a fun debate on social media, but there’s no doubt in my mind that fall is the best season. Cooler temperatures, a crispness in the air here where I live in North Carolina, and the anticipation of the fall and winter holidays (and maybe some snow!) all add to my enjoyment of this time of year.

But, as we say on TV, “that’s not all!” For the NWA, fall also marks our elections. Nearly a dozen of our fellow members are standing for election to our Board of Directors, and two for President-Elect. These are no honorary positions or resume fillers, either; our Board of Directors meets regularly to ensure the health of our organization and to guide the NWA into the future — indeed, to help create the future for the NWA and its current and future members and stakeholders.

The Board also works with both our headquarters staff and our committee and member group chairs to conduct the business of the NWA. This includes administering the Seal of Approval program, publishing the Journal of Operational Meteorology and our monthly newsletter, organizing and running our Annual Meeting and other special events, including this year’s Student and Early-Career Professionals Conference and the Research Operations Nexus (RON) Meetup and so much more. If you are looking for a way to deepen your service in the NWA, these are all great places to start. When it comes time for elections, we often look to our committees for candidates. Reach out to the committee chairs or to our headquarters staff for more information.

Voting Open through November 22

You can vote using the electronic ballot in our Member Connect portal, or by requesting a paper ballot using this form, emailing [email protected] or calling 405.701.5167. Although, given the delays some are seeing with postal mail, I strongly encourage you to vote online. That way you know your vote is received on time and is counted in the final tally.

We are fortunate to have talented, experienced, and dedicated colleagues and friends willing to serve our organization. I hope you will take the time in the coming weeks to read our candidates’ bios, to reach out to them if you have specific questions, and to vote for whom you want to lead the NWA for the next three years.

On the Turning Away, Part I: Recognizing Compassion Fatigue in Meteorology
Matthew J. Bolton
College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Leo University

Climate change increasing temperatures and worsening wildfires (to name just two consequences). COVID-19 running roughshod through the population since early 2020. Hurricanes devastating coastal, and tornadoes decimating inland, areas. The beat goes on, as they say; meteorologists (mostly) adapt. And yet, as 2021 has progressed, it is my sense that many on the meteorological front lines will agree when I state there has recently been a subtle shift towards compassion fatigue in the emotional foundation of the weather enterprise. This article, focused on awareness, and another in a subsequent newsletter on prevention and care, will address the compassion fatigue that occurs for meteorologists via a second-hand, or vicarious, experiencing of others’ stress and traumatization.

Compassion is a sensitivity for the suffering of others and willingness to engage in such a way with the world as to alleviate some of that suffering. In meteorology, this is done through the protection of life and property and other acts of community kindness. Broadly, compassion fatigue is a long-term, elevated sense of emotional, physical, and/or spiritual distress caused by witnessing others’ suffering. It manifests through an array of symptoms including

• chronic stress,
• sleep disturbance,
• heightened irritation, anger, depression, cynicism, physical fatigue and mental exhaustion,
• reduced cognitive ability, judgement/decision-making, and on-job morale,
• a sense of isolation,
• loss of self-worth, hope, and meaning,
• feeling that one is not doing enough,
• and a heightened sense of one’s basic needs for safety, esteem, intimacy, and control.

These overlap with characteristics of more generalized burnout (e.g., stagnation, frustration, apathy). Whereas compassion fatigue can be sudden and originates on an emotional and interpersonal level due to engagement with others’ suffering and pain, burnout tends to arise over time due to conflicts within the work setting.

To begin recognizing whether you might have experienced compassion fatigue recently, browse the list of characteristics above and reflect on the extent to which the following statements are, or have been, true of you (modified from Barnett 2014).

• My patterns of eating, sleeping, or concentration have changed.
• I isolate myself from friends, family, and colleagues.
• I don’t take regular breaks when working.
• I am bored and disinterested, and I don’t enjoy my work as much as I did.
• I am easily irritated.
• I feel emotionally exhausted and drained after meeting some of my clients.
• I am not taking good care of myself — overlooking my health and self-medicating.
• I find myself thinking of being elsewhere when I am at work.
• I find my work less rewarding than in the past.
• I regularly feel depressed, anxious, or agitated.
• I experience more headaches and other physical complaints.
• I can’t concentrate and find myself staring into the distance.

Once you have recognized your compassion fatigue, you can begin to fight back. In the next article, I’ll explore ways to go about doing this.

Reference

Barnett, J. E., 2014: Distress, therapist burnout, self-care, and the promotion of wellness for psychotherapists and trainees. Society for Psychotherapy.

Author note: Correspondence regarding this manuscript should be addressed to Matthew Bolton, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, Florida. Email: [email protected]. Bolton, a crisis counselor and master’s candidate in psychology pursuing a career in natural disaster psychotherapy, was supported academically during the period of this work by a U.S. National Weather Service-sponsored and American Meteorological Society-awarded Graduate Fellowship. The views expressed here are the author’s alone.

Lisa Meadows is with WCCO-CBS in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

What sparked your interest in meteorology?
I have had a passion for weather since before I knew the term meteorologist. As a child, I would get an adrenaline rush anytime I heard thunder and always loved it when it stormed. Growing up to be a storm chaser can be found in many of my elementary school homework assignments.

What is the most memorable weather event you have covered on air?
November 17, 2013, multiple tornadoes came through central Illinois while I was working at WCIA CBS in Champaign, Urbana. My weather team was on air for about 4 hours straight communicating warnings. An EF-3 tornado ended up putting a large tree through an elderly couple's house in Gifford, Illinois. We received a letter from the wife who told us we saved her husband's life because the tree hit a chair he was sitting in right after they went to the basement once hearing our warning. Nothing is more important to a meteorologist than being able to use weather knowledge to save lives.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Storm chase! Running, rollerblading, and training my dog Thunder.

Do you have any unusual/hidden talents?
I am a Certified K9 Trailing Search and Rescue handler with Northstar Search and Rescue. My German Shepherd Thunder and I volunteer to find elderly with dementia or autistic children who have become lost and bring them back to their homes.

What do you love most about being a member of the NWA?
In college, I was the President of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the NWA at Valparaiso University. I love the wide variety of people in this organization who have a passion for weather. You can always find someone to learn something new from in such a large group of weather nerds like me!

Courteney Jacobazzi is with 13 WMAZ in Macon, Georgia.

What sparked your interest in meteorology?
My love for meteorology did not come naturally. I used to be terrified of thunderstorms, actually! As I grew older and learned about the weather that fear turned into a passion, especially for hurricanes. I grew up in south Florida, so naturally that’s what I love most. I was even made everyone’s personal meteorologist in college when tropical systems would threaten us.

What is the most memorable weather event you have covered on air?
My most memorable weather event covered was Tropical Storm Irma. I was fresh into the broadcast meteorology world and I got to cover the storm as it rolled in, both in studio and in our storm car. We worked all day, even sleeping on air mattresses in the building. We might have all been dead tired, but we never went off air for the sake of those relying on us. We truly served our purpose as broadcast meteorologists that day. 

What do you love to do in your free time?
In my free time I love to venture out to our beautiful local parks with my rescue pup Colby. I’m also a bookworm, so send any book recommendations my way. I’m not sure if napping counts, but as the morning meteorologist, naps are frequent when I have the time! That 2 a.m. alarm can be tough!

Do you have any unusual/hidden talents?
My talent that isn’t so hidden anymore is putting together elaborate charcuterie boards. It was one of those pandemic talent discoveries like so many of us had. My friends and family have me make them for weddings, gender reveals, birthdays, and everything in between! 

What do you love most about being a member of the NWA?
What I love most about being a member of the NWA is the ability to connect and interact with people who are always looking to improve and learn more about the weather and our role as a broadcast meteorologist. There’s always room to grow, and I am so excited to do so through the guidance of others in the NWA family!

The qualifications and procedures to earn an NWA Seal are located on the NWA Seal webpage. 

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Scholarship Opportunities for Students

The NWA Foundation is accepting applications for three scholarships and one grant. Find details and links to the applications here. 

Applications for the following scholarships are open through December 7.   

• Arthur C. Pike Scholarship in Meteorology - $1000
• Phillips Family Undergraduate Scholarship for Meteorology - $1000  
• Bob Glahn Scholarship in Statistical Meteorology - $2500

Meteorological Satellite Applications Award Grant applications are due by
March 22, 2022.

• You must submit an original (electronic) paper on meteorological satellite applications.
• The award is $500.
• There is an additional stipend up to $500 to attend the NWA Annual Meeting to present your research. 

New JOM Article Published

Survey of General Aviation Pilot Reports (PIREPs) Conformity,
Consistency, and Quality

Authors for this new JOM Article are Michael E. Splitt of the Florida Institute of Technology, College of Aeronautics, Melbourne, Florida, and Morgan Hennard and Pierre Bougeard of the École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC), Toulouse, France.

Abstract:

Understanding barriers to submitting pilot weather reports (PIREPs) has been the focus of recent attention in the general aviation community. The goal is to help increase the submission frequency of these reports, which are valuable for aviation operations and situational awareness. Additionally, the perception of the quality of these reports by pilots can impact the level of trust users have in the data. This study aims to evaluate aspects
of the reporting frequency and quality of PIREPs particularly from the general aviation perspective. PIREPs were subjected to a range of logical, qualitative, and quantitative tests. Commercial applications are shown to improve the data quantity transmitted in the reports, particularly the non-mandatory sections such as sky and weather conditions, as well as to help alleviate some of the transcription errors. Reported times of the PIREPs indicate impacts from rounding that may limit the utility of the data in some instances. Analysis of individual geophysical measurements show varying quality with potential gaps noted in the icing type assessment and a bias towards higher turbulence intensity reporting, though air temperature compares well to independent data.

See other items published in the JOM, and the instructions for authors, on this site.

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NWA Foundation Scholarship and Grant Winners Announced

The following students and educators were awarded scholarships and grants to further weather education. These offerings are made possible due to donations from NWA members, the Scofield family, AccuWeather, and former NWA Executive Director Sol Hirsch's family and friends. If you would like to help the Foundation, consider a donation. The NWA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit and donations to it may be tax deductible.

Father of the Safe Room Passes Away

Dr. Ernst (Ernie) Kiesling, executive director emeritus of the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) and former NWA member, passed away on October 14 in Lubbock, Texas. Ernie had a distinguished career as a research professor at Texas Tech University and as the executive director of NSSA. He was known for his work that led to above ground shelters that provided a high degree of protection for those in the path of high winds and tornadoes. Read about all of his accomplishments, which are many, through his obituary and this article by Texas Tech Today. The NWA extends our condolences to Ernie's family and friends.

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NWA Virtual Student and Early Career Professionals Conference — Recordings Posted

The NWA Student and Early Career Professionals Virtual Conference was held on October 24. The presentations were outstanding. The NWA appreciates all who participated whether as a speaker or attendee.

A special thank you to the team that organized and ran the event! They are John Banghoff, Megan McClellan, Laura Mock,  Ashley Palm, Carl Lam and Nicole Van Every.

Thank you to AccuWeather and COMET MetEd for their generous sponsorships  that allowed us to offer the conference free to attendees!

Recordings and the conference agenda are available through these links.

Agenda
Session 1
Session 2

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NWA RON Meetup Connects R2O and O2R

The 2021 NWA RON (Research to Operations Nexus) Meetup went virtual again this year to give members and 2021 NWA Annual Meeting attendees the opportunity to collaborate on R2O (Research to Operations) and O2R (Operations to Research) topics. 

The event was held on October 6. RON Chair Kandis Boyd led the planning team consisting of members Alyssa Bates, Randy Graham, Stephen Bieda and Aaron Hill who also served as topic facilitators or note takers. There were eight breakout rooms and three rounds of rotations. Other facilitators and note takers that kept the conversations going were Becky Adams-Selin, Larry Hopper, Pat Hyland, Andrew Just, Evan Kutta, Melissa Lamkin, Kris Mattarochia, Chris Melick, Sarah Perfater, Peter Rohr, Greg Schoor, Elise Shultz and Sarah Trojniak. Thank you to you all!

  Screenshot from the 2021 Virtual RON Meetup.

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