Get “Cirrus” About the Weather!

Extreme weather can be exciting and scary at the same time. NOAA’s National Weather Service wants everyone to “Be a Force of Nature!” You can Be a Force of Nature by knowing your risk, taking action, and being an example in your community. Each year, people everywhere are killed or seriously injured by all types of extreme weather, despite advance warning. Everyone can do their part to take actions that will prepare them in the event of a weather disaster. These actions can save lives anywhere - at home, in schools, and in the workplace before tornadoes, hurricanes, and other types of extreme weather strike.

This presentation will help you Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example! Flooding, heat, hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms – severe weather impacts every part of the country. The first step in becoming “weather-ready” is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Also, Take action! Be Force of Nature by making sure that you and your family are prepared for severe weather. While it’s important to stay safe, it’s equally important to know what you need to stay safe from and how. Most of all, Be an example. Learning about the weather hazards and preparedness will help you be a positive influence on your community.

Once you’re up-to-date with essential weather knowledge, what will you do with it? Share it with your students, of course! In this presentation you’ll learn about online education resources for use in classrooms to educate students about weather science and safety. These include weather forecasts and safety campaign pages, as well as modules, lessons, and games! Students will be under your watch and direction when severe weather strikes at school, but use these resources to make sure they know the right actions to take at home as well.

Ever since she can remember, Mary has had her eyes to the sky, spending countless hours watching and experiencing all different types of weather. Mary earned a Bachelor in Science in Meteorology from Millersville University and completed some masters coursework at Johns Hopkins University. Mary has been with the National Weather Service (NWS) for over 26 years, entering NOAA as an undergraduate student and fulfilling her childhood dream of working for the NWS. She has spent her career exploring and working in many areas of the agency including the National Operations Center, dissemination program, radar program, and research and development aimed at improving severe weather forecasting.

In 2014, Mary joined the NWS Office of Communications ultimately realizing her true love of intersecting weather and people. She supports national level efforts focused on outreach, education, and weather safety, working towards building a Weather-Ready Nation. Mary is the NWS representative to the NOAA Education Council and involved in many other communications activities including portfolio office support and the creation of materials for external use.

Outside of the office, Mary loves spending time with her husband and three kids, Nickolas (18), Adam (17) and Rebecca (13), and enjoying the outdoors, especially at their family home in Vermont. Her dedication to weather science and safety will sometimes overlap with her home life, turning into that embarrassing mom who pulls her kids from ball fields when hazardous weather approaches! Her love of the NWS mission to protect lives and property is engrained in her daily life, inside and out of work, like most meteorologists!