March 11, 2015

How do you spell relief – Beaches, mountains, nearby lakes, big zoos – or is MLB Spring Training your Spring Break?

The key to packing is knowing if the weather will be dramatically different during the course of your vacation.  Our meteorologists have put together a sampling of fun destinations that people have been asking us about.

(click for a larger version)

So often folks driving back from the beach or the mountains are confronted with a winter storm.  That’s why we suggest you take along our handy Road Conditions Directory to guarantee that your trip will end on a good note.

Wherever you go – enjoy and know that our meteorologists will be here 24/7 when you get back to help your company keep Mother Nature in check.

March 6, 2015

This weekend we’ll be reminded to “Spring forward” our clocks and to change the batteries in our smoke detectors.  While you’re at it, change the batteries in your Weather Radio.

Should your county be put under a Severe Weather Watch or Warning while the power is out, the battery back-up in your Weather Radio will keep the alerts coming to you.  So, pick up some batteries on the way home today and be sure to change the batteries in your weather radio as well as your smoke detector.

March 6, 2015

Are you enthralled with exciting weather events?  Do you spend so much time figuring out how tornadoes and severe weather come together that your family and friends worry about you?  Are you in charge of the safety of your employees and patrons?

If you want to be a part of the most advanced and in-depth severe weather seminar in Northeast Kansas, you’ll want to be in Lawrence this Saturday, March 7th.  (Read More)

The “headliners” at the Douglas County Emergency Management Weather Symposium are quite impressive this year!  Experts will be coming from the Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service and Center for Severe Weather Research to name a few.  Even our own Sara Croke will be speaking on “Timeline to Safety”.

Be Our Guest:  The first 10 people to respond here:  (The Check’s on Us)  Will be FREE!  Weather or Not will sign you up and pick up the tab.  You only have to promise not to heckle Sara when she’s on stage.  OK, …maybe just a little.

February 27, 2015

It’s time to celebrate the newest class of Thinking Bigger Media’s 25 Under 25.

As a company honored in 2004, we look forward to this exciting gala every year.

As one of the best plow-able snow storms is coming to the KC Metro this weekend, we thought you’d like to know how to work around Mother Nature’s mischief Saturday night.

25 Under 25 Weather Forecast –Updated February 28, 2015

Start of Gala – Downtown KC:  Snow during the day leads to 1-2 inches of accumulation by 6pm.

During Event – Warm and toasty as we honor the Class of 2015!

On Your Way Home – Flurries may continue to fall.  Moderate snow moves in again after Midnight.

With careful driving, attending the 25 Under 25 Gala is Mission Possible!

 (Full KC Expert Analysis Forecast)

February 25, 2015

Our Kansas City clients were updated at 9:41 am with this message:

NO SNOW ACCUMS OVERNIGHT! SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS 5-10P (RN 0-.02″), FLURRIES MIX IN 7-10P NW-SE (SNW 0″). WATCH FOR ISOLATED REFREEZE 10P-12A, HOWEVER STRONG WINDS MAY DRY RDS & SCATTERED PRECIP PRECLUDES WIDESPREAD SLICKNESS

Would being the first to have this information improve your snow operation strategies?

When accuracy means money, Weather or Not is here for you.  Call us today for a Free 30 Day Trial.  913-248-9999

2/4/15 Braintree, MA
before most recent 2 ft. snow

February 10, 2015

Most weather driven businesses sell their services during the off-season.  To fill their pipeline with projects, it’s time for landscapers to call prospective new clients with a free lawn analysis.  Or is it?

After shoveling two feet of snow for the umpteenth time, a Braintree High School teacher heard her home phone ring.  Normally she would have ignored this caller: identified as  “Unknown”.  She answered it anyway.  Cabin fever does that to you.

Upon hearing the young man proudly announce that he was calling from a turf care company, she couldn’t stop laughing.

Hmmmm…what could this company’s marketing department have been thinking?  Perhaps they analyzed the positives:

1) Lots of people would be home that day.

2) After more than five feet of snow in roughly two weeks, by the 8^th school day, they’d be willing to talk to anybody!

If their goal was to provide much needed humor to a stir crazy demographic, they scored an even bigger win than the New England Patriots.  If their goal was to drum up business for their company, not only did they waste their marketing dollars on cold callers, they put their brand through a shredder by showing potential customers how out of touch and obviously out of town, they really are.

This weather consultant’s recommendation:

To the Homeowner:  Call the turf care company back.  Tell him the middle of next week (after the next two snow storms) would be a perfect time for his free analysis of your lawn on the condition that he actually finds it!  Let’s see how big their dump trucks really are.

To the Turf Care Company:  Do your homework! Position your people to make the right pitch at the right time.

Here at Weather or Not, our experienced consultants are standing by to partner with your company to help you make more money.  If, like that turf care center, your plan continues to rely solely on “common sense”, remember, they don’t make an app for that!

By Sara Croke:  National speaker, Founder of Weather or Not, Inc. and proud aunt of one of the finest teachers at Braintree High School

January 26, 2015

The sooner you know there could be a serious threat to your company’s operation, the sooner you can create “Plan B”.  Having a backup plan at the ready can mean the difference between profit and loss.  This is why mid-range weather forecasts are critical decision making tools.

#Blizzardof2015

Our meteorologists could have told you about the first signs of a major East Coast snow storm for January 26 & 27 twelve days in advance.  7 days out, they had helpful information that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else:  “The storm is still in play despite computer models ruling it out.”

Our experienced meteorologists, who are constantly monitoring the longer term weather forecast signals, have noted the biases of each model throughout the winter.  That’s why when the models took the East Coast snow storm out of their projections, our meteorologists kept it in.

They knew that two biases – the models don’t dig the cold air in deep enough & the storms are being moved along too quickly – could be key ingredients to creating a significant winter weather event for the East Coast.

Last Thursday night, when the models “hinted” again to today’s storm, we knew that they were finally “catching on” to reality.  By Friday morning, critical specifics such as feet vs. inches of snow would dramatically impact business operations today and tomorrow could have helped companies take cost-saving actions..  At that point, you could have had an important conversation with our meteorologists.

What actions could you have taken Friday that would have saved you today?  Companies hire Weather or Not to increase their lead time to costly and/or dangerous weather threats.  How could we have helped you make more money in areas you where could have taken action despite the enormity of this crippling Nor’easter?

Would love to hear your thoughts and have your input.  sara@weatherornot.com, 913-722-3955

Hands-on learning in an operational environment is an invaluable experience to start one’s career.  Weather or Not, a leader in Midwest commercial weather services, is looking for a dynamic, detail-oriented student that has an excellent understanding of Midwest weather patterns and forecasting tools.

The intern will work at Weather or Not’s high-tech weather center in Shawnee, KS.  He or she will spend their time alongside experienced operational meteorologists, as well as working on various team projects.  Few internships offer this much hands-on training.

Qualifications

• Working toward a B.S. or M.S. in Meteorology, some weather forecasting experience is a plus; Juniors/Seniors and/or graduate students are preferred

• Sound understanding of Midwest weather systems and excellent communication skills are a must

• Ability to work in a Windows environment is a must; working knowledge of Linux is preferred

• Experience with GEMPAK, GRAnalyst, Bufkit, and Python are a plus

• Other programming and web skills are a plus

• Knowledge of Air Quality Forecasting is a plus

This paid intern position is in a non-smoking environment.  It pays $10 per hour.  We require at least 10-20 hours of your time each week.  Should you need time off for a summer vacation we are flexible.  Previous interns have been invited to work part-time and some have secured full-time positions with Weather or Not.

Application Deadline is April 17, 2015

To apply, please send your cover letter, resume, (including references) and transcripts to:

E-mail: brian@weatherornot.com

Mail:
Mr. Brian Koochel
Weather or Not, Inc.
6100 Neiman Road, Suite 200
Shawnee, KS  66203

Weather or Not, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

What’s your opinion of our Mid-Range Forecast? How can it benefit your operational decisions? What other information would be helpful for your industry?  Join our test group today! You talk – we’ll listen – no other obligation required.  SIGN ME UP!