KOLR10 Storm Academy 2008

The KOLR10 Storm Academy 2008 was quite a success. There was a HUGE turnout, and a great agenda. A few of the Skywarn spotters from the local coverage area participated with two storm chasers from Kansas in a one hour forum on the similarities and differences of each group. The spotters were Brant Sheppard (N0BFR), Bob Hessee (N0XJJ), Mike Rains (K0RFI), Brian DePriest (KC0JYE), and Jeff Morrissey (KB0WVT). The chasers were Tyler Costantini (KB0PQP) and Joey Ketcham (KD0CFR). I felt the information provided was top notch and very educational.
Some of the forums besides the spotter/chaser topic were:

• January 7th, 2008 NWS - Doug Cramer, NWS
• January 7th, 2008 Live TV Coverage - Ted Keller, Tom Trtan
• Covering the Outbreak - Chris Grogan
• Mobile Weather Lab - Jill Gilardi

The January 7th information from almost all perspectives was really interesting. The audience heard from the NWS, the TV meteorologists and the reporters who covered the outbreak as they described the many angles in which this outbreak was handled. I would have liked to seen a spotter angle as well, but in all fairness I didn't think about that until I was writing this.

It was a pleasure to sit and talk with both Ted Keller and Tom Trtan. Those guys are two genuine weather weenies who not only love what they do, but love bouncing ideas and talking about it. Now it's no secret that Tom Trtan and Bob Hessee are like Dr. Evil and Mini Me. But the picture to the right is photographic evidence that Big Tom and Little Tom not only look alike, but don't seem to mind it too much.