New Mobile Weather Station Strengthening City’s Response Time During Bad Weather

Virginia Beach Emergency Management recently introduced a new tool into its daily operations to strengthen response time during inclement weather. The Perry Weather Mobile Weather Station offers real-time data based on the conditions at a specific location. 

“We wanted to have on-site accuracy and saw how beneficial it was to have NWS (National Weather Service) with us during Something in the Water (SITW) … and then the tornado happened during that time,” said Andy Booden, Virginia Beach Emergency Management Response and Recovery project manager. “We liked having that real-time information. Normally, if we ask for a forecast, it is citywide.” 

Why Perry Weather?

NWS having a meteorologist on-site at the Emergency Operations Center during SITW is what prompted Emergency Management to start using this technology. The meteorologist had forecasted that conditions could produce tornados in the area.  

It was Sunday, April 30, 2023, when a tornado hit the Great Neck area. Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities, but the tornado destroyed 38 homes and around 45 had substantial damage but were still inhabitable. 

That significant event motivated Emergency Management Director Dave Topczynski to look at Perry Weather platform and equipment. 

Weather Safety Decisions During Events 

So far, the weather monitoring system has made a big impact this Oceanfront events season, especially during Fourth of July. 

The mobile weather station was set up at Mount Trashmore Park during Fourth of July events. From the park, Booden was able to coordinate with his team that was also at the Oceanfront. Booden said he was getting real-time alerts when a storm was approaching and could accurately detect lightning direction. 

“We use Perry Weather for storms that pop-up and weather awareness. Detecting lightning strikes is a big piece,” Booden said. “That can save lives.” 

With the real-time data that was available, Emergency Management made the call to start the fireworks at the Oceanfront 10 minutes early before the waves from the storms in the bay caused damage to the fireworks due to possible instability of the barge. 

Having all that vital weather data allowed the team to make the right call. 

Embracing Cutting-Edge Technologies 

The City of Virginia Beach is the first in Hampton Roads to use this application. Booden said NWS is still valuable in its weather monitoring — but collaborating with Perry Weather gives Emergency Management precise weather data across the city. 

The City of Virginia Beach Emergency Management team promotes a comprehensive emergency management program to mitigate Virginia Beach's impacts from man-made, natural, or technological disasters. Learn more at VirginiaBeach.gov/ReadyVB.