Extreme weather can be spectacular and dangerous. I have chased tornadoes in the Midwest with researchers, flown into a hurricane with the Hurricane Hunters, and hung on the summit of Mount Washington with the observers in the dead of winter. I have covered numerous storms from the Blizzard of 1997 to the more recent New Hampshire tornado last July. During coverage of an ocean storm in the autumn of 2008, I was knocked down by a large roof tile that was blown off the Chatham Fish Pier. It was a frightening reminder of just how dangerous weather coverage can be.

Thanks to the incredible work of over 5000 trained volunteer weather observers across our state, our severe weather coverage here in Massachusetts sets a model for the rest of the country. If you would like to be a SKYWARN Weather Spotter, training sessions are run every spring.