Severe weather: when does it become breaking news?

[ColDayNews 438]

When does the news department begin to assist in severe weather coverage?

 

When injuries are reported? Whenever there's significant damage? Deaths?

 

I noticed earlier with WHIO, the news department took over coverage after reports of injuries in Celina. The Cox cluster of radio stations (95.3 The Eagle, K99.1, and NewsTalk 1290) even began simulcasting WHIO-TV's rolling coverage.

[MidwestTV 1232]

Depends, I'd say.

 

It's not so much that news "takes over" as it is news assists weather. At least to start. The meteorologists priority first and foremost is, obviously, the weather. They don't have the time to do news gathering on power outages or fatalities or shelters, etc. The meteorologists may be first to hear of damage, but the newsroom has the scanner so they'll hear chatter from emergency officials too.

 

The weather folk need a break too. News can step in for several minutes and provide coverage so the weather peeps can catch their breath.

 

Now, if after the severe threat as passed (i.e. no tornadoes left after 5 EF 5's swept through the area and it's unlikely any more will develop) then the news side can "take over" as the most important thing at hand will be damage, casualties, shelters, etc.

 

At the end of the day, it probably all depends on what that station's severe weather policy is.

[who?cares 254]

Our news department begins assisting the second a warning is issued. Once all the warnings are over weather kind of takes a step back until the national weather service confirms a tornado or damage, they pass it along.

[Megatron81 263]

When it becomes 70MPH or greater that is when local stations should break in tornado warnings always. I remember back in Nov 2013 Wood TV went wall to wall on the severe weather all day until the storms passed Fox17 did updates from time to time they kept Lions VS Steelers only breaking in during breaks. It was largely just a wind event about 70MPH hardly any lighting I thought. Second to last day of the Rio Olympics there was a large tornado that started in Van Buren county lasted for 2 hours it seem like finally stopped in Kent County mainly just hit farm areas no major cities just got rain where I lived no storms.

[ColDayNews 438]

When it becomes 70MPH or greater that is when local stations should break in tornado warnings always. I remember back in Nov 2013 Wood TV went wall to wall on the severe weather all day until the storms passed Fox17 did updates from time to time they kept Lions VS Steelers only breaking in during breaks. It was largely just a wind event about 70MPH hardly any lighting I thought. Second to last day of the Rio Olympics there was a large tornado that started in Van Buren county lasted for 2 hours it seem like finally stopped in Kent County mainly just hit farm areas no major cities just got rain where I lived no storms.

 

I wasn't asking how hard storms hit your area or how often your stations break in... I asked when does severe weather become breaking news, such as 'when should the weather department hand over severe weather coverage to the news department.' Stay on topic, please.

[appleachian 134]

When James Spann says it is.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=Z1HQF5fI3Q0;list=PL40B263D6C7DD7BFF

[DetroitTVNews 66]

Back in August 2016, after two different tornadoes formed over the Detroit River just off of the Wyandotte/Ecorse riverfront and then touched down and hit the southern outskirts of the urban core of Windsor, once damage reports came in, WJBK and WMYD were on the air.

[cna247 174]

I wasn't asking how hard storms hit your area or how often your stations break in... I asked when does severe weather become breaking news, such as 'when should the weather department hand over severe weather coverage to the news department.' Stay on topic, please.

You know, the topic is a little ambiguous in what you're requesting (also a little stupid IMO). I know you like to start threads a lot, but perhaps you can do a better job of being more specific in what you're requesting.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Here in OKC once all of the tornado warnings have been allowed to expire and if there's been damage from a tornado that's when the news department will step in and assess the situation (how many are hurt, shelters open for people who need shelter, etc.)

[Darius22 122]

I remember when KCRA had to interrupt Days of our lives for a severe weather update on a Severe Thunderstorm warning in the foothills. other stations in sacramento had EAS crawling during regular programming. but KCRA was still going. basically when severe weather becomes breaking news it depends on the conditions.

[AaronQ 282]

Usually if there's a tornado warning here in the Charlotte area. Sometimes most Charlotte station will cut into programing to let the viewers know that there's a tornado watch, or a severe thunderstorm warning in the area.