KYW News Adds Citizen ‘Weather Watchers’

CBS’s Philadelphia duopoly of KYW and WPSG (CW) expanded its weather team last week with the addition of a new resource —  a team of citizen weather observers who have signed up to join the stations’ Eyewitness Weather Watchers group. 

As members, the Weather Watchers, who already number more than 100, will help the stations’ team of meteorologists — Kathy Orr, Kate Bilo, Katie Fehlinger, Carol Erickson and Justin Drabick — track weather conditions in real time by sharing their weather data, observations, photos, videos and storm reports.

Their contributions began appearing on Eyewitness News weather broadcasts last week along with photos of the contributing Weather Watchers.

Participants can send anything from a photo of a hot, sunny day to a video of their street flooding with rain. With a smartphone, tablet or computer, weather enthusiasts and weather experts (many of whom work in emergency management and other fields) could have their discoveries go from their backyards to the stations’ broadcasts.

“We’ve been thrilled to discover how many of our viewers have sophisticated equipment at home from anemometers and hygrometers, for wind and humidity, to rain gauges,” says Chief Meteorologist Kathy Orr. In addition, the reach of this network, from the mountains to the shore and beyond, enhances our state-of-the-art technology to present weather in real time, regardless of where you live.”

Orr added that the staff is looking forward to hosting weather workshops at the CBS Broadcast Center so they can provide additional training for the Weather Watchers and discuss climate and meteorology.

For additional details, go to www.CBSPhilly.com/watchers.