News Press NOW’s Storm Tracker Weather team meets with officials to improve communication
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Broadcast meteorologists, emergency management officials, MoDOT representatives and public health employees from Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas met to discuss ways to improve weather communication.
The meeting took place in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A headquarters for the National Weather Service’s Integrated Warning Team meeting.
News-Press NOW’s Storm Tracker Weather Team participated in this year’s session, which focused on reviewing major weather events from the past year and improving communication and public safety during severe weather.
This year’s discussion centered on the Jan. 4, 2025 blizzard and the two tornadoes that touched down in the Kansas City area on June 3, 2025.
Jonathan Kurtz, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained the purpose of the meeting.
“It is primarily to bring together the stakeholders within the region. Emergency management, the media, and anyone involved in public safety, especially with weather alerts," said Kurtz. "We discuss challenges to make sure we’re on the same page, and ensure we’re serving the public to the best of our ability.”
These meetings also help build relationships and strategize how to respond more effectively when hazardous weather strikes.
Looking ahead, one major event expected to test coordination between weather and public safety officials will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled in Kansas City over the summer.
Matches include the Round of 32 on July 3, 2026, and the quarterfinal on July 11, 2026.
Weather information will need to be communicated in multiple languages, with major concerns focused on dangerous heat and severe thunderstorms.
As a Weather-Ready Nation, your Storm Tracker Weather Team will continue to grow and learn from each weather event to help ensure the safety of our entire viewing area.
