Tracking Storms in Real-Time: Inside the nerve center of News On 6's severe weather coverage

During severe weather coverage, News On 6’s storm tracker team is essential to keeping viewers informed and safe.

The station’s ability to cover tornadoes, thunderstorms, and other severe conditions relies heavily on a vast network of live trackers and advanced technology that work in tandem to stay ahead of the storm.

Meteorologist Stephen Nehrenz, who oversees much of the live storm tracking, explained how quickly conditions can escalate during severe weather. "It can go from zero to 100 in a real hurry, and once it gets to 100, it can stay there for hours," Nehrenz said.

A unique feature of News On 6’s storm tracking capabilities is its ability to communicate directly with each of the storm trackers. "Every single storm tracker has their own line on our audio panel, so we can talk to each one of them individually or all of them at the same time," Nehrenz said. "We can decide when to put a tracker on air or shift coverage depending on the situation."

The sheer volume of trackers available to News On 6 provides a major advantage during live coverage. With up to seven trackers in the field at once, coordination becomes crucial. "It’s a lot to handle," Nehrenz acknowledged. "At times, one person might be guiding a tracker to a new location while another calls in with urgent information about a developing tornado."

While managing multiple storm trackers can be overwhelming, the team’s extensive training and communication systems allow them to adapt quickly. "We have to compress all the data and communicate it clearly to our viewers," Nehrenz said. "It can be sensory overload, but we’ve trained ourselves to handle it."

News On 6’s storm tracker network is unlike any other in the region. The station’s ability to deploy a fleet of trackers, with real-time data feeding into their meteorological coverage, ensures a comprehensive understanding of severe weather patterns. "I don’t know of any other TV station that has what we have here at News On 6, in terms of the size and scope of our team," Nehrenz said. "It makes a huge difference, especially when we can put so many eyes on these storms."

In Green Country, where severe weather is a frequent threat, this network is a key benefit to viewers, offering unmatched coverage and expert communication when it matters most.

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