Forever Winter in Iowa
It’s only January and I am already over the cold.
Working in the news, there are no snow days. It’s our day to pull out the stops to be creative in sharing a message: Be safe out there!
I enjoy the thrill of finding out what my assignment is for the day.
I’ve done almost everything under the sun when it comes to fun ways to explain the weather in Iowa.
From visiting the Iowa DOT District 3 headquarters in Sioux City as they headed out to salt the roads, learned how to snowshoe, provided live coverage from I-29 when we had a major snowfall, climbed a mountain of snow in Sioux City parking lots after it had been plowed, and packed winter car kits.
This season felt off. I was running out of ideas for live shots when it comes to the cold coverage, and I came across a post comparing conditions to donuts. So guess what I did? I went out and bought some donuts for my next live shot.
I am happy to be in a line of work that helps provide critical information about weather conditions, road closures, and safety advisories. There is a rush of energy heading out into the elements with my mic in hand. I love to help people stay informed and make safe decisions about travel and daily activities.
Siouxland embraces the cold though, and makes it fun for all ages. One of my first assignments when I moved to town was a trip to Cone Park to go down the tubing hill on opening day. Guess what I did 5 years later? I went down the hill again, with the camera! (I’ve got to show you all.)
The weather is such an easy topic to talk about as a reporter. It's something everyone experiences and can relate to in Siouxland. I like it for being a neutral topic that doesn't usually lead to controversy, making it a safe choice for small talk. It helps that my co-workers are meteorologists, so I get my information straight from the source! Whether it's sunny, rainy, snowy, or windy, there's always something to say about the weather.
On that note, dreaming of warmer days.
IOWA WRITERS COLLABORATIVE!
Join in on the conversations with other writers from Iowa as part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative! We are a group of independent journalists who write about anything and everything Iowa. Check out others in our group by following the link.
Weather is controversial. Just ask former KCCI meteorologist Chris Gloninger. He received death threats for mentioning climate change and eventually KCCI told him to not mention climate change and chaos.As Project 2025 is enacted the National Weather Service and other federal agencies will be cut or privatized. This will impact Iowa ag businesses. So it goes.