VARC members aid National Weather Service during local tornado
By Israel Gonzalez – NWS Tallahassee
Valdosta Tornado 2/4/2024 – 3:09PM EST @NWSTallahassee @NWStornado #tlhspotter pic.twitter.com/4LGeChPoaW
— Bobby Lacey (@kf4gta) February 4, 2024
Video captured by VARC members of the tornado.
“It is the single best chat I’ve ever gotten in my career so far”.
The operator’s chat saved at least 1-2 minutes on the tornado warning issuance time. Without his chat, the tornado may have not been recognizable on radar until 310pm ET. Residents said they got the warnings with enough lead time to seek shelter. For DVD, it was the most challenging tornado warning decision of his 15-year NWS career and commented that, “It is the single best chat I’ve ever gotten in my career so far”. As for KR, it was a career-defining moment for which she said, “These stories are a powerful reminder that our work matters. Had it not been from Randy (KN4SHQ) sharing those images with us and DVD jumping into action to get the warning out, lives may have been lost.” Additional kudos must also be given to the following forecasters who made strong contributions during that shift: Lance Franck, Kristian Oliver, Joe Worster, and Jasmine Montgomery.