Storm Hunters Jaclyn Whittal and Mark Robinson, who hail from The Weather Network, blew through Conestoga College’s Doon campus on Nov. 27 to speak about producing a show in the face of some of the planet’s wildest weather.
Open to all students, the presentation included clips of Whittal and Robinson struggling against treacherous weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes and hail storms.
Robinson even told students about the time he went into a volcano (see the video, below).
The team told the audience about being present for the widest tornado ever recorded in history. El Reno, Okla., saw a tornado in May 2013 that was 4.2 kilometres wide, resulting in multiple casualties. Whittal and Robinson were there chasing it.
The storm hunting team offered advice to students looking to work in the broadcasting field.
Although she didn’t begin as a storm chaser, Whittal said she couldn’t imagine her life without the rush.
“I never saw myself as an adrenaline junkie,” said Whittal. “I don’t think I truly was — until I started storm chasing. And then you kind of get the itch, and you can’t imagine what it would be like to not do that.”
Camera assistance: Broderick Visser
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