Upon hearing hurricane warnings or watches, many people rush to their local stores to stock up on nonperishable food items or to purchase an array of backup batteries, gas-powered generators, or plywood to prepare for the impending storm. Yet others choose a wait-and-see attitude, believing the cries for caution are overblown. As we witnessed with Hurricane Harvey, the wrong choice can, at times, be costlier than we imagine.
In this podcast, Chief Judge Lauten visits WFTV’s studio to talk with their Chief Meteorologist, Tom Terry, about how to prepare for hurricanes and other dangerous storms. Using a telestrator and a high-tech green screen, Tom shows viewers how Hurricane Harvey grew to be a once-in-a-thousand-year storm and discusses the chances of future hurricanes affecting the Florida coastline during the 2017 season.
Tom Terry grew up in a small town in Oklahoma in the center of tornado alley. Affectionately nicknamed “Hammertime,” Terry holds the American Meteorological Society’s “Seal of Approval” and became WFTV’s chief meteorologist in 2003. When not forecasting the weather, he likes to work on his Mustang and collect old horror movies.
Chief Judge Fred Lauten at the Channel 9 Weather Center with Meteorologist Tom Terry
Former Chief Judge and Moderator
Judge Fred Lauten served in the Ninth Circuit from 1994 to 2019. Between 2015 and 2019, he served as Chief Judge of the Circuit.
Chief Meteorologist for Channel 9 (ABC)
Tom earned a degree in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma and holds the "Seal of Approval" from the American Meteorological Society.