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Climate Change
THE 2018 NORTHEAST
WINTER WEATHER SUMMIT

Helping Meteorolgists Engage Viewers in Snowsports Stories

BY ISEULT DEVLIN

IT SEEMED FITTING THAT the weather was somewhat fickle
for the inaugural Northeast Winter Weather Summit held Martin Griff
December 2–3, 2018, at Vermont’s Stratton Mountain
Resort. Under skies that produced everything from sunshine
to rain, the event brought together 70 participants—including
local meteorologists, state officials, resort marketers, and
others from the ski industry community—to discuss how to
make the most of winter and bring people into snowsports.
Organized by the North American Snowsports
Journalist Association (NASJA) and presented by Stratton,
the summit was designed to provide meteorologists with a
better understanding of winter recreation overall. The hope
is that their experience at the Weather Summit will enrich
their messages to the general public, who in turn will benefit
from insights on how to be comfortable, safe, and enjoy The Northeast Winter Weather Summit inspired meteorologist Tim Lavigne
to get back on a snowboard for the first time in 20 years.
winter recreation and all of its health-related and psycho-
logical benefits. the latest in fabric technology and how to dress for erratic
Indoor sessions focused on a wide range of topics, winter weather conditions. Tim O’Neil, a five-time North
including how resorts optimize the guest experience while American rally champion and rep from the Team O’Neil
striving to minimize their environmental footprint; how to Rally School, shared tips on winter driving and gave a
dress for cold-weather activities and drive safely in inclement demo, complete with hot laps while driving almost side-
conditions; the implications of climate change; and how to ways around the icy, slushy parking lot at Stratton’s Sun
tell a good weather story using snowsports images and inter- Bowl. Joe Murgo, chief meteorologist for @WTAJnews in
esting facts about ski areas and winter sports. Throughout Altoona, Penn., participated and taped the driving session,
the two-day summit attendees were already tweeting with plans for an on-air story back at his station.
messages about what they were learning and how much Stratton’s mountain manager, Paul Maitland, discussed
fun they were having. new technology the grooming team uses to map trails and
A team of ski industry leaders, weather experts, and measure snow depth. (Numerous attendees took a ride in
suppliers anchored the presentations, education sessions, the fancy Prinoth Husky snowcat with a passenger travel
and on-snow activities. Meteorologists Ian Bailey and Adam cabin featuring a Mercedes Tier 4F engine.) For the first
Gill of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Observatory time, Stratton is using Snowhow, a maintenance program
(a research and education institution working to advance that runs reports every day to make the fleet as efficient
understanding of weather and climate) discussed changing as possible.
and extreme weather patterns and the corresponding effects At the session titled Social Media and Digital Impact
on forecasting. The Science of Snowmaking session covered on Weather and Snow Reporting, Albany, NY, meteorol-
the latest trends and technology updates. Kevin Booth, ogist Neal Estano (WNYT) shared a series of photos that
Stratton’s snowmaking manager, talked about how weather work well on the air. Pointing to a photo of skiers above
forecasting informs a ski area’s decisions as to when it will the clouds, Estano noted that an image of the undercast is
schedule snowmaking, and Ian Jarrett, vice president of a great way to illustrate a weather phenomenon and explain
HKD Snowmakers, discussed new technology, including an inversion.
efficient, lower-to-the-ground guns. Stan Kosmider, a The Climate Challenge program was the focus in the
corporate rep for The North Face, gave a presentation on NSAA-sponsored session on ski area efforts for sustainable

46 | NSAA JOURNAL | SPRING 2019