NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – We in Oklahoma aren’t any stranger to extreme climate. We additionally know the significance of notifying you when it’s right here.
That’s why the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center for all the nation is situated in Norman.
Dozens of workers work contained in the National Weather Center diligently working to predict our state’s climate and extra importantly, extreme climate.
A current groundbreaking forecast by considered one of their workers made historical past.
“It’s a passion that I’ve had, and I think that most of us here have had since we were kids,” stated Liz Leitman, a meteorologist within the Storm Prediction Center on the National Weather Center.
Leitman has labored there the final 13 years predicting our complete nation’s climate.
She spends most of her days poring over climate information.
“I sit down at my workstation, load up a large amount of data model, data, radar, satellite,” Leitman stated.
One mid-February Wednesday, she was following extreme climate within the Sooner State that spanned into Texas.
“I knew ahead of time that there is potential that could be the day when I got to issue my first watch,” she stated. “So, I didn’t sleep very well the night before. There was a lot of anticipation, excitement, some nervousness.”
What would come subsequent would etch her in historical past.
Not solely was it her first watch, however she grew to become the first female with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center to issue an official watch.
“It was just a huge milestone day for me,” she stated.
Letiman stated she celebrated together with her co-workers after it occurred and took some photos.
She stated she hopes it will probably encourage her younger daughter and others across the nation.
“I have a five-year-old daughter and so it’s always exciting whenever girls get to see other women doing things that they might be passionate about. You know, it gets them excited about it,” Leitman stated. “So, you know that you can do it and there are a lot of women who will be there to support you along the way.”
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