Quincy Vagell
EF4
The main obstacles with weather/storm conferences tend to be distance/location and cost.
If there was a local conference, anywhere in or near Oklahoma City would be a prime location. For starters, it's in the heart of tornado alley, but it's near a major meteorology program, the Storm Prediction Center is right here and so is the Norman National Weather Service forecast office. There would be no shortage of potential attendees (which can be a limiting factor when organizing a conference, which I've been part of before) and the same goes for speakers/presenters.
You would no doubt get some people to travel to a weather conference in the Oklahoma City area, to speak/present and attend, but you'd have a great local source of talent and general interest.
I don't see why I would not support such a conference, especially since with it being here, the local attendees would not have to worry about hotel costs. While conferences are great, not a lot of people can dish out $100-150 dollars per night for a room. (it is less if you book with a group, of course)
The timing is good too, because weather would probably not negatively impact the conference and it's a great way to kick-start a year, as it would fall only about a month or so before the storm season starts to ramp up.
If there was a local conference, anywhere in or near Oklahoma City would be a prime location. For starters, it's in the heart of tornado alley, but it's near a major meteorology program, the Storm Prediction Center is right here and so is the Norman National Weather Service forecast office. There would be no shortage of potential attendees (which can be a limiting factor when organizing a conference, which I've been part of before) and the same goes for speakers/presenters.
You would no doubt get some people to travel to a weather conference in the Oklahoma City area, to speak/present and attend, but you'd have a great local source of talent and general interest.
I don't see why I would not support such a conference, especially since with it being here, the local attendees would not have to worry about hotel costs. While conferences are great, not a lot of people can dish out $100-150 dollars per night for a room. (it is less if you book with a group, of course)
The timing is good too, because weather would probably not negatively impact the conference and it's a great way to kick-start a year, as it would fall only about a month or so before the storm season starts to ramp up.
Twister is playing on the big screen
