KRLD meteorologist Tom Hale understands the unpredictable nature of severe weather more than anyone.
But he also believes in the power of preparation and vigilance during potential weather threats.
Hale was on air the night a devastating tornado struck North Texas, bringing destruction and claiming seven lives in Valley View on May 25th.
Hale's expertise was crucial in providing timely updates and warnings to the community.
"What really happened that day was that the forecast models...none of them were consistent...and that's because of the model guidance. Every model had something different," Hale explained.
The unpredictability of weather models posed a unique challenge that evening.
"I noticed one of the hourly representations of the radar showed what was clearly anyone would look at as a thunderstorm with a hook echo," Hale described.
The fact that a model was showing the possibility of a dangerous storm led Hale to adjust his forecasts that Saturday to include a 30% chance of a storm. Sadly, that chance came to fruition in northern counties in DFW.
As the storm initiated in Montague County and gained strength, its potential for causing harm became evident.
"I've got many years of watching storms where they originate...and that pattern recognition of watching this on radar many times over the last 20 years, I knew that there was a potential," Hale said.
Hale was also acutely aware of the storm's timing and its implications. The storm was moving toward the I-35 corridor, and toward a major lake (Ray Roberts).
His experience and instinct played a crucial role in alerting residents before the storm hit their area. Hale warned KRLD listeners that a probable tornado was headed toward I-35 near the Cooke/Denton County line around 20 minutes before the storm actually came through.
"This is a holiday weekend...the population almost doubles (on lakes) during (a holiday) weekend, and I didn't want people to be out and caught surprised on a lake," he recalled.
Despite the warnings, the tornado caused significant devastation, and Hale expressed his sorrow over the lives lost in Valley View.
"I was saddened that seven people lost their lives because that's the whole reason we do what we do," he said, reflecting on the heartfelt mission behind his work—to save lives and protect communities.
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