HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Weather Spotters were presented with a check for $50,000 during a ceremony on Aug. 26. The City of Hopkinsville allocated this funding in order to support the volunteer organization’s efforts to keeping the community safe from severe weather.

“When storms move through our area, having people on the ground who can provide accurate information is incredibly important to all of us,” said Hopkinsville Mayor James R. Knight during the check presentation. “Their work supports our emergency response teams and helps us better understand what happens across our community.”

David Powell is currently the head of the Christian County Weather Spotters and was appointed by the county as the weather coordinator with Christian County Emergency Management after the EF-3 tornado struck the area in 2006. He accepted the check on behalf of the nonprofit alongside other volunteer members. County and city officials were present, including Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam.

“All I can tell you is this has been a dream,” said Powell. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the city and county government; they have done so much for the facility here…we will be ready for the next storm when it comes. We will go toward the sound of the thunder like always.”

He told Christian County Now that this money will fund a new generator for their facility to replace their old one. This new equipment is essential to allow them to safely continue weather spotting operations in the event of a power failure. He said, “It will keep us seamless so when the power goes out, we will continue operating…hopefully we will save lives that way.”

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More about Christian County Weather Spotters

Local spotters attend regular classes led by Powell while also completing National Weather Service training to be certified so they are prepared in the event of severe weather. They are tasked with gathering and distributing data about storms before, during, and after weather hits all year long.

The Hopkinsville and Christian County government jointly own the property that the weather spotters are housed at, with the nonprofit working alongside local emergency management. They had initially requested funding through the city’s Hoptown Helps Grant Program, but it was determined that the generator could be paid for in full through the general fund.

While the spotters hold regular meetings, they are also often set up at events in and around Hopkinsville to educate people about local weather patterns and meet potential recruits. Weather updates and more information can be found on the Christian County Weather Spotter Facebook page.

Lee Erwin contributed to this article.

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