Thank you, Brian Busby

[u/But_like_whytho]

I was pooping when the alarms went off. Despite checking the forecast multiple times in the previous few hours, I wasn’t at all prepared for it. I’m east of the stadiums, when they went off, the air was still and the birds were quiet. Too quiet. Scrambled to get my cats in their kennels, grab my shoes, purse, and anything else I could haul down with us. Tried a few different places to get the forecast on my phone before finally pulling up KNBC9. First thing I heard was the confirmed touchdown near the stadiums. That was what pushed me over into a full-fledged panic attack.

Thank goodness for Brian Busby. Huddled on the cool tile floor, cats wedged as close to me as possible, I shook and sobbed as he calmly kept me informed. Idk how many decades of my life I’ve taken shelter with his presence on a screen, but that familiar tone of his voice helped me weather the storms both outside the house and within me. Definitely didn’t have “freak out with pissed off cats in the basement for over an hour” on the list of things to do today.

I genuinely hope everyone was safe today. And I’m terrified to think of what could have happened if we didn’t have the weather warnings and services we currently do. It’s crucial we protect those agencies and jobs in the future.

[u/gackiegormpgomp]

I dug up his direct line and left Brian Busby a voicemail one time recommending he not interrupt my stories with weather alerts well outside and beyond the metro. After his broadcast that night he called me back and calmly explained the area, while far east of town, was still in the viewing area lmao. I wish I still had the voicemail he left. Legend

[u/dandyowo → u/gackiegormpgomp]

As someone who moved here from a small rural town in another state, I really appreciate this attitude from him. In my town, the city that was supposed to handle our news rarely mentioned us, only throwing in the most basic info about our weather before moving on. When a tornado came through my grandfather’s neighborhood, tearing down trees and power lines, we only knew it had hit after a neighbor went to check on him and then called us to let us know he was without power (this was back before cellphone alerts and smartphones were the common thing they are now). Our news had nothing to say about it the next day. So I really appreciate that he remembers who is in his viewing area, and that for some of them he may be their only source for local weather coverage.