WESTFIELD-From his screened-in porch, bolts of lightning and severe storms grabbed Danny Lorenzatti’s attention – and imagination – at a young age.
“I have always been fascinated with weather,” said Lorenzatti on Tuesday night on the observation deck overlooking Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport. “I also liked to run outside and stare as the storm grew.”
Danny Lorenzatti and Chris Bovino are members of the Western Massachusetts Storm Chasers. Bovino, on right, is checking the wind speed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport with an anemometer on Tuesday night.
From those early beginnings, Lorenzatti, along with three friends, have harnessed that love for weather into a hobby as the Western Massachusetts Storm Chasers. Lorenzatti is joined by Chris Bovino of Wilbraham who works for Northwest IT Systems, Josh Rutola of Granville who works as an emergency dispatcher for the local police, fire and EMS service, and Peter Cowles of Westfield, who works in the city’s IT Department.
“We all have full-time jobs,” said Lorenzatti, who serves on the Westfield Fire Department, as well as in domestic operations as part of the Barnes Air National Guard Base. “We all pride ourselves on accurate weather reporting on our Facebook page,” adding he is self-taught and uses a variety of applications (“apps”) and websites as resources when sending out Facebook posts.
Dr. Greg Forbes, a severe weather expert for The Weather Channel, center, is seen in 2012 with Danny Lorenzatti and Chris Bovino during the Southern New England Weather Conference. The three men spent 30 minutes discussing severe weather. (Submitted photo)
The men are all “certified storm spotters,” according to Lorenzatti.
For Chris Bovino, who grew up in Westfield, his passion for studying the weather also started at an early age. He joined Lorenzatti at the observation deck for the interview – using an anemometer to check wind speed at Barnes.
“My parents always watched the local news and TV stations that encouraged people to call in weather conditions including snow totals,” said Bovino. “I would go outside and measure the snow, call in my total, and my name would appear on television. That was cool for a 7-year-old.”
While thoughts of becoming a meteorologist faded over time, Bovino completed a certificate program in weather forecasting at Pennsylvania State University in addition to his regular studies.
“It’s fun to take the knowledge I have about weather forecasting and educate others through our Facebook page,” said Bovino.
Technology plays a major role in how weather is forecasted and the men relish the many apps and websites available at the tips of their fingers – from Skywarn, Storm, Radar Scope and the Storm Spotter Network to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition, Cowles serves as the team’s ham radio operator through the Ham Radio Network.
Danny Lorenzatti and Chris Bovino are members of the Western Massachusetts Storm Chasers. Lorenzatti holds a ham radio while Bovino checks the wind speed at the Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport on an anemometer on Tuesday night.
“It is hard to chase weather so we have a lot of followers on Facebook who provide us with real-time information too,” said Lorenzatti, noting because of the area that each storm chaser lives in, weather patterns affecting Westfield could be drastically different from those in Wilbraham or Granville.
“We’re passionate about our hobby of following the weather,” said Lorenzatti. “It’s also great to be able to interact with people on our Facebook page. We have formed a bond with our followers.”
Since 2008, the men have amassed close to 14,000 Facebook followers and welcome new followers every day.
“We enjoy answering questions posed to us, as well as uploading weather photos of others and giving them credit,” said Lorenzatti, adding the men will also submit appropriate photos to the media and the photographer also receives recognition on those outlets.
Bovino echoed those sentiments.
“We pride ourselves in understanding the science behind the weather and breaking down complex weather situations so they are understandable,” said Bovino.
Danny Lorenzatti and Chris Bovino are members of Western Massachusetts Storm Chasers. They are seen checking weather conditions on the observation deck above Papp’s Restaurant, adjacent to Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield on Tuesday night.
Facebook posts – which range from advisories to witty weather cartoons if the weather is “boring” – also include educational links like the recent post on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – R Series.
“This is awesome,” noted Lorenzatti of the GOES-R video he posted.
Bovino concurred.
“We are always creating a positive image on the Facebook page,” said Bovino, adding that in addition to the weather information disseminated, they also explain the importance of supporting a town’s emergency management department.
“Our hope too is that our Facebook postings will help save lives,” said Lorenzatti, noting that in recent years area residents are now more in tune with forecasts of tornadoes in particular and take them seriously.
“From regional flooding to an earthquake in Rhode Island, weather in New England with its four seasons can be hard to predict,” said Lorenzatti, noting the men also use historical data in their spare time to look at patterns. “We especially had weird weather in 2011 which included the tornado that ripped through parts of the city in June.”
For Bovino, the June 1, 2011 tornado was the “perfect storm” in his eyes.
Chris Bovino and Danny Lorenzatti are seen with former state Senator Scott Brown at the Westfield Command Center, Fire Station #2, after the June 1, 2011 tornado. Bovino and Lorenzatti volunteered their time to help clean up debris. (Submitted photo)
“I was only 20 yards away when the tornado hit,” said Bovino. “Being up close and personal and seeing how the right ingredients have to come together helps you to learn about the science behind it.”
In addition to chasing storms and communicating real-time data to Facebook followers and organizations including the Storm Spotter Network and TornadoVideos.net, the men also volunteer to assist crews when damage includes downed trees and picking up debris.
“It can be surreal when you see firsthand the kind of damage that is done by severe weather,” said Lorenzatti, noting that his formal training includes operating heavy machinery.
“We also encourage area residents to donate to local emergency management departments which can include basic needs like bottles of water for crew members who are working on a site that has been hit by a storm,” said Bovino.
As the team gears up for the summer weather season ahead, the Facebook posts may become less frequent.
“Last summer it was so dry that nothing happened weather-wise,” said Lorenzatti, adding, “but in New England, weather can quickly change and we hope that with our postings people will pay closer attention which in turn could save a life.”
For more information and to receive postings from the Western Massachusetts Storm Chasers, “like” their page on Facebook.
