Kat's Quick Tip: The Power of "You"

Instead of referring to a general "everybody," when speaking in front of the camera. Make it more personal and use "you." People always like to feel special and by using "you," the person watching at home believes that you are talking to just them.

Did you ever watch Spice World. Where at the end the Spice Girls are talking to the camera. And Posh Spice says, "Hey you in the back with the dress on..." I always thought she was talking to me, and this made me feel special. Then my friend told me she thought that Posh Spice was always talking about her too. You can imagine as a first grader, how special we felt thinking that a Spice Girl was talking to us.

So don't be afraid to pull ideas from a Spice Girl.

Katchy Phrases: Windy

• kicking up the Sonoran Wind Machine
• but gusty winds a possibility

Katchy Phrases: Future Pattern

To introduce Future Pattern:

• That's all thanks to ____________

To describe Future Pattern:

• Now as we are heading into next week, we are going to be tracking a cold front
• Models hinting at ___________ (example: rains staying east of us)

Example (Credit- Meteorologist Jeff Beamish; Oct. 22, 2013): "That's all thanks to a ridge of high pressure supplying us with sunshine and daytime highs in the mid to upper 80's, heading into the weekend. Now. As we are heading into next week, we are going to be tracking a cold front moving in from British Columbia, models hinting at any rain or snow staying east of us, but gusty winds a possibility as we head into Monday and especially Tuesday of next week. Maybe some cooler temperatures as well. Transition: a look at your TruVu 4 Extended forecast..."

Example (Credit Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 7, 2013): This high moves off to the east as we are heading into the weekend we are entering what is known as a zonal flow. Winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere moving from west to east, separating this cool air to north, warm air to the south, not seeing any troughs or ridges developing, and this is going to be a pattern pretty much stuck as we are heading into early next week in southern Arizona. Lots of daytime highs in the 80's; lots of overnight lows in the 50's

Example (Credit Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 12, 2013): All thanks to a cold front dropping down from the South, chilly air over most of the United States. We are getting the back end of this cold front. And this back door cold front will be cranking up those winds over the next 24 hours.

As we are heading into the weekend, watching another cold front, this one dropping in over Canada, I think colder air filtering in from the North, and a few models hinting at showers for Saturday and Sunday. And there are still some differences in this forecast as far as timing and whether we will see rain or not. So I think right now the best chance for isolated showers for the weekend will be in the mountain tops.

Credit Meteorologist John Patrick: Swing you through the next couple of days with our Future Pattern. Cool morning starts tomorrow in the 40s for most of us. But another nice afternoon to round out your weekend. It looks like plenty of sunshine those winds will be down for your Sunday. And after that we are going to see little changes as a zonal flow sets up over the region. That means there is really nothing heading our way to really cool us down or warm us up at least through the first part of the upcoming work week.

Katchy Phrases: CommuteCast

Example (Credit- Jeff Beamish): Let's get to your CommuteCast here. Things also glowing. 53 right now. Topping off at 88 later on this afternoon. Temperatures today a couple 4-6 degrees above average for this time of year.

Example (Credit- Jeff Beamish): A little cool this morning. Good morning Danielle. We certainly hope you and yours had a wonderful weekend. 54 and mostly clear for the morning rush. Gusty winds later on this afternoon. Even talking about some localized areas of blowing dust on I-10 north of Marana and East of Benson. We will top off at 79 for a daytime high. 

Example (Credit: Jeff Beamish Nov. 7, 2013): A little breezy starting off your day, 58 for the morning rush. We are heading for the low 80's and ample sunshine later on this afternoon. 


To introduce CommuteCast:

• Let's get to your CommuteCast here
• Let's take a look at what's going on outside as you head out the door 
• A little cool this morning 

To describe CommuteCast:

• _______ degrees right now 
• ________ for the morning rush
• _______ later on this afternoon
• _______ for a daytime high
• topping off at _______ later on
• topping off at _______ on  your drive home
• temperatures today a good ______ above/below average for this time of year
• (if it is clear skies) things really glowing on the screen today
• we are heading for the _________

Katchy Phrases: Low Pressure

• Low Pressure Trough
• A weak trough

Katchy Phrases: High Pressure

• Big Blue H
• Ridge of High Pressure 

Katchy Phrases: Rain on the Satellite Radar

• Few rumbles of thunder...

Katchy Phrases: TruVu Extended Forecast

Example (Credit- Meteorologist Jeff Beamish): A look at your TruVu 4 Extended Forecast showing the 80's are here to stay through early next week. 50's for overnight lows; ample sunshine now through Monday; heading into the weekend those daytime highs in the mid to upper 80's. Transition: For a glowing forecast to hopefully some glowing roadways. Nichole a check with your traffic. 

Example (Credit Meteorologist Jeff Beamish): TruVu 4 Extended Forecast showing 79 this afternoon, low 70's tomorrow and Wedneday; much cooler air behind that front. A little bit of a warm up as we head into the weekend."

So just how much rain are we talking about as we head into the nightime hours? Some places could see up to a 10th of an inch of rain. Cold enough to where Mt. Lemmon including Summer Haven could see 1-3 inches of snow. Your daytime highs for tomorrow a good 8 to 10 degrees below average for this time of year."

Example (Credit: Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 5, 2013): Here's a look at your TruVu 4 extended forecast- 70 this afternoon with mostly sunny skies. Temperatures today on this election day running 7-9  degrees below average for this time of year. 40's tonight and temperatures moderate as we head into the remainder of the week. Upper 70s by Thursday. Ample sunshine and 80's just in time for homecoming weekend on the University of Arizona campus.

Example (Credit Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 7, 2013): Let's take a look at your TruVu 4 Extended Forecast. 81 this afternoon, dropping into the 50's tonight. Low to mid 80's to the middle of next week. Partly cloudy on homecoming Saturday. By Veterans Day we are at a daytime high at about 84 degrees. Temperatures a good 3 to 5 degrees above average for this time of year.  

To introduce the TruVu Extended Forecast:

• Taking a look at your next 7 days with your TruVu Extended Forecast 
• A look at your TruVu 4 Extended Forecast

When describing the TruVu Extended Forecast: 

• Coolest day out of the next 7 ___________ (example: this afternoon, etc.) 
• After that we will keep it in the mid to upper _________ through ___________ (example: 80's; Sunday)
• And overnight lows over the next several nights dropping into the __________ (example: 50's)
• Showing the 80's are here to stay over the next week
• ample sunshine now through Monday
• heading into the weekend those daytime highs in the mid to upper 80's  

Katchy Phrases: Changes

• The only sensible change in the forecast

Katchy Phrases: Satellite Radar

Pretty quiet across the lower 48 

Not much popping up on the satellite radar

The first impacts...

The first signs of this..

Hard pressed to find a cloud in sight

Example (Credit- Meteorologist Jeff Beamish; Oct. 22, 2013): "You are hard pressed to find a cloud anywhere across the western U.S. From Oregon all the way down into Arizona; clear skies; any clouds of significance being steered off into western Canada. Transition: That's all thanks to (FuturePattern)..."

Example (Credit-Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 4, 2013): "You can see that cloud cover on the satellite loop radar. It's all ahead of a cold front. The first impact of this will be the gusty winds this afternoon."

Example (Credit: Meteorologist Jeff Beamish: Nov. 5, 2013): "The same storm system that ripped up the winds yesterday run a little bit of rain to the Tucson metro beginning to depart off to the east. And it is going to be creating some big travel troubles in the nation's midsection. Here is that trough just off to our north. We are seeing rain and snow developing up ahead of it in the front range of the rockies and portions of south Dakota...

...This is a live look just outside of Rapid City. Looks like an inch or two off the ground. Temperatures in the 20's. This storm system will push into Minnesota and Wisconsin later on this evening. In fact we are talking a good swath of about 2-4 inches of snow for your friends and family in the twin cities of the metro area. A little bit early to talk about snow in the twin cities but again not unheard of for early November."

Example (Jeff Beamish: Nov. 7, 2013): High pressure off to the north. That is going to lock in clear skies this afternoon. Notice the cloud covering California and Nevada heading in over the overnight hours. I think by Saturday we will have partly cloudy skies and filtered sunshine here in Tucson.

Credit John Patrick: Nov. 17, 2013): So those skies slowly clearing out, slowly drying off and it looks like those winds dying down which offers for some good radioational cooling. That's when that heat up that we build up throughout the day can escape back up to the atmosphere and that's how we are able to get as cool as possible for us. We actually have this big upper level low that has been spinning over the west coast for the past couple of days. We are just getting the southern end of it and that's why we are just calling it cool tonight and not cold. That cold air is staying it looks like up from Colorado up to Canada you see some snowflakes falling there throughout the Rockies.

*If there is nothing going on here in Arizona, point out a location on the satellite that shows something going on:

Katchy Phrases: Tucson

• Tucson Metro
• Sonoran Desert
• Old Pueblo 
• Southern Arizona 

Katchy Phrases: Sunny

• ample sunshine 
• mostly sunny skies 
• wall to wall sunshine
• Supplying us with sunshine and daytime highs in the upper ______

Katchy Phrases: What to expect...

• Big weather story for the week 
• As we are heading into the next 7 days here...

Katchy Phrases: The United States

Sometimes it can be boring to say the same thing over and over again. However if you learn to say it a different way, it can make the weather forecast more interesting! Here are some other words for the United States:

• lower 48 
• coast to coast 
• the nation

Evaporation, Precipitation, Condensation and then it all begins again!

     Finally! I have an internship and I cannot tell you just how excited I am to finally be doing something that I love!
      I have always had this fear throughout college that I wasn't studying for what I wanted to do with my life. I mean you can go through all these classes but how do you really know what you want to do unless you haven't experienced the job to it's full potential. That's why I think it is vital that students take on internships to help them realize, "hmmm...is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?"
      I always thought I wanted to be a news reporter- I always liked to be in front of people since I was in theater for so many years. And then I started taking journalism classes and I began to realize that maybe this wasn't the right job for me. I got this feeling that something just wasn't right.
      I remember always having this weird interest for weather. Since fifth grade I remember my teacher teaching us the water cycle song. And it went something like this:
     Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation,
     And then it all begins again! Cha Cha Cha
To this day I still remember going home and singing that song over and over and over again. So when college started any "free" classes that I had to take were classes dedicated to weather because I couldn't help but get excited about learning about hurricanes, winds, and other weather phenomenas (I know I'm a geekster).
     So when it came time to choose a minor, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: something related to weather. The more weather classes I took the more I began to realize that I did want to work in a news station, just not as a news anchor but as a weather woman.
     Finally, I got an internship with KVOA News 4 in the weather department and from Day 1 I realized this is the perfect job for me! Even though I have to be up at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays...yeah that's right not 2:30 p.m. but 2:30 a.m. I am so excited to come to my internship everyday because I am learning so much!
      Okay so let me kind of catch you up on what I have been doing for the past couple of weeks. My mentor is Meteorologist Jeff Beamish, and let me just tell you he is an AMAZING meteorologist and is someone who I aspire to be like one of these days.
     I work from 4 a.m.- 9:20 a.m. and I make graphics, work on the green screen and also post weather blurbs onto Facebook, twitter, and their KVOA webpage.
      The graphics are all done on the TruVu Max system and when I find my journal with how to use the graphics I will post it up to give you some helpful tips on how to use this program. I'm trying to search for tutorials for this system, but I haven't been able to find any good ones, yet.
      The green screen....oh the green screen is more difficult then I thought it would be. Now I know everyone wants to know, "How does it work"? Because trust me I had no idea either. So let's just pretend you were the meteorologist.... there is the green screen behind you and then there are three cameras (1) in front of you, (2) one on the right side, (3) one of the left side. On these screens you can see yourself with all the graphics behind you. The problem: the cameras are like a mirror. Ugh....I know eventually I will get used to it, but I keep pointing in the wrong direction. So here are some helpful tips on how to use the green screen:

1. 80% staring into the audience. (John the news anchor says that I should always refer to the audience as "you," and not "everybody" it helps make people feel special)
2. 20% off to the side where you can look at the two cameras on the side 
3. I can point out numbers on the side like 83 in Benson blah blah blah but come back and stare into the camera
4. VOICE: Okay so if you are a blonde haired girl you cannot have that high pitched voice. Nichole the traffic anchor gave me the low down on this one. She said if a dark haired girl had done the high pitched voice that it would be okay, but as a blonde girl it can make you look, "like a stupid blonde girl who doesn't know what they are talking about." Now I'm not saying if you are blonde you should go out and dye your hair to brunette  but just keep this in mind and watch inflections on certain words. I'm still struggling with this but what Nichole said to do was to start talking to my family like how I should sound on t.v. This will help me/you sound more natural. 

      As my internship continues I plan to describe everything I learn to give you the inside scoop of what life is like as a weather intern.