Severe weather preparedness: How Tulsa’s National Weather Service team works around the clock

The National Weather Service plays a key role during the severe weather season in Oklahoma.

As we prepare for the chance of more severe weather this weekend, News On 6 takes a behind-the-scenes look at the National Weather Service office in Tulsa.

Inside Tulsa’s National Weather Service office, every severe weather day begins long before the skies turn stormy.

Steven Cobb is just one of the 12 meteorologists on staff, 23 in total for the entire operation.

From the forecasters to electronic technicians working to keep the equipment up to date and running, it's a mission that often means late nights and long shifts.

“We are made up of self-sacrificing people that want to help others, and put ourselves and our comfort levels aside to be here to watch things for people and help them prepare and stay safe,” said Cobb.

Safety is the entire goal for the team. It can be a high-stakes job, but for Cobb, it's been his passion since he was a child.

“For me, it was a tornado that struck a town just north of where I grew up,” he said. “We were informed by my big brother to look at this funny-looking cloud. We went outside in our backyard, and we could see the tornado developing and starting to take shape."

He now watches those same systems from these monitors, waiting to address the watches and warnings. Cobb says when severe weather threatens, it's not just one agency sounding the alarm, it's an entire network working together to keep people safe.

“The weather enterprise as a whole is essential because we are combining public, national weather service, government agencies, as well as state agencies, the private sector, as well as academia in this partnership, and each of us have a specific role in this."