Brian Knopick has been fascinated with the weather since he was a young boy in Wichita, KS. He would stand by the front door of his house, watching thunderstorms roll in and marveling at the power of nature. As he got older, his interest in the weather grew stronger. He found that he had a natural talent for science and math and decided to pursue a degree in Meteorology.
After graduation, Brian landed a job as a Storm Warning Meteorologist at AccuWeather. He is part of a team of meteorologists who issue severe weather warnings and forecasts for clients, so they can make timely and accurate decisions. Brian also helps manage the early morning shifts, issues various forecast products, and speaks with business leaders daily about upcoming storm systems. Ten years later, he still loves his job and learns something new daily.
Brian's favorite type of weather to forecast is tropical systems. He loves the challenge of predicting their path, strength, and speed. But his most memorable weather event was on April 29, 2022, when a tornado touched down close to his home in Kansas. Brian woke up preparing for the possibility of severe weather. As the day wore on, he noticed that the storms seemed to develop in a way he had never seen before. Brian couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something felt different about how the clouds moved. Later that evening, as he was tearing down an old swing set in his backyard with his dad, he noticed a line of showers approaching from the south. But as the storm moved overhead, Brian felt uneasy in his gut. The cloud base looked different than anything he had ever seen before. Brian's instincts told him that this storm could be much stronger. He watched as it moved directly overhead and continued to move northeast. After the storm passed, Brian and his dad went to pick up dinner. On their way home, they heard reports of a tornado on the ground. Brian's heart raced as he realized that his instincts had been right. The storm had produced an EF-3 tornado, which had been on the ground for 21 minutes and covered over 12 miles. It was a powerful reminder of the awe-inspiring strength of nature and the importance of being prepared.
When Brian isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids and watching his favorite sports teams, the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and Sporting KC. He also likes watching “how-to” videos and doing yard work around his home.
Brian and his colleagues make a difference daily by using AccuWeather’s Superior Accuracy™ and patented forecasting technology to issue tornado warnings and provide critical information to clients – from manufacturing to rail transportation, education, energy, and more. From tornadoes, damaging wind, flash flooding, and snow - AccuWeather has the most comprehensive data that can provide business partners with the time they need to shelter or better prepare for severe weather. Learn more about the benefits of SkyGuard and the AccuWeather difference.
