In this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Christine Wielgos, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky.
Fall 2026 Severe Weather Awareness Week is September 28 to October 2.
Each day of the week, there is a different focus on weather safety: being weather aware, the difference between watches and warnings, tornado facts and preparedness, severe thunderstorms and their hazards, and flash flooding.
Wielgos also talked about sudden severe weather and sometimes rapidly changing forecasts during fall, and having multiple ways of receiving reliable forecasts depending on your activity and location to stay prepared. We also briefly discussed how climate and an 'El Niño' pattern affect weather in the region.
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide13.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide16.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide17.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide18.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide2.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide3.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide4.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide5.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide6.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide7.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide8.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
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— FallSevereWeatherSafetyAwarenessGraphics_2/Slide9.JPG
2026 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Mon. Sept. 28 to Fri. Oct. 2. The National Weather Service's campaign aims to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather hazards during the fall season, increase response to watches and warnings, and knowing what each warning or watch means.
NWS Paducah, KY / https://www.weather.gov/pah/fallsevereweathercampaign2026
The National Weather Service prediction office in Paducah, Kentucky, hosts a Facebook Live Session at 7:00 pm on Monday, September 28, to discuss awareness and preparedness for the upcoming fall severe weather season and answer weather and preparedness questions.
You can contact the National Weather Service office in Paducah, KY, with questions here: nws.paducah@noaa.gov, or visit weather.gov/pah
