LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW CHAPTER. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, WILD IS THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE WHAT I’VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN STORM COMMAND WITH MY PARTNER KYLE HAMM. IT WAS REALLY HARD TO REALLY TAKE EIGHT YEARS WORTH OF STORM COVERAGE AND PUT IT INTO ONE STORY, BUT THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE RIGHT NOW. APRIL 2016. OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF STORM COMMAND WAS ON THE RED CARPET AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS CONVENTION IN LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS STRIP. THE DEBUT OF FIRST ALERT STORM COMMAND. IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR STORM COMMAND TO BE PUT TO THE TEST. MAY 9TH, 2016 A CLASSIC OKLAHOMA TORNADO OUTBREAK HIT THERE. IT IS. IT’S DEVELOPING. IT LOOKS LIKE VERY NEAR LAKE THUNDERBIRD. GUYS, RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE THE ROTATION IS RAPID. 2017 WAS VERY BUSY. FIRST, AN ICE STORM HIT IN JANUARY TAKING OUT POWER TO THOUSANDS OF NORTHWEST OKLAHOMANS. THEN TORNADOES IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA ON EASTER SUNDAY AND A DAMAGING TORNADO IN ELK CITY HAPPENED IN MAY. NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION. DON’T WAIT. BUT IT DIDN’T STOP. THERE. WE COVERED THE GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE IN AUGUST, THEN IMMEDIATELY HEADED TO TEXAS TO HELP COVER ONE OF THE WORST DISASTERS IN U.S. HISTORY. HURRICANE HARVEY. IN 2018. OUR ATTENTION TURNED TO DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES. THE UNFORGETTABLE EL REY FIRE SCORCHED OVER 300,000 ACRES NEAR CEILING, PUTTING LIVES AND LIVESTOCK IN HARM’S WAY. THEN, IN 2019, OKLAHOMA HAD. 149 TORNADOES, THE MOST ON RECORD FOR THE STATE. THIS STORM CONTINUE TO DROP TORNADOES IN OKLAHOMA AFTER PRODUCING THIS MONSTER NEAR CANADIAN, TEXAS IS THE MOST MEMORABLE EVENT FROM 2020 WAS THE HISTORIC ICE STORM IN OCTOBER. IN 2021, WINTER STOLE THE SHOW AGAIN, TAKING THE HEADLINES WITH AN ARCTIC BLAST THAT SENT TEMPERATURES DOWN TO 14 DEGREES BELOW ZERO FOR THE YEAR OF 2022 BROUGHT MORE DEVASTATING DROUGHT. ONCE AGAIN, IT’S JUNE 11TH. WE ARE IN THE DRIEST 30 DAY STRETCH IN THE LAST 100 YEARS, AND IT IS RAISING CONCERNS FOR OKLAHOMA FARMERS AND RANCHERS. TORNADOES BECAME THE MAIN STORY AGAIN IN 2023. THIS DEADLY TORNADO HITTING COLE, OKLAHOMA IN APRIL. THIS IS THE TORNADO. IT’S A BIG TORNADO RIGHT NOW. AND OH MY GOSH, IT’S LIKE RIGHT ON THE DOORSTEP OF COLE. COLE IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. FROM CUSTER CITY TO YUKON TO DUKE THIS YEAR CONTINUED THAT TREND OF TORNADOES. SO WE HAVE ENDURED A LOT OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN STORM COMMAND. BUT CERTAINLY YOU ALL HAVE TWO. STORM COMMAND HAS BEEN A GREAT TOOL AND IT’S STAYING WITH US. BUT NOW IT’S TIME FOR CHAPTER TWO AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT STORM COMMAND TWO. THAT’S RIGHT. AND I’M GOING TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY. AND THIS TRUCK COMING UP LATER ON THIS WEEK IN OKLAHOMA CITY
8 years of Storm Command: A look back and forward for KOCO 5's First Alert Weather Team
Field Meteorologist Michael Armstrong reflects on the past 8 years of Storm Command's operations and teases the launch of Storm Command 2
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Updated: 5:29 PM CDT Jun 18, 2024
Eight years ago, a new chapter began at KOCO 5 with the launch of First Alert Storm Command, a mobile weather station designed to keep Oklahomans safe during severe weather events. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppThe first glimpse of Storm Command was in April 2016 at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas. By May 9, 2016, Storm Command was put to the test during a classic Oklahoma tornado outbreak. "There you can see it guys. The rotation is rapid," KOCO 5 Field Meteorologist Michael Armstrong reported from the outbreak. The year 2017 was particularly busy for the team. An ice storm in January knocked out power for thousands of northwest Oklahomans, followed by tornadoes on Easter Sunday and a damaging tornado in Elk City in May. "Now is the time to take action. Don't wait," Armstrong said of the Elk City tornado.The team also covered the Great American Eclipse in August and Hurricane Harvey, one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. In 2018, the focus shifted to drought and wildfires, including the Rhea Fire that scorched over 300,000 acres near Seiling. The following year, Oklahoma experienced a record 149 tornadoes.The most memorable event from 2020 was a historic ice storm in October. In 2021, an arctic blast sent temperatures down to 14 degrees below zero. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The year 2022 brought more devastating drought. Armstrong reported on the situation. Tornadoes dominated the headlines again in 2023, including a deadly tornado in Cole. "This is the tornado. It's a big tornado right now," Armstrong said while reporting from the Cole tornado. As the eight years of Storm Command come to a close, a new vehicle, Storm Command 2, will bring new technology to KOCO 5 and Oklahoma. Top Headlines Oklahoma Election Guide: What voters need to know before casting ballot in Tuesday primaries OHP: 2 dead after overnight crash on I-44 in southwest Oklahoma City Packard's closing its doors after 11 years in Midtown Justin Timberlake arrested and in custody in New York for allegedly driving while intoxicated Semitrailer gets tangled with power lines, knocking over poles in northwest OKC
Eight years ago, a new chapter began at KOCO 5 with the launch of First Alert Storm Command, a mobile weather station designed to keep Oklahomans safe during severe weather events.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
The first glimpse of Storm Command was in April 2016 at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas. By May 9, 2016, Storm Command was put to the test during a classic Oklahoma tornado outbreak.
"There you can see it guys. The rotation is rapid," KOCO 5 Field Meteorologist Michael Armstrong reported from the outbreak.
The year 2017 was particularly busy for the team. An ice storm in January knocked out power for thousands of northwest Oklahomans, followed by tornadoes on Easter Sunday and a damaging tornado in Elk City in May.
"Now is the time to take action. Don't wait," Armstrong said of the Elk City tornado.
The team also covered the Great American Eclipse in August and Hurricane Harvey, one of the worst disasters in U.S. history.
In 2018, the focus shifted to drought and wildfires, including the Rhea Fire that scorched over 300,000 acres near Seiling.
The following year, Oklahoma experienced a record 149 tornadoes.
The most memorable event from 2020 was a historic ice storm in October. In 2021, an arctic blast sent temperatures down to 14 degrees below zero.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The year 2022 brought more devastating drought. Armstrong reported on the situation.
Tornadoes dominated the headlines again in 2023, including a deadly tornado in Cole.
"This is the tornado. It's a big tornado right now," Armstrong said while reporting from the Cole tornado.
As the eight years of Storm Command come to a close, a new vehicle, Storm Command 2, will bring new technology to KOCO 5 and Oklahoma.
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