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WEATHER

Never Stops

and neither do we! At White Squirrel Weather, we're dedicated to providing educational tools to empower people of all ages to learn more about meteorology.

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WEATHER

Never Stops

and neither do we! At White Squirrel Weather, we're dedicated to providing educational tools to empower people of all ages to learn more about meteorology.

learn more

Our Mission

To provide innovative weather monitoring and prediction for our community.

Our white squirrel, WINDY, and her team are gathering information everyday to prepare us and other critters for daily activities by sharing her real-time observations and forecasts straight from her nest to yours. Her team uses state of the art weather equipment to provide accurate and up to date, minute by minute forecasting. Her goal is to make us aware of weather so we an enjoy and be prepared for work, play, and especially vaca !!

Fun Facts about the WEATHER.

What is the strongest wind ever recorded?

Strongest wind ever recorded was on Mt Washington in New Hampshire at an amazing 231 mph.

Which country gets the most tornadoes?

The country most affected by tornadoes is the USA which faces on average 1200 tornadoes every year.

What's the highest temperature ever recorded?

Highest Temperature Recorded on Earth is 56.7°C (134°F) at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913

What's the lowest temperature ever recorded?

Lowest Temperature Recorded on Earth is -89.2°C (-128.5°F) at Vostok, Antarctica on July 21, 1983

How fast can rain fall?

The fastest speed a falling raindrop can hit you is 18 mph

How frequent are lightning strikes?

Every second around 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth

How frequent are thunderstorms?

Nearly 2000 thunderstorm cells are estimated over the planet at any given time

Learn more about

Our Team

Learn more about

Our Team

Dr. Josh Durkee earned his Bachelor’s of Science at Western Kentucky University in 2000 where he studied geography, weather and climate, hydrology, and art. He moved to Athens, GA in 2001 to pursue graduate studies in geography, meteorology, remote sensing, and hydrology at the University of Georgia, where he completed his Master’s of Science (2003) and Ph.D. (2008) degrees. Dr. Durkee returned to Bowling Green, KY, where he became a professor in the Meteorology Program at WKU in 2008. There he developed an award-winning, nationally recognized severe storms forecasting field course, and established the College Heights Atmospheric Observatory for Students (CHAOS) forecast and research facility. His latest innovation is with White Squirrel Weather, a hyperlocal weather monitoring & decision-support and training service for weather hazard emergency preparedness & safety awareness. As of 2018, Dr. Durkee serves as the dedicated meteorologist for WKU.

Jonathan Oglesby holds a Master’s of Geoscience and undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Western Kentucky University (WKU), and has over 28 years’ experience in water quality and quantity. Jonathan also has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator and is the co-founder of White Squirrel Weather. Jonathan has been at WKU since 2008 where he has worked in Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management. His current positions include Instructor for the Department of Geography and Geology and Creative Science Director for the WKU Meteorology Program.

Jonathan holds a Master’s of Geoscience and undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Western Kentucky University (WKU), and has over 28 years’ experience in water quality and quantity. Jonathan also has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator and is the co-founder of White Squirrel Weather. Jonathan has been at WKU since 2008 where he as worked in Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management. His current positions include Instructor for the Department of Geography and Geology and Creative Science Director for the WKU Meteorology Program.

Learn more about Windy

Around Western Kentucky University’s campus there’s a good chance you will hear people talking about white squirrels. Some have seen them, some have not. Regardless, they are on people’s minds and the talk of the town. They’ve become woven into the fabric of the area. There aren’t many running around so when you see one, it’s a very special moment. We chose a white squirrel as our mascot because it’s deeply rooted in the culture. But it goes deeper than that. Our mascot is female. We chose that because most mascots are male, and we wanted to emphasize and empower women in science. We asked Josh’s daughter, who was in third grade at the time, what our mascot’s name should be. And without skipping a beat she said, “Why not Windy?’

Not only is Windy a play on words, but it allows us to reach a wider audience. The strategy has worked. Windy draws in people of all ages so when we do community outreach and education, White Squirrel Weather is more engaging and effective.