Weather Literacy

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Welcome back to Trinidad and Tobago today on TDT broadcasting live from TTDRM at the Hyatt Regency. Well, our final guest this morning helps us to understand weather forecasts and warnings and how they can help save lives before severe weather even strikes. His name is Brian Mr. Weatherman Shields. Good morning.

[00:00:21]>> Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

[00:00:23]>> Welcome here. First time in Trinidad?

[00:00:24]>> It is the first time. Yeah, it's been great.

[00:00:25]>> Yeah. How are you enjoying the weather?

[00:00:27]>> Uh the wea- Well, I was told to bring the rain and when I landed, it was raining. It was raining and dusty and then I met these great people, random family, and then I ended up spending about 4 hours with them. So, so point being >> Yes.

[00:00:39]>> super friendly. I love this area. So, yeah.

[00:00:41]>> I I love that for you. Well, hopefully today's going to have some sunshine. Did you check the weather forecast before you came here?

[00:00:46]>> Well, I figured I was off duty today, but I'll I'll get on that.

[00:00:49]>> on duty.

[00:00:50]>> Okay. All right. Looks I'll have to look at the [laughter] window.

[00:00:52]>> So, tell us a little bit about what you do.

[00:00:54]>> Uh I do weather on YouTube. So, I under Mr. Weatherman and focus on the Caribbean.

[00:01:01]Um and just trying to get out the proper information. There's a few islands that don't necessarily get the best weather information. So, that's what I do, but then it just kind of kind of spread and took off from there. So, uh but it's a great weather community.

[00:01:13]It's a nice to see I mean weather has no borders.

[00:01:16]Uh it's great to see all the islands kind of come together um under the YouTube channel. So, it's kind of formed this nice community. And you know social media is super crazy right now um as we know and this is I think one of the um kinder spots in social media. So, um yeah, just tracking storms and tracking weather and just, you know, having a good time.

[00:01:34]>> Yeah.

[00:01:35]>> So, I want to talk a little bit about weather literacy. You know, we're hearing forecasts every single day, but what exactly does weather literacy mean?

[00:01:43]And why is it so important for the average person?

[00:01:46]>> That's a very, very good question. So, uh communicate I mean communication and information is key. If a warning is issued and the warning doesn't reach anyone, it's really not a warning. It doesn't really do any good. So, I think just um getting the proper information out so people could be safe. There's so many crazy weather terms and you know, fancy uh sayings and you know, all the guests you had are a whole lot smarter than me. So, I was listening to them.

[00:02:08]So, um So, you know, I try I just try to break it down. You know, it's when it comes to weather um and climate, it's you know, it's moms and dads at home trying to you know, day-to-day take care of their family.

[00:02:19]When a big storm's coming, that's where you know, I try to step in and just you know, let you know not only what the weather is going to be, but what what does that mean? And I think that's the part of the literacy part is what does the weather mean for me and my family?

[00:02:32]How is it going to impact us? Um and what do I need to do to stay to stay safe? Just getting out the proper messaging.

[00:02:38]>> I want to get into the jargon >> Did that sound good?

[00:02:40]>> It totally fine.

[00:02:41]>> Okay. All right. We're not live, are we?

[00:02:43]>> We might be.

[00:02:44]>> Okay. All right. We'll see. Okay. Good.

[00:02:45]>> [laughter] >> No, I want to get into the jargon just a little bit. There is some confusion with watch and warning. Break that down for us. For the normal person.

[00:02:53]>> You're coming at me today, huh? This is uh okay.

[00:02:55]>> this is not a vacation.

[00:02:57]>> Okay. So, wait. So, apparently it's not I was planning on going to have some drinks, but it's still early. But anyway, um so, yeah. So, a watch is kind of like, "Hey, we need to look out." And on my channel watch and warning I think is is confusing. I do I do think a lot of the terms can be a little bit confusing. So, um I still go with watch and warning. A watch is kind of, "Hey, we got to we got to look out." A warning is, you know, something is imminent or it's happening.

[00:03:21]So, on my YouTube channel, I'll break it down by monitor mode because you know, we're monitoring. If if we're in you know, if Trinidad and Tobago's in in monitor mode, that means a heightened alert. We need to kind of watch out for things, which is kind of like a watch.

[00:03:33]And then instead of warning, I use action. I'm not trying to change terms.

[00:03:36]So, don't get me in trouble with any governments or anything. So, um you know, warning I I use the term action mode because I think that's just pertinent. That means you know, we need to go into action. Everyone has different resources and different means.

[00:03:48]Um so, it's I think it's important to delineate. That was a whole word word salad for you, so >> Totally fine. We're definitely not confused.

[00:03:56]You know, thank you for bringing that on for us. Now, with hurricane season underway, I believe today the season opens. What are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have when they look at forecasts and storm tracks?

[00:04:07]What have you gotten from people?

[00:04:08]>> this season the biggest thing is that it's going to be, {quote}, a quiet season, which is not the case necessarily at all because we're going into an El Nino cycle. I don't want to get into all the science about it. But, yes, I know. Right when you say the word quiet, I know. Then then, yeah.

[00:04:24]Then madness breaks loose. But, anyway.

[00:04:26]So, it's an El Nino pattern and all we need to know about that is typically there are fewer named systems out there, which is a good thing. Not diminishing that, but they're still going to be systems out there, tropical storms and hurricanes.

[00:04:39]So, it just matters where they go. So, some folks are like, "Oh, it's El Nino.

[00:04:42]It's going to be quiet." And I'm like, "Not necessarily. If you get wrecked by a hurricane, it's not quiet." I mean, we've had busy seasons, destructive seasons that have been El Nino patterns. So, just the term being thrown around now is that's going to be a quiet season or a good season. I've yet to run into a hurricane season that's really been a good season overall. So, >> Yeah. Now, you often discuss different forecast models. So, can you break that down again for the average person?

[00:05:06]>> Oh, boy. So, yeah. I'm still trying So, yeah. So, models I think that one of the problems with models models are computers. They're giant computers and they spit out You think of like an iPhone versus an Android. They spit out, you know, one will say, "Hey, this storm is going here." And the other one will say, "This storm is going here." based on their data. They're pretty similar.

[00:05:24]But, sometimes they can be very wrong.

[00:05:26]So, I think sometimes there's a big reliance on the models.

[00:05:29]And sometimes you kind of need to look at the darn window sometimes. Um So, models are helpful. They're helpful tools. They're computers. But, they're not all equal. Some do better with hurricanes. Some do better with you know, other types of weather. So, they're not all equal.

[00:05:46]So, there's always a model that looks like it's going to be death and destruction when that's not necessarily the case.

[00:05:50]>> Yeah. Now, the Caribbean is particularly vulnerable, as you know, to hurricanes, flooding, and other weather-related hazards. How can improved weather literacy, and I'm going back to that now, help communities I know, I'm so sorry. I know you >> I didn't get the questions ahead of time. I would have done the whole thing >> That's okay.

[00:06:06]>> Okay. This is not good. This is not good. This is not good.

[00:06:08]>> This is your warm welcome Trinidad. So, how can improved weather literacy really help communities to make better decisions before and also during an emergency?

[00:06:17]>> Well, I just saw this a lot with one of the reasons I haven't been in I was trying to come to Trinidad months ago, but I've had to spend a lot of time in Jamaica. I'm sorry, I've had a lot of coffee, so I'm talking really fast. So, I just apologize to everyone.

[00:06:29]Um in I was supposed to be in Jamaica or excuse me, Trinidad earlier, but I've been spending a lot of time in Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

[00:06:36]And in that, the messaging was difficult. Last season, everything was curving out to sea, except for one, and that was Melissa, and then that moved right into Jamaica. So, having to for my YouTube channel, fortunately, it's a great community that puts a lot of trust in me, which I feel the weight of that trust, and I I feel that burden. So, I was able to get the right word out, but, you know, every I I would just say every system is different. Because a pattern is doing one thing, it doesn't mean it's going to be doing it later on. Um every storm is different. Every hurricane is different. Some are big, some are small.

[00:07:10]You're hearing a guest talk about a Flora back in the '60s here.

[00:07:14]Um you know, there's a lot of mixed messaging out there. Like, Trinidad and Tobago, we're not in the hurricane belt, which is kind of not not true. I mean, we could get hit by big system. So, uh it's difficult. I don't know what the question was at this point. It's difficult. It's difficult.

[00:07:29]>> Trust me, you're answering all of them.

[00:07:31]And before we go, how has social media really changed the way that you report the weather?

[00:07:35]>> Um I love it because I think it is great because we can reach a large group of people and bring them together. Um social media is also crazy as we well know. As we all know, we all know, we all know. So, fortunately the the Mr. WeatherMan community has turned into a group of not only super kind people from all of the islands back through Central America, but it's really people helping each other. And I think um with social media, we have a a chance to help each other and to really spread kindness.

[00:08:02]>> What are you looking forward to most in Trinidad and Tobago during your stay?

[00:08:06]>> Uh the food, obviously. Yeah, the food.

[00:08:08]But no, just the the kind people, the culture has been amazing.

[00:08:12]Um and just getting out there. Tomorrow I'm traveling traveling all around uh Trinidad, so I don't even know where I'm going. So, so you you may you may you may see me. I'll be I'll be I'll be out I'll be out there tomorrow. So, just getting to as many places as I can. I can't wait.

[00:08:26]>> And hopefully you soak up some of the warm weather. Um thanks for bringing the rain. We're We forgive you for that.

[00:08:32]>> good on time?

[00:08:33]>> We're great on time. And I know you're really good on that as well.

[00:08:36]So, what's your channel for us to uh >> Okay. Uh on YouTube, if you look up Mr. WeatherMan, I'll be there.

[00:08:41]>> Oh, all right. Well, thank you very much for having us. You're most welcome. TTDRM 2026, it is happening at the Hyatt Regency. It's day one of three days of the conference and expo. This is being organized by the PODS Emergency Management Consultancy and Solutions.

[00:09:01]The theme is Resilience 360, bridging knowledge and action. The focus areas, obviously, climate change. There's flooding, urban planning, emergency preparedness. And the whole idea of this conference and expo is that we're moving from simply reacting to disasters to actually managing risk before disasters happen. So, we're looking forward to seeing everything coming out of this three-day event.

[00:09:30]Thank you so much to PODS. Thank you, Stacy-Ann, for having us here this morning. Thank you to all our guests who would have joined us to weigh in on why exactly do we need to prepare for disasters and not just react when they happen.