West Georgia Weather Inc. - (770) 865-7454

West Georgia Weather is providing local and national weather alerts to protect the lives of everyone during severe weather.

Chris Metcalfe, a former volunteer firefighter at Carroll County Fire Station No. 9 in Villa Rica, self-admittedly is mesmerized by all things weather. This obsession grew out of a tragic event that took place on one of his last calls as a firefighter in which a friend was killed during a severe storm after being struck by a falling tree.

“That got me more interested in weather,” he said. “I started teaching myself how to read weather models and to become insightful on what is going to happen with the weather. Weather is just a passion I can’t get rid of.”

With so many dangerous storms that have passed through East Alabama and West Georgia recently and the potential for more nasty weather approaching with the summer hurricane season; Metcalfe recently started West Georgia Weather.

“It started out just as an idea to help people living in our area who may not receive the weather coverage (from the Atlanta television media),” he said. “If you’ve got multiple thunderstorm cells and two or three of them are producing rotation in a cell that could produce a tornado at any time the television stations aren’t going to fixate on that one cell because they’re going to be fixated on a tornado on the ground somewhere else. I cover those storm cells and if anything is showing rotation I give off a warning to the people in the area through Facebook and Webcasting. I compare the models and double check everything I do before I put out any warnings.”

Using the Facebook page “westgaweather” and the Web site http://westgaweather.webs.com Metcalfe monitors weather situations in the West Georgia area and gives early warning to those who continue to have Internet access through severe weather events. He also provides daily weather updates even when the weather will be pleasant, as well as fish and game forecasts.

“Facebook is our main tool because everybody is on Facebook,” he said. “West Georgia Weather has grown a lot just in the last two months by using Facebook.”

In addition to Carroll County, Metcalfe also provides warnings for those living in Haralson, Heard, Paulding and Polk counties using four different types of radars. His primary weather sources are Weather Underground, tornadovideos.net and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“When a storm starts coming into the West Georgia area, mainly when it gets to Oxford, Ala., if I see a storm cell that has produced severe weather or tornado cells, I go ahead and give the warnings for the counties in that path on Facebook,” Metcalfe explained. “That way everybody has notification before the news channels get it. During severe weather, I’m at the computer 24 hours monitoring the activity and giving updates. I want to be able to help save the lives of people in our community and those around us.”

Though he concentrates on West Georgia, Metcalfe’s Facebook fans include some living in Alabama, South Georgia and even Missouri. When the F5 tornado recently destroyed portions of Joplin, Mo., Metcalfe said the tornado sirens had been knocked out there and he took it upon himself to begin forecasting for Joplin for those who had Internet service because he has friends living in the area.

Using West Georgia Weather as a platform, Metcalfe not only plans to provide severe weather alerts but to provide relief afterwards as well by collecting canned food, pet food, clothes, blankets and other supplies at local community events to ship to storm victims. His first effort will be held Saturday in conjunction with Villa Rica’s inaugural Trade Day event at The Mill amphitheater downtown. He also has businesses lined up that will have drop boxes for donated items. Materials collected will be shipped to Joplin and materials will be raised for the victims of future weather events.

“Chris contacted me and said he was interested in doing a food and clothing drive,” Main Street Manager Kimberly Stovall said. “It was such a great opportunity for our community to come together to help others. Villa Rica is such a caring community that wants to reach out and help people near and far.”

For those who have need special attention due to a physical handicap or some other extenuating circumstances, Metcalfe also has a severe weather call list from which he will place a phone call to those who sign up for this service on the Facebook page who living in the path of a severe storm that could produce a tornado.

Read more: Times-Georgian - Resident monitors local severe weather

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