PEOPLE -78 SOPHOMORE ANDREW LEEPER CHECKS his computer Oct. 7for CentralArkansas weather updates. Leeper, aTV 16 weather anchor, became acert ified tornado tracker two yea rsago for the Nashville, Tenn., and linle Rock areas. 'A.lNGRAM Weat s In the movie "Twister,." a group of storm chasers risked their lives racing after a giant tornado. For most, this was just a movie. For sophomore Andrew Leeper, it was his job. . Leeper, who said he always loved watching weather, became a certified tornado tracker so he could help other people. "The National Weather Service can't see everything on radar, so they rely on storm chasers to provide information/' Leeper said. Every day at 5 a.m., Leeper received a report from the National Weather Service detailing the expected weather for the day. "If they are expecting severe weather, they put 'spotter activation' at the bottom of the report," Leeper said. "That means I have to be ready to go out and report on the weather in a certain area." Once he approached the area of severe weather, Leeper reported back to the National Weather Service on IIHe is as good as some professional meteorologists on the air:' DR. DUTCH HOGGATT, TV16 ADVISOR the nature of the storm. He reported things like the size of hail, rain, wind and the presence of funnel clouds. Leeper's interest in weather led him to work as a weather anchor for TV 16. Dr. Dutch Hoggatt, associate professor of communication and TV 16 advisor, worked with Leeper at the news station and said Leeper's passion for weather was evident in his work. "He is very knowledgeable about weather," Hoggatt said. "He is as good as some professional meteorologists on the air." Hoggatt said Leeper often used his videos of storms as material for his anchor job. TV 16 anchor tracks area tornadoes "Owing severe weather he'll drive out and get video," Hoggatt said. Chasing storms led to some pretty frightening situations, but Leeper said his scariest storm occurred in the spring of 2003. "I was in FortSmith,Ark, watching a severe storm, when a tornado formed," Leeper said. "The rain was really heavy and I couldn't really see where the tornado was, but from the information provided by my radio, I figured out it was right behind me and traveling at about 60 mph," he said. "I don't usually get nervous, but I had to drive pretty fast through blinding rain to get away from that tornado." Hoggatt, who described Leeper as a "weather nut," said he thought Leeper's hobby was unusual, but suited Leeper perfectly. "I think it's fun for him," Hoggatt said. "He loves weather and tracking tornadoes. It is exciting-a little dangerous-but exciting." -LAURA KAISER
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