Weather can be dramatic enough, what with tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding, high winds, no winds, too much rain, too little rain.

For years, one constant has been the local meteorologists who have kept viewers informed about what is happening with the weather and how the community can stay safe when extreme weather hits.

But in the chaos known as modern times, media groups have attempted to hub weather forecasts to save money, the Trump administration has paring back core weather forecasting services like the NWS and NOAA, which makes chatting about the weather more than just small talk.

Madison, Wisconsin news outlet Madison Magazine writer took a look at the effects of changing weather staffing in the Madison market and how the local forecast is much more than just telling people whether they can picnic on the weekends. It often comes down to viewer safety.

“When that relationship is severed,” said (pictured) chief meteorologist at WISC/Channel 3 (News 3 Now/Channel 3000). “You have community members whose lives are at risk because they don’t have that local connection.”

“The television weathercaster has a unique level of trust,” former KMGH and WKOW meteorologist said. “At the scariest time for them, we are the ones saying, ‘Here is what is going on.’ ”

Click here to read his article.