Webinars

Practical Webinar: How to Create Comic Strips for Education and Outreach Across Disciplines (NEW!)

Join us for an engaging, hands-on webinar designed to help you communicate complex ideas through visual storytelling! 

In this detailed training, Dr. Justin Sharpe will guide you through the process of digital comic creation, including building relatable figures for your story, using backgrounds, lighting, and weather to set the mood, and mastering scenes that capture and hold readers' attention. 

This session focuses on creating comic strips tailored to your specific audience across any discipline.

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Time: 10 AM CST

Click here to register!

Flyer: MASGC Practical Comic Strip Creation Sharpe

Storm Tech: The Tools Behind the Forecast - Disaster Recovery Unit (NEW!)

Disaster Education State Specialist Alan Patterson and Disaster Educator Cameron Sellers of Kentucky State University's  Community and Resource Development Team discuss the purpose and mission of KYSU's Disaster Recovery Unit (DRU) and its role as a mobile extension resource for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. They also explain the key technological features and capabilities of the DRU and demonstrate the value of mobile disaster-recovery technology.

December 17, 2025

Storm Tech: The Tools Behind the Forecast- The OTUS Project (NEW!)

Join us for an inside look at The OTUS Project, a student-founded nonprofit that uses advanced drone technology to fly directly into tornadoes. Discover how UAVs intercept storms, gather critical data, and withstand extreme conditions to help improve severe weather forecasting and protect communities.

November 18, 2025

Expanding Risk Communication Through the Use of Comics (NEW!)

This webinar explores how comics have been used as powerful tools for risk communication and disaster education. We highlight recent comics created and adapted to help communities prepare for severe weather. We’ll also share practical tips on visual storytelling, humor, visual cues, and tailoring messages for different audiences. 

November 12, 2025

VORTEX-SE Outreach and Engagement Webinar Series 

Featuring physical and social scientists of VORTEX-SE Outreach and Engagement and partnering organizations

Risk Behaviors During Severe Weather Events 

Learn about the use of social media and how it is utilized by various audiences during severe weather. Understand what time(s) most people are active on social media during storms, what information they are looking for, and what this means for staging resources and communicating risk.

April 15, 2025

Rolling Fork-Winona-Amory Tornadoes: One Year Later

This presentation by the VORTEX-SE physical and social scientists at the National Severe Storms Laboratory describes the instruments deployed and data collected after these impactful storms. Find out how the data is being used to help make decisions, change policy, and improve future forecasting. Learn about the local outreach and engagement and how the information is being shared back to the community.

September 26, 2024

Tornado Tales

Research scientist Dr. Justin Sharpe highlights this citizen science project that captures people’s experiences with tornadoes. NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory uses the data collected on this site to help improve tornado forecasts. Learn how you can get involved.

April 10, 2024
 

Severe Weather Roundup 2021

This town hall features experts from the National Severe Storms Laboratory answering questions that were submitted by the public about severe weather events. There are a variety of topics addressed in this “round robin” style webinar.

December 7, 2021

Moving Forward to a More Resilient Tomorrow

A FEMA Region 4 and MS-AL Sea Grant Consortium Webinar Series

 How Communities are Adapting to Extreme Heat 

Miami-Dade County Chief Heat Officer Jane Gilbert and NOAA discuss how communities can prepare for extreme heat. This presentation will include steps Miami-Dade County is taking to adapt to extreme heat, Gilbert's experience as the country’s first chief heat officer, NOAA’s new heat maps, and much more. 

July 10, 2024

2024 Hurricane Season Primer

Members of the FEMA Hurricane Liaison Team provide information on how FEMA prepares and responds to hurricanes in our 2024 Hurricane Season Primer. The presentation includes a discussion on the hazards our communities face, the science and planning that goes into the creation of an evacuation zone, a HURREVAC overview, and other resources that your communities can use to help prepare and respond.

June 5, 2024

Using Social Science to Build Resilience Workshop Series

Partnering with FEMA Region IV: Individual & Community Preparedness

Improving Tornado Warning Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audiences

Description: Effectively communicating risk to those with hearing impairments is important in order for them to take protective actions. Join us as our speakers discuss results from focus groups held with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HoH) audiences and suggest improvements for communicating tornado warnings.

September 7, 2023 

Breaking Down the Language Barrier in Disaster Communications

Language should never be a barrier to receiving critical severe weather information, especially when it comes to knowledge that can save lives. What can you do to enhance communication with non-native speakers during a severe weather outbreak? Join us as our presenters give examples of how to improve messaging and provide resources in languages all audiences can receive and understand. Learn more about what resources exist for non-native speakers and how we can all be part of the solution.

July 20, 2023

Retrofitting the Narrative for Tornado Survivability Among Mobile Home Residents

When tornadoes threaten, how can you best help people prepare? This workshop will highlight research that shows how survivable tornadoes are and focus on how our community can rally around those who are most vulnerable -- those living in mobile and manufactured housing -- to improve their odds of survival. A hands-on activity will stimulate conversation about the resources available and roles each group can take in being part of the solution.

May 23, 2023

Storm Tech: The Tools Behind the Forecast

Covering innovative weather-related technology used before, during, and after severe weather events
 

Doppler Radar

This webinar explores the fundamentals of Doppler radar technology in meteorology. Join National Weather Service meteorologists Latrice Maxie and Eric Carpenter as they uncover how Doppler radar detects atmospheric phenomena and improves weather forecasting.

November 6, 2024

SKYWARN Storm Spotters

This webinar is part two of VORTEX-SE Outreach and Engagement’s web series Storm Tech: The Tools Behind the Forecast. In this presentation, National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Hill highlights the vital role of SKYWARN® storm spotters in severe weather response. He also shares information on severe weather vulnerabilities in the Southeastern United States and how to respond before, during, and after a severe weather event.

July 8, 2025