Rick Reardon leads a small team with a huge responsibility: ensuring smooth operations for James Madison University's 18 varsity teams as well as all other on-campus events in athletic venues. Weather is one of the main factors he has to consider on a daily basis as he works to balance safety and the integrity of JMU's schedule.
Is bad weather headed for campus? Could any lightning impact today's games? Does that storm system mean a cancellation or a delay? What about the start times for later this week; are they still realistic in light of the latest forecasts?
Rick's team has to think about all that and more, but thankfully, they've got a secret weapon that elevates their team's capabilities way beyond their headcount: Meteorological Services from AEM.
Moving forward, we'll explore how Rick and his team...
- Use custom forecasts and real-time weather alerts to keep people safe
- Consult with meteorologists on demand to support operations
- Successfully hosted the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Track and Field Championships, even when there was bad weather in their area
How JMU uses daily weather intelligence
Each morning, Rick and his team wake up to a daily custom forecast from the AEM Meteorological Services team. That information is tailored to the exact location of the JMU campus and informed by data from on-site weather stations, so they aren't making important decisions based on a general forecast.
The Events and Gameday Ops team uses that data to assess their risk profile and potential weather challenges for the day. That morning forecast allows them to be proactive about rescheduling or canceling events, avoiding last-minute confusion for their own teams as well as the visitors.
Rick's team also uses Sferic Maps® to visually track storms in their area at any point during the day. If they want to know how a storm is behaving in real time or check to see if the storm contains lightning, all they need to do is look.
Through Sferic Maps, they also have access to proximity lightning alerts. Any time lightning strikes within 20 miles of the campus, the Events & Gameday Ops team receives an automated notification. From there, they can use the software or make a call to the Meteorological Services team to assess the threat further. Nearby lightning also triggers automated audible alerts from the Sferic Siren, telling athletes, coaches, and fans when they need to clear fields urgently.
Why meteorologists on demand make a difference
The JMU team also has 24/7 on-demand access to the same team that provides their daily forecast support. If they have any interpretive questions, need a little extra intel for a particular event, or are looking for support making a scheduling decision around weather, they're just a phone call away from a team of operational meteorologists who specialize in precision forecasting.
The AEM Meteorological Services team provides Rick and his colleagues with consistent points of contact, allowing them to form warm, collegial relationships and making it feel like AEM is an extension of their in-house team.
Case study: 2025 Sun Belt Conference Track & Field Championships
Over the first weekend of May 2025, James Madison had the honor of hosting the three-day 2025 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track Championship. Major events like that put an additional spotlight on the Events & Gameday Ops team, and the forecast called for some thunderstorms on the final day of the meet.
In a situation where it was important to keep everybody safe from lightning but also finish the meet with as few interruptions as possible, all of the resources the AEM Meteorological Services team provides to Rick and JMU came together to turn a complex situation into a clear path forward.
Rick and his team used their daily forecast to adjust event schedules as needed, tracked storms in Sferic Maps, and when the storms seemed to be approaching them, they got on the phone with the Meteorological Services team to determine if they could safely run their last race without needing to suspend it. Their on-call meteorologist was able to double-check the data and reassure them that they had just enough time to complete the meet.
As Rick said himself, "Getting that accurate information was a lifesaver" for his team and the Sun Belt Conference.
Need weather support? Our met services team can help you too!
Are you in operations in any context where outdoor work is taking place? The AEM Meteorological Services team is here to help!
We can help you understand your day-to-day risks, plan proactively for the weather, and know exactly when it's time to take action. We support universities like James Madison, professional sports teams like the Washington Nationals, major airports and mining companies around the world, and resilience-minded communities who are looking to get the best weather intelligence and the best interpretative support.
If you're interested in learning more about daily forecasts, on-call meteorological support, or other ways we help protect people and the bottom line, contact us today.