WDEF News 12 Now

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly and all 9 city council members were sworn in to a new term Monday morning at Memorial Auditorium.Mayor Kelly defeated challenger Chris Long with over 85 percent of the vote on March 4th, the largest electoral victory by a mayor in city history.

He said, “It’s worth remembering that this election put Chattanooga at a crossroads, just after the strife of our November elections.  We could have turned toward the politics of division that has torn a hole in the spirit of our country and so many cities across America. Or we could reverse that trend and continue cutting our own path, driving Chattanooga towards its full potential.”

Mayor Kelly says that despite the progress made within his first term, he says there are still plenty of things he would like to improve on during the remainder of his mayorship.

“The gaps between the wealthiest and poorest are still far too wide. Housing is still too expensive. There are still too many who are homeless. Too many roads are still in poor condition. Our public transit system still needs investment and improvement to meet the needs of our people and businesses. UTC still does not have the research capacity that our region needs to be economically competitive. Parking downtown is still needlessly complicated and frustrating. While crime has gone down significantly, it’s still too high. Our first responders are still underpaid,” he said.

In addition to the mayor, all 9 city council members took their oaths as well.

Four of these members, Jeff Davis, Ron Elliott, Cody Harvey, and Dennis Clark, are new to the City Council.

Jenni Berz, who has been on the council since late January after the passing of her mother, Dr. Carol Berz, took her oath for her first full term.

Chip Henderson will remain the chairman of the City Council.

Chairman Henderson said. “I look forward to serving this community together with purpose and a shared commitment to keep Chattanooga moving forward in the right direction.”

After the ceremony, city officials held a march to City Hall to kick off city business in the new term.

Friday: M. Sunny. Cooler. Isolated showers and thunder early. Clearing into Friday evening.
Highs: low 60’s. Winds: W @ 5-10 MPH.

Overnight: Clearing. Chilly.
Lows: high 30’s to low 40’s. Winds: N @ 5-10 MPH.

Saturday: Sunshine, dry, cool.
Highs: low 60’s. Winds: N @ 5-10 MPH.

Overnight: Clear. Chilly.
Lows: high 30’s to low 40’s. Winds: N @ 5-10 MPH.

Sunday: Sunshine, dry, warmer.
Highs: low 70’s. Winds: S @ 5-10 MPH.

Overnight: Dry. Clear. Cool.
Lows: low 50’s. Winds: S @ 5 MPH.

Monday: Partly cloudy. Warm. Windy.
Highs: low 80’s. Winds: SW @ 5-15 MPH, gusts 20 MPH.

Overnight: Partly cloudy. Showers.
Lows: low 50’s. Winds: WSW @ 5 MPH.

Tuesday: Early showers. Partly cloudy. Mild.
Highs: high 60’s to near 70. Winds: SW>NW @ 5-10 MPH, gusts 25 MPH.

“We have a NEW Virtual SKYWARN spotter training! It consists of four interactive sections to complete, followed by a final exam that must be taken to receive credit. After finishing the exam, please be patient and understand that up to two weeks may pass between completing the exam and receiving your spotter ID card and certificate. ” – National Weather Service, Morristown TN

“I have spent over 30 years studying meteorology and climate. We take a lot of physics, calculus, thermodynamics and other complex subjects. The atmosphere is a fluid within a rotating frame of reference. Such complexity is far beyond fourth grade lessons about cumulus clouds or cold fronts. As I look at the despair caused to those in the Southeast like farmers, homeowners and businesses, I wish we could control hurricanes. Many families lost loved ones or property. Many communities of color, poor rural areas and regions with high elderly concentrations receive a disproportionate punch from storms like Helene or Milton. Gosh, I wish we did have the technology to spare them such angst and despair. We don’t.”

Via Forbes Magazine (may require subscription to site)

Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a leading international expert in weather and climate, was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS) and is Director of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Atmospheric Sciences Program

Got #weatherpix to share for our @WestShoreHome #WeatherWindow #PictureOfTheDay? E-mail them to [email protected].

Who can participate?

This is a community project.  Everyone can help, young, old, and in-between.  The only requirements are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can affect and impact our lives.

What will our volunteer observers be doing?

Each time a rain, hail or snow storm crosses your area, volunteers take measurements of precipitation from as many locations as possible (see equipment).  These precipitation reports are then recorded on our Web site www.cocorahs.org. The data are then displayed and organized for many of our end users to analyze and apply to daily situations ranging from water resource analysis and severe storm warnings to neighbors comparing how much rain fell in their backyards.

Who uses CoCoRaHS?

CoCoRaHS is used by a wide variety of organizations and individuals.  The National Weather Service, other meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities (water supply, water conservation, storm water), insurance adjusters, USDA, engineers, mosquito control, ranchers and farmers, outdoor & recreation interests, teachers, students, and neighbors in the community are just some examples of those who visit our Web site and use our data.

https://cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=application