Hackettstown-based WeatherWorks provides forecasts for NFL teams

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Hackettstown-based WeatherWorks is the forecaster to the stars -- of the National Football League.


The weather service provides specialized forecasts to several NFL stadiums and teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.

The weather service will provide the Eagles with a full report today, as the team prepares for its season finale against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field.

WeatherWorks, a weather-consultation service established in 1986, presents a five-day forecast throughout the season to each of the three teams with an emphasis on the first two practice days. On game days, teams are either e-mailed or faxed updates hourly.

Teams are also privy to 24-7 phone consultation, according to Sean Rowland, meteorologist and operations manager at WeatherWorks.

"So if they have any questions on what's going on they can always give us a call -- as well as we give them either a call or a text message if there's any impending severe weather moving in," Rowland said.

WeatherWorks President Frank Lombardo said accurate and reliable forecasting can be as important to teams as the quarterback or head coach.

"People who know sports know that weather can be a decisive factor in the outcome of any game," he said in a statement. "So we give football teams the details they need to know about everything from temperature to wind to precipitation."

Rowland said while it seems surprising that a Philadelphia sports team would get their weather forecast from a New Jersey weather station, it's not unusual.

"We really specialize from Washington, D.C., up through Boston, so our focus isn't just New Jersey, but it is really focused on the east coast," Rowland said.

Rowland said the Eagles started a trend.

"After a year or two of doing forecasts (for the Eagles), they talked to other teams in the league," Rowland said. "And we eventually ended up doing the Baltimore Ravens, and eventually a couple of teams there in North Jersey along with new Meadowlands Stadium and the New York Jets."

Last year, in highly controversial fashion, an Eagles-Vikings game at Lincoln Financial Field was canceled due to an impending snowstorm.

NFL officials mulled over the WeatherWorks reports and made the decision based on the forecasts, Rowland said.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2012/01/hackettstown-based_weatherwork.html