NBC2 assembles 'Dream Team' for 2009 Hurricane Season

COURTESY PHOTO NBC2's hurricane coverage "Dream Team" is led by chief Meteorologist Robert Van Winkle. NBC2 has created the most experienced

....forecasting team ever assembled in the state of Florida.

Chief Meteorologist Robert Van Winkle is certified by the National Weather Association and has been forecasting weather for more than 30 years. He has guided Southwest Florida through storms like Hurricanes Charley and Wilma. During one of those simulcasts with ABC7, he along with Jim Reif first predicted Charley's turn toward Charlotte County. Mr. Van Winkle has made NBC2 Southwest Florida's most accurate forecasting team, as determined by an independent monitoring company.

Jim Reif is the only meteorologist in Southwest Florida to have forecast every storm to come through the area since the 1970s. He is certified by the American Meteorological Association.

Between them, Mr. Van Winkle and Mr. Reif have 60 years of forecasting experience. Rounding out NBC2's

of meteorologists: • John Patrick has twice been awarded by the Florida Associated Press for his weathercasts. He is also certified by both the AMS and the NWA. • Haley Webb is Southwest Florida's most watched morning meteorologist, broadcasting every morning on NBC2 News Today. • Chris Lambert is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologists by the AMS. • Morgan Palmer, the newest member of the team holds the television Seals of Approval from both the AMS and the NWA. His vast hurricane coverage experience includes working in Tyler, Texas covering land falling hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

As Hurricane Season approaches watch for NBC2's First Alert Storm Team Florida Weekly Hurricane Guide, offered free across Southwest Florida.