Coffee Talk Lives! NWS Brownsville/RGV Hosts Brownsville Chamber for Breakfast on June 18, 2013

Meteorologist–in–Charge Steve Drillette speaks to members of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce.
NWS Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley Hosts "Coffee Talk" Chamber of Commerce Visits Office for Monthly Breakfast Meeting
On Tuesday, June 18th 2013, Meteorologist–in–Charge Steve Drillette and the staff of NWS Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley hosted the monthly Brownsville Chamber of Commerce’s "Coffee Talk", an "early morning opportunity to network, get informed, discuss current events, or just chat about Brownsville." Around 20 Chamber members, led by President Angela Burton, heard Drillette describe the National Weather Service and its vital mission locally, regionally, and nationally, including information on building a Weather Ready Nation; Warning Coordination Meteorologist Barry Goldsmith followed with a very brief discussion of how impacts from tropical cyclones are much more important to readiness than focusing on a storm category or track. The presentations were followed by a tour of the operations area by Science and Operations Officer Doug Butts. Butts was joined by Senior Forecaster *Tim Speece* and Forecaster *Jason Straub* for a description of how temperature, pressure, and humidity are measured during an upper air release, and Mr. Straub and Speece closed the tour with a weather briefing. The audience was treated to coffee brewed by University of Puerto Rico–Mayaguëz student volunteer Jose Algarín–Ballesteros, and a breakfast of fruit, muffins, and chicken biscuits (provided kindly by Chick–Fil–A restaurant). "We thank the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce for accepting our offer to host the June meeting," said Drillette. "Bringing business leaders from the city to our office allowed us to show them how we provide vital weather information for our shared mission to enhance the local economy."
Brownsville Chamber of Commerce President Angela Burton gives a door prize to a lucky member. A NOAA Weather Radio was also raffled off.	Science and Operations Officer Doug Butts (foreground) and Senior Forecaster Tim Speece describe how a radiosonde measures and transmits weather information back to the office