Weekends in the summer and fall are packed with special events, including everything from parades and festivals to farmers' markets, concerts, and sports. While these events bring communities together, a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes coordination is required to ensure everything runs smoothly and, most importantly, safely.

Public safety agencies and event organizers often spend months preparing logistics, crowd management, and emergency response plans. And one critical element always looms large in those plans: the weather.

Preparedness Starts Before the Forecast

The weather forecast for a particular event may be unknown months ahead of time, but planning for it doesn’t need to be. A picture-perfect sunny day can quickly turn dangerous due to pop-up summer storms with lightning or strong winds. That’s why weather awareness is not just helpful, it’s essential. Tools like Weather Logic and Baron Threat Net give emergency managers and organizations real-time insights and actionable data to make informed decisions and safeguard the public.

That was the case during North Charleston’s annual Fourth of July celebration, where public safety officials used Baron’s tools to strengthen protocols, monitor conditions from the command post, and send timely alerts to field supervisors.

“From planning events to real-time awareness, we are much better prepared with Baron. We were able to make timely and informed decisions to keep citizens, visitors, and staff safe,” said Deputy Chief of Operations Matt Rhoton, North Charleston Fire Department. 


When planning for future events, considering weather scenarios in advance allows teams to pre-identify shelter locations, review evacuation procedures, and coordinate staffing for rapid response. Building flexibility into event operations ensures you’re ready to adapt as weather conditions evolve, even at a moment’s notice.

Coordination and Collaboration in Sync

Agencies like St. John’s Fire District rely on Baron Threat Net to enhance situational awareness during major events. Whether planning community gatherings on their sea islands or preparing for nationally televised tournaments like the PGA Championship, they trust Baron’s real-time forecasting tools to make faster, safer decisions, protecting both the public and their responders.

 "Kiawah Island has previously hosted the PGA Championship and is scheduled to host it again in the future; special events of this scale are safer because of the capabilities Baron provides. Baron gives us the confidence to make informed decisions based on accurate weather forecasting. The real-time insight from Baron Threat Net ensures that we can anticipate and mitigate weather-related risks, helping us protect both our responders and the public."  said Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Henson, St. John's Fire District.


Baron’s weather platforms enable seamless communication and situational awareness across departments (emergency management, fire, EMS, law enforcement, transportation, public works, and event staff) with:

  • Street-level mapping and visualization
  • Real-time, shareable alerts
  • Cross-agency collaboration tools

Everyone stays on the same page, enabling faster, more efficient responses and ensuring decisions are made with accurate, hyper-local weather insights. Whether it’s rerouting traffic due to flooding or alerting crowds to incoming lightning, real-time coordination eliminates confusion and keeps response efforts tightly aligned. By working from a single source, teams can act quickly and confidently when every second counts.

Weather Risks at Events: What to Watch and How to Prepare

With the right weather technology, public safety professionals can monitor the most critical risks tied to Summer and Fall events:

  • Heat: Current and forecasted Temperatures, Heat Index, and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature help anticipate the need for cooling stations, hydration, and medical resources to prevent heat-related illnesses.
  • Wind: High winds can turn tents, signage, and stage equipment into serious hazards. Hourly wind forecasts and threshold-based alerts allow crews to secure structures or evacuate areas before conditions worsen.
  • Flooding: Rainfall data and flash flood forecasts support public works and logistics teams in keeping storm drains, bridges, and roadways clear. Rain can also impact electrical equipment, stages, and temporary infrastructure.
  • Lightning: Customizable alerts track and notify you how close lightning is to your location and when it's safe to resume activity. With large crowds, having lead time for sheltering protocols is vital to minimizing risk.
  • Severe Weather Alerts: In addition to National Weather Service Watches and Warnings, Baron tools offer custom alerts based on thresholds - giving agencies the ability to tailor alerts to their unique environment and safety plans.

The Power of Weather Planning

Special events bring communities together, but they also bring unique challenges for public safety teams. By integrating reliable weather tools like Baron Threat Net and Weather Logic into your planning process, you gain the foresight needed to anticipate risks and the ability to respond in real time. Whether you’re coordinating resources, setting up shelters, or deciding when to evacuate a venue, having accurate, hyper-local weather data at your fingertips helps keep both your team and the public safe. With the right tools in place, weather doesn’t have to be a variable - it becomes part of the plan.