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University of Rhode Island is StormReady, earns National Weather Service designation

Officials from the National Weather Service visited URI to officially present the University with its StormReady designation. Standing (from left): Hayden Frank, NWS meteorologist; Sam Adams, director, URI Emergency Management; Brittany Moreira, URI campus preparedness planner; Frank Nocera, NOAA/NWS warning coordination meteorologist. (URI Photo/Mike Salerno)

KINGSTON, R.I.—Feb. 27, 2026—The University of Rhode Island has earned StormReady status from the National Weather Service, recognizing the University’s strong weather emergency preparedness. The designation came at a fitting moment, as members of URI’s Department of Public Safety hosted NWS officials shortly before a record-setting blizzard dropped more than three feet of snow across the region.

“Achieving StormReady status reflects months of collaboration with the National Weather Service,” said URI campus preparedness planner Brittany Moreira. “The process not only helped strengthen our severe weather planning but also helped build a direct working relationship with meteorologists, giving us better access to reliable information and stronger coordination when weather may impact the University.”

StormReady is a National Weather Service program that helps organizations improve their hazardous weather operations and safety plans, and recognizes those that have established weather planning, communication, and response practices in place. URI worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency to achieve StormReady status. 

To be officially StormReady, a community must:

  • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
  • Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public.
  • Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally.
  • Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
  • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

The designation is renewable every four years.