Wow, what a whirlwind week it’s been so far! Since ISELLE and JULIO were named it’s been non-stop for me. I suppose I got the genes from my dad – we’re weather geeks – we have the scientist ‘tick’ – the NEED to share knowledge that could possibly save lives and do it in a concise, understandable and factual manner without being sensationalist and provoking panic. (At least that’s what I strive for!)

My dad is a tsunami expert (Dr. Walter Dudley) – you may have seen him on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, Travel Channel, the list goes on… he’s also written books on the topic (TSUNAMI! & The Tsunami of 1946 and 1960…) that have been on the best-seller list here in Hawaii. There’s even a book about him! lol (The Tsunami Man)

I was sort of dragged into the world of natural hazard education. My dad wanted me to “host” and write/produce projects for him to make educational materials available to organizations, schools, etc… The latest project was a video for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (Formerly State Civil Defense) geared toward visitors to the islands to keep them safe from natural hazards in Hawaii. Click HERE to see excerpts. Hopefully you’ll see them at airports, on planes and in hotel rooms soon – at least that was the intended purpose.

I’m a convert. I used to be a desk meteorologist – more focused on the science - but now I’m really committed to providing information on how to keep the public safe from natural hazards too. I guess that’s why I do it. I volunteer my time to MAUIWatch news so that… on the lowest part of the spectrum, people can plan their days… and on the highest part of the spectrum, the information I put together could possibly save lives. At least I hope it will.

Malika Dudley – weather, Stacy Loe – anchor, Mike Cherry – sports

You should see my “office” – I have to chuckle thinking back to all the high tech equipment and technology I used to have access to at Hawaii News Now. These days I have a smart phone, a laptop, my kitchen counter and a closet – I use the closet to reduce echo in my tracking. My 22-month-old son is running circles around my feet while I do radio interviews with local media. At gymnastics, swimming lessons, playgroup and library I sometimes look like an inattentive mom as I put out the latest update while multi-tasking and taking care of my own “little hurricane.” I wake up early after a sleepless night with baby (he ends up in OUR bed – he’s still not sleeping through the night!), sneak into his room to research, edit and write my video forecasts then squeeze into his tiny closet with his music table and toy trucks to track the script.

Fortunately, we do live in Hawaii. Though we have the potential for a large number of natural hazards – most of the time – it’s paradise. And I, like some of you, can go about my normal daily life of multi-tasking my “little hurricane,” cooking dinner and trying to remember to brush my hair and teeth (and eat).  For now, I’m waiting for the next update on the storms heading toward Hawaii. I’m hoping for the best possible scenario with the least amount of effects from these storms but preparing for the worst just in case. You can never be too prepared. #preparednotscared #iselle #lifesswell #mommyproblems #hiweather #hawaii