“Prior to Perry Weather, I would stand outside with the little handheld wet bulb thermometer…and that was horrible.”
That’s how Chad Mills, Athletic and Activities Director at Farmington School District in Michigan, describes weather monitoring before Perry Weather. Like many school districts, Farmington relied on outdated tools and guesswork to protect students from heat, lightning, and weather threats.
Now? It’s a whole different ballgame.
A Simpler Way to Track Heat Stress
Farmington School District manages 18 sports at the high school level and another 6–8 at the middle school, plus marching band, after-school activities, and community events. That means weather safety isn’t a seasonal concern, it’s a daily one.
“Coming into the fall season, it’s hot. Late July, early August when school starts—and so in pertaining to MHSAA, wet bulb thermometer is a big one,” Chad explains.
Before Perry Weather, that meant standing around with a handheld WBGT meter, hoping it gave a good reading.
“Took forever to get a good reading. And I don’t believe the accuracy of the reading was great.”
Now, Chad opens the Perry Weather app.
“All of our coaches are updated and educated on the WBGT readings. And through Perry Weather and the service you all provide, we utilize that daily, especially coming up throughout the summer months and into early fall.”
No guesswork. No delay. Just answers.
Real-Time Forecasts, Real-World Decisions
When weather’s rolling in and there’s a baseball game to call, Chad leans on Perry Weather’s hourly forecast.
“If it’s not raining at game time, and we don’t have storms at game time, we’re playing. I’m always looking at the hourly forecast… trying to figure out if we’re going to be able to get a game in that night.”
The turf fields help, but Perry Weather makes decision-making faster and more informed.
Keeping Buses and Students Moving
It’s not just athletics. Transportation is another piece of the safety puzzle.
“Transportation is the department that probably on the surface level is affected the most, when you start talking about operations,” says Josh Hane, Director of Operations at Farmington.
Every school day, about 2,500 students in the district rely on bus transportation. When you’re responsible for getting that many kids to and from school safely, weather becomes more than a forecast—it becomes a make-or-break decision-maker.
Snow and ice can delay or cancel routes. Thunderstorms can leave students waiting in unsafe conditions. And on event days, timing is everything.
“At 3 o’clock we’re going to dismiss students. At 6 o’clock we’re hosting an event… and I’m going to have five buses on the road. What does the weather look like in our area for the safety of folks being out and about and on our campuses?”
That’s where Perry Weather steps in. With on-demand meteorologist access, Josh and his team don’t have to rely on generic forecasts or guesswork. They can call in, describe their situation, and get hyperlocal insights tailored to Farmington’s exact timing and locations.
Instead of reacting to storm alerts after they hit, the team can proactively plan dismissals, reroute buses, or delay departures with confidence.
For Josh, this kind of clarity is critical. “It’s a great tool for us to be able to be prepared.”
Because when you’ve got thousands of students depending on your calls, the last thing you want is to be left in the dark. Perry Weather brings visibility, guidance, and peace of mind—no matter the hour, forecast, or route.
Hardware + Policies = Peace of Mind
By installing Perry Weather’s on-site hardware, Farmington School District now tracks real-time wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and lightning conditions right where athletes and students are practicing, competing, or performing.
“We have everything from track and cross country to football and soccer. And we have a band that is out here all the time.”
Each of these activities comes with its own set of risks. Marching band practice in full uniform during peak heat hours isn’t the same as a morning cross country run—but the consequences of heat illness or lightning exposure are serious across the board.
That’s where Perry Weather’s policy-based alerting changes the game.
Administrators can configure their own thresholds for heat and lightning—aligned with MHSAA guidelines or their internal policies—and Perry Weather takes care of the rest. No one’s left guessing. Coaches and staff are automatically notified when conditions become unsafe, and they know exactly what steps to take.
“When lightning happens, when the wet bulb hits a certain temperature, it basically tells them, hey, this is an unsafe environment… and we need to follow our proper protocols.”
The result? Decisions are faster, more consistent, and backed by data.
A Platform Everyone Can See—and Trust
Safety works best when everyone’s on the same page. Perry Weather makes that easy.
At Farmington School District, everyone from athletic trainers to transportation staff to principals can access the same real-time weather data through Perry Weather’s platform. That visibility builds trust, saves time, and eliminates confusion.
“You’re able to get on our home page and see the wet bulb and the temperature readings. And all the different components of it, our district is thrilled with.”
Instead of one person holding all the answers—or worse, relying on conflicting apps and tools—everyone gets a clear picture. It’s one centralized source of truth, accessible from any device.
The system reduces back-and-forth and empowers staff to make informed calls without waiting on a chain of approvals. Whether it’s delaying an event, modifying practice plans, or rerouting buses, the right decision gets made faster—and everyone’s on the same page.
From coaches to bus drivers to school leadership, everyone gets clear, timely info without having to ask for it.
“Everybody here is just really excited and happy with the product… and excited about the relationship that we’ll have with Perry Weather for years to come.”
Make Quicker Decisions with Perry Weather
Still standing outside with a handheld WBGT meter or toggling between free apps and forecasts and hoping for the best? There’s a better way.
Perry Weather helps districts like Farmington:
- Automate alerts for heat and lightning based on your district’s exact policy
- Track wet bulb globe temperature and lightning in real time, right on your own campus
- Notify coaches, transportation teams, and staff instantly when action is needed
- Log decisions and conditions automatically—so you’re never scrambling to explain after the fact
- Talk to a 24/7 meteorologist for expert guidance whenever the weather looks questionable
Stop second-guessing. Start protecting your people with confidence.
Get a free 14-day trial of Perry Weather—and see how it helps you protect your people, streamline decisions, and spend less time worrying about the weather.
