Log in
Try it free
How it Works
Features
Explore All Features
Explore Perry Weather's on-site weather hardware and connected software platform.
On-Site Weather Station
Base your alerts and actions on real-time conditions at your specific location
Weather Monitoring Software
Monitor the weather on web dashboard and mobile app
Ask a Meteorologist
Call, text, or email our full-time meteorologists for custom forecasting needs
Lightning Detection
Automated instructions for your team when lightning approaches
Heat Stress Compliance
Keep your team safe with actionable wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) alerts
Air Quality Monitoring
Know when the air is safe, and when it's not, right from your location
Industries
PGA of America, Frisco Campus
Featured Case Study
How PGA of America is Prioritizing Golfer Safety with Perry Weather
High School Athletics
Automate weather guideline compliance without the hassle
Collegiate & Pro Athletics
Ensure safe, seamless practices and gameday operations
Construction
Eliminate weather related incidents and minimize delays
Energy
Protect your infrastructure and field crews from severe weather
Parks & Recreation
Keep parks and patrons safe, even when you're not there
Golf & Resorts
Keep golfers safe and play on pace with alerts you can trust
Case Studies
Company
Contact Us
Reach out to us fror sales or support questions
About Perry Weather
Learn about the story of Perry Weather and our mission
Blog
Read about weather trends, best practices, and news
Jobs
See open roles and apply to work with us
Support Center
Submit a support ticket or watch tutorial videos
Log in
Try it free
Customer Stories
Chesterfield Parks & Recreation

Transforming lightning safety at Chesterfield’s 176-acre athletic complex with Perry Weather

A conversation with:
Ethan Collier Headshot
Ethan Collier
Superintendent of Sports and Wellness, Chesterfield Parks & Recreation
Chesterfield MO Logo
About
Home to around 50,000 people, Chesterfield is located just 25 minutes west of downtown St. Louis. One the main properties managed by Chesterfield Parks and Recreation, is a 176-acre sports hub, the Chesterfield Valley athletic complex. The complex hosts around 40 tournaments a year with approximately 1.3 million people coming through the complex annually.
Location
Chesterfield, Missouri
Ready to get started?
Try it free

“Perry Weather has made my life easier. As a superintendent of sports and wellness…I don’t have to worry about safety when it comes to lightning nearly as much as I used to because I have a system I can trust.”

Ethan Collier Headshot
Ethan Collier
Superintendent of Sports and Wellness

The challenges of weather in the Midwest

The City of Chesterfield is home to a 176-acre athletic complex that hosts around 40 tournaments a year and welcomes 1.3 million visitors annually. Ethan Collier, the Superintendent of Sports and Wellness for Chesterfield, MO, is consistently faced with weather challenges when managing the many outdoor activities that take place within the complex.

“In the last two weeks, we’ve had nothing but rain and hail and tornado warnings the entire time.” 

Ethan Collier, the Superintendent of Sports and Wellness, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation

Regardless of whether an event is run by the Chesterfield Parks & Recreation or by partners, the responsibility of keeping everyone safe is carried on his shoulders. Because of this, it was important for Ethan to have a reliable way of keeping track of weather conditions and being notified of any lightning in the area.

Ethan chose to implement Perry Weather at Chesterfield’s sports complex which improved safety at the complex but has also cleared up much of the confusion surrounding weather decisions. 

Troubles with free weather apps

In the Midwest, storms can roll in quickly and leave quickly and it is essential to know the moment that lightning is in the area and the moment that it is clear to proceed. Before Perry Weather, Chesterfield relied on an app called WeatherBug to notify them when lightning was in the area. This solution caused several issues for the team since WeatherBug only updated every 30 minutes. 

This often left Ethan and his team with outdated information which posed a significant threat to the safety of anyone at the complex. On the other side of the coin, it also left everyone in lightning delays much longer than was necessary.

“WeatherBug updates every 30 minutes. So the storm would be clear…but we have to go off the WeatherBug app and it says it’s still in the area.”

Ethan Collier, the Superintendent of Sports and Wellness, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation

This lag in data led to frequent complaints from visitors and pressure from officials to resume regardless of whether it was truly safe to proceed.

Enhanced lightning safety

With lightning posing a serious risk to outdoor events at the complex, getting a reliable system like Perry Weather was an easy decision for the Chesterfield staff. Switching to Perry Weather improved their ability to monitor the weather and cleared up the communications surrounding severe weather events. With Perry Weather, Chesterfield gained access to:

  • Outdoor warning system – When lightning is detected within 10 miles, Perry Weather triggers a siren blare, a strobe light, and a pre-programmed message instructing people to seek shelter
  • Mobile notifications – Chesterfield gets mobile push notifications and text messages with automated instructions on what to do when lightning is detected 
  • Lightning Delay Countdown – They can see the remaining time in a lightning delay via the Perry Weather widget or mobile app, the timer resets with each new strike and provides an all-clear signal when it’s safe for them to resume activities

Custom PA messages

Now, whenever lightning strikes in the area, everyone is notified to take shelter. Chesterfield even set up a custom message on their Perry Weather system saying “We are currently on a lightning delay. Please exit the field to play immediately and seek shelter under a pavilion or in your car immediately. We’ll announce when the lightning delay is over,” making it very simple for their community to know exactly what they need to do.

One source of truth in weather delays

In the past, lightning delays created a lot of confusion. Both the city staff and the visitors of the complex were asking the same question— “when this weather delay be over?” After getting Perry Weather, this is now a question of the past.

With Perry Weather’s widget function, staff and the community can all be on the same page when it comes to the weather.

The widget allows the community to:

  • Check current weather conditions at the complex
  • View if there is a lightning delay in effect
  • See how much time is left in the delay with the lightning countdown timer

How Chesterfield is increasing community awareness

Chesterfield went the extra mile and positioned QR code signs around the athletic complex, with a link to the widget. Any visitors can easily scan the code, and see the same view that the Chesterfield staff see. This has not only improved the experience for all of the visitors but has also made the jobs of the Chesterfield staff much easier.

“This system is here to assist them, and it’s made their lives 100% easier, which in turn makes my life easier.”

Ethan Collier, the Superintendent of Sports and Wellness, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation

Why Perry Weather 

Perry Weather system has transformed the way Chesterfield Parks and Recreation handles any of the weather challenges that get thrown at them.

From providing real-time alerts to enhancing lightning safety, the system has improved operations. The accessible weather widget has made it easy for the community to stay informed, and for Ethan Collier and his team, Perry Weather has proven to be an extremely helpful tool that takes the weight of making weather decisions off their shoulders.

More stories like this

Georgia Safari Conservation Park

How Georgia Safari Conservation Park Keeps Animals, Guests, and Staff Safe

Georgia Safari Conservation Park
Georgia Safari Conservation Park
Schaumburg Part District Water Park

From manual to automatic: Schaumburg Park District’s weather safety transformation

Schaumburg Park District

A Single Source of Truth to Protect 42 Parks From Severe Weather Threats

Elk Grove Village

Say goodbye to weather uncertainty 👋

Try it free
Get more info
Platform
How It Works On-Site Weather Monitoring Station Heat Stress & WBGT Monitoring Lightning Detection & Alerts Air Quality Monitoring 24/7 Pro Meteorologist Service
Use Cases
Schools & Districts Cities & Park Districts Golf Clubs & Resorts Collegiate & Pro Athletics Energy Construction
Comparisons
Perry Weather vs. Thor Guard Perry Weather vs. Earth Networks Perry Weather vs. DTN WeatherSentry Perry Weather vs Free Weather Apps
Resources
Customer Stories Blog Help Center Terms & Conditions
Company
About Perry Weather Jobs Contact Us
© 2025 Perry Weather, Inc.