ABOVE: Robert Hackett has turned his weather hobby into a successful storm watch page on Facebook.
Susanna Freymark
For 17 years Robert Hackett has checked the skies.
His interest in all things weather related is a hobby.
Living in the Kyogle area for many years, Robert has been caught in some dramatic situations while updating weather warnings out in the field.
“As storms gets closer, you see and feel the energy of Mother Nature,” Robert said.
Robert’s passion for weather led him to set up a Facebook Page five years ago called New South Wales Storm Watch.
It has almost 158,000 followers.
That’s a lot of people following his weather updates.
On storm days it’s a full-time job but he has some help with his monitors keeping an eye on the weather too.
He does his best to keep the storm warnings updated across all areas of the state with information from the Bureau of Meteorology.
His page provides a heads up on changing weather as information comes in.
Severe weather can happen so quick and change so frequently, he said.
“It’s about informing the community,” he said.
“Letting them know if they have to get the car under cover.”
The storm watch page is free.
Robert isn’t interested in making money out of his weather page.
“I do it because I love it and for the community,” he said.
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