Virtual Learning
Weather Forecasting - What's Behind It?
- Date: Dec 1, 2026Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm CT; 1:00 - 2:00 pm MTDelivery: Live Zoom Webinar (desktop/laptop and mobile devices)
Registration
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026
A webinar link will be emailed to registered participants 2 days prior to the presentation.
For assistance, please refer to our LMS Help — Registering for Upcoming Presentations
Why Attend
Ever wonder what goes into creating a weather forecast? Forecasting combines science, technology, and experience, but not all weather models are created equal. Explore how forecasts are developed, what influences their accuracy, and how emerging technologies can help winter maintenance professionals make informed decisions about crew deployment, treatment strategies, and storm response.
Interactive Features
- Engage with presenter and peers via chat or Q&A
- Live polling / surveys / annotations – varies by presentation
- Downloadable reference materials
Who Should Attend
Maintenance operators, snow and ice decision makers, snow plow operators, and maintenance supervisors will all benefit from this presentation.
Your Presenter(s)
Ben Hershey is a Senior Product Manager at DTN specializing in Transportation & Logistics, where he combines deep meteorological expertise with a proven track record of translating complex road weather science into practical, decision-ready tools for public works professionals.
Ben has been deeply involved in the MDSS (Maintenance Decision Support System) Pooled Fund Study, a multi-state collaborative effort to develop and enhance decision support tools for winter road maintenance operations. He has overseen MDSS deployments across the country, supported state DOT partners through implementation and training, and has presented research on the program's adoption and operational impact at the American Meteorological Society (AMS). His hands-on experience with MDSS gives him a unique perspective on how data-driven recommendations can be operationalized at the agency level.
At DTN, Ben leads product strategy for road weather intelligence platforms used by agencies across North America, including recently spearheading the development of DTN's Pavement Condition API with Crash Risk Index - covering 1.6 million road segments across the contiguous U.S. He has partnered directly with state DOTs, airport authorities, and public works organizations to shape products that improve safety, reduce costs, and support smarter winter maintenance operations.