Ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn on Sunday, June 14, the U.S. Secret Service says it has contingency planning for storms and lightning, with meteorologists from both federal agencies and the UFC on site. Forecasters are tracking tornado, hail a
A countdown to Sunday, June 14, is running fast—so fast that even the weather has become part of the security plan.
The U.S. Secret Service told the public it has prepared for storms and lightning in the Washington. DC. area where President Donald Trump will watch the UFC Freedom 250 event. Officials said the protective operation includes meteorologists on site and contingency measures if conditions turn dangerous as forecasters monitor multiple threats.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said meteorologists will be present both from the U.S. government and from the UFC. He also pointed to real-time coordination with local and federal emergency partners.
“We also have the DC Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management that are in real-time coordination with us and the federal partners. ” Guglielmi said. “There are weather accommodations that are included in our planning and for general guidance. they would be comparable to the planning used for the 4th of July fireworks in previous years.”.
Guglielmi said the Secret Service has historically declined to discuss granular details of how it protects the president and other “protectees. ” including high-level government officials. For the event. he said he will be stationed in the Secret Service’s version of a situation room. with a team on site and also at the DC GOV Joint Information Center.
Forecasters have been watching the Sunday outlook closely, including the possibility of tornadoes, hail and damaging winds. National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Pallozzi said the chance of tornadoes is 2%. the chance of hail is 5% and the chance of damaging winds is 30%. He described the tornado and hail figures as the lowest levels the forecast office can issue. with damaging winds the main risk.
“It’s the lowest level they can outlook for a tornado and then also the lowest level they can outlook for hail,” Pallozzi said the morning of Saturday, June 13. “So definitely primary threats are damaging winds.”
Washington, DC, has already been dealing with thunderstorms. On Friday night, the UFC delayed a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial because of poor weather and nearby lightning strikes.
Dana White, UFC’s CEO, said he intended to keep the Sunday evening event moving despite the disruptions. “Listen, the show goes on on Sunday,” White said. “No matter what happens.”
The Secret Service’s planning—meteorologists included—puts a clear focus on a question that has hung over the event since the earlier lightning problems: how quickly would the operation adjust if the forecast shifts from watchful concern to real danger. With damaging winds identified as the primary threat and coordination involving federal. local and event security partners. the preparations are designed to keep Trump’s protection and the event’s logistics aligned as the sky changes.
UFC Freedom 250 Secret Service meteorologists inclement weather storms lightning Washington DC Donald Trump Dana White contingency plan