Rain or shine, Trey Walzer is here for Oxford

It all started with a bad storm.

When Trey Walzer was a kid, he experienced a treacherous storm that knocked down multiple trees while in Cincinnati with his dad.

Since then, he has been obsessed with analyzing weather radars and models and putting his skills to the test in video games.

The almost 23-year-old graduated from Talawanda High School and enjoys fishing and video games.

He posts weather updates almost weekly in Oxford Talks, a Facebook group for locals. He shares temperate highs and lows and any predicted events, accompanied by maps and graphs. Walzer also posts in real time about issued severe warnings.

He has a Facebook page of his own, called Weather or not, where he shares similar updates. Here, he also posts photos he takes while storm chasing and explains what is happening in them.

Walzer strives to be as accurate as possible. He gets his information from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington, Ohio, and also uses a mobile app called RadarScope. He wants people to be informed and know what to do in the event of emergencies.

“I try my best to look at models and stuff and find the right stuff before posting it because … why post something that is not going to happen?” Walzer said.

Walzer took a free online class on how to be a storm spotter, which is someone who observes and reports severe weather conditions to the NWS so it can send out warnings.

He finds it interesting how the weather is constantly changing, especially in Ohio. Walzer explains that with the Earth getting warmer, more moisture can be present in the air. This leads to a higher chance of flash flooding during thunderstorms.

According to a report from NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2024 was the warmest year since records began in 1850, with a temperature of 0.18 degrees Fahrenheit. This was warmer than the previous record high, set by the year 2023.

Earth’s temperature has risen by 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1982. Additionally, the 10 warmest years have all occurred in the past decade, from 2014-2024.

Walzer is grateful for the platform the community has given him to share his passion.

“If it wasn't for Oxford giving me a chance to post for everyone, I wouldn't be able to do what I [have] got to do these last couple years,” Walzer said. “So I appreciate Oxford for giving me the support that I need.”

The comments sections of each update are often filled with several “thank yous” from other residents.

“Thanks Trey. Just wanted to tell you I don’t have live tv or access to news or live weather channel so I really appreciate your updates!” wrote Debby Riancho.

“#inTreywetrust” posted Ashlee Conrad.

When Walzer hadn’t shared an update for a few weeks, Robin Torbeck, a local resident, posted on Oxford Talks saying, “Where has our great weather guy been lately, he was so accurate!”

“I think he gives really precise [updates],” Torbeck said. “It's just fun to get on there and know that he has an interest.”

When Walzer returned to updating, stating he had taken a break from posting to spend time with family and recover from a knee injury, the comments were filled with supportive “Glad you’re back!” and “We’ve missed you!

Torbeck acknowledges how people can find information on the news or apps, but she enjoys receiving it from a local source that cares about the community. She says that, if becoming a weather reporter or forecaster is something Walzer has an interest in, he should go for it.

This is something Walzer has considered for himself. He’d like to get an education in meteorology or pursue storm chasing more professionally.

“I haven't really decided what I [want] to do yet, I'm still thinking,” Walzer said. “But either way, I will get excited to do that, because I would love to study these types of storms.”

Until then, Walzer intends to keep his community informed with his weather updates.