'Get downstairs': Meteorologist interrupts live broadcast to call family about tornado warning

A  meteorologist paused during a live broadcast to call his family with a warning: Get down stairs because a tornado may be nearby.

Doug Kammerer, chief meteorologist for NBC Washington, was on air Thursday night doing a live weather report when he learned the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning near his area. 

According to NPR, he said the path of the tornado was "right over my house" and decided to call his son in the middle of the broadcast.

"Get downstairs as soon as you can," Kammerer said as the cameras were rolling. 

He advised him to go into a bedroom and wait for 15 minutes or so. He then hung up the phone and returned to the broadcast.

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"I gotta warn my kids because I know what my kids are doing right now," Kammerer said with a map of a storm radar behind him. "They are probably online gaming and not seeing this."

After the incident, Kammerer tweeted that he had to warn his family and his kids were home alone. 

 "They are safe," he wrote. "Thank you! Scary moment for me though, I was freaking out inside a bit."

Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.