Ask a TV Meteorologist anything

326 Questions

Last Answer on December 24, 2019

why does weather vary so much from year to year. The earth is in the same orbit and in the same place in the orbit from year to year, yet weather can be so different, what causes the drastic swings in temp, rain, storms etc?

Asked by DW almost 10 years ago

Interesting question. The weather (and climate) system is largely driven by uneven heating of the earth and has never really been in balance, so swings in patterns have always gone on and there is no real "normal". Also, things that don't happen regularly will affect the weather pattern, even a volcano eruption can limit incoming solar radiation over large areas.

806 Votes

You wrote that weather segments aren't scripted. So how do you know what to say? Or have you just done this so much now that you can basically speak off the cuff without stumbling?

Asked by KV over 10 years ago

Well.....most of us are highly intelligent. :) We take visual cues from the maps that are behind us. We can see the maps in the teleprompter that the anchors use for their scripts. Since we have prepared the forecast we can pick a couple of things from each graphic to talk about. Actually pretty easy with some practice. Great question, thanks!

806 Votes

When I grew up I feel like TV weathermen were usually older men, but now I'm seeing a lot of attractive young people (both men and women!) - is that a trend in the industry?

Asked by Eric about 10 years ago

I would say yes, Eric. Which is a little unnerving since I'm a broken down old man!

805 Votes

Does the Farmer's Almanac actually have any validity whatsoever? I still don't really understand what it is or how accurate it's supposed to be.

Asked by sox over 10 years ago

Hi. The Farmer's Almanac does not share their forecast methods outside the company. I actually don't know how accurate they are, but they have had a loyal following for many years. Let me know if you find out any secrets! :)

803 Votes

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How do you tell when a hurricane or tornado hits??

Thanks you for using your time!!!

Asked by Danica over 9 years ago

Not sure I understand the question, Danica. Both are characterized by strong wind.

803 Votes

I'm a pilot and trying to learn to read the clouds. I often see cumulus clouds in the summer here in Indiana. Sometimes the bottoms are a little gray and the bottoms are often fairly flat, instead of being puffy like they are everywhere else. Why?

Asked by sampsont over 9 years ago

Great question. The bottom of the cloud is the point where the water vapor in the warmer rising air cools to the point where it condenses (kind of like the condensation out the outside of a glass of water with ice) and turns into a visible water droplet. The darker gray is an area of higher moisture and less sunlight gets through. Happy flying!

802 Votes

Are tornados easily predicted these days with advanced weather radar or do you still rely heavily on spotters on the ground? Is there hope for one day knowing when a tornado is going to strike (any new advancement in tech)?

Asked by Curious weather man about 9 years ago

Pretty easily detected in thunderstorms with Doppler radar. You are correct, we still use spotters heavily. Radar usually sees rotation above ground in the storm. Since the earth is round it curves away from the radar beam which is why the spotters are so critical providing "ground truth". Warning times have increased over the years and will continue, especially with new radar technology coming over the next few years.

801 Votes

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TV Meteorologist

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

why does weather vary so much from year to year. The earth is in the same orbit and in the same place in the orbit from year to year, yet weather can be so different, what causes the drastic swings in temp, rain, storms etc?

You wrote that weather segments aren't scripted. So how do you know what to say? Or have you just done this so much now that you can basically speak off the cuff without stumbling?

When I grew up I feel like TV weathermen were usually older men, but now I'm seeing a lot of attractive young people (both men and women!) - is that a trend in the industry?

Does the Farmer's Almanac actually have any validity whatsoever? I still don't really understand what it is or how accurate it's supposed to be.

Also on Jobstr...

How do you tell when a hurricane or tornado hits??

Thanks you for using your time!!!

I'm a pilot and trying to learn to read the clouds. I often see cumulus clouds in the summer here in Indiana. Sometimes the bottoms are a little gray and the bottoms are often fairly flat, instead of being puffy like they are everywhere else. Why?

Are tornados easily predicted these days with advanced weather radar or do you still rely heavily on spotters on the ground? Is there hope for one day knowing when a tornado is going to strike (any new advancement in tech)?

TV Meteorologist

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

why does weather vary so much from year to year. The earth is in the same orbit and in the same place in the orbit from year to year, yet weather can be so different, what causes the drastic swings in temp, rain, storms etc?

You wrote that weather segments aren't scripted. So how do you know what to say? Or have you just done this so much now that you can basically speak off the cuff without stumbling?

When I grew up I feel like TV weathermen were usually older men, but now I'm seeing a lot of attractive young people (both men and women!) - is that a trend in the industry?

Does the Farmer's Almanac actually have any validity whatsoever? I still don't really understand what it is or how accurate it's supposed to be.

Also on Jobstr...

How do you tell when a hurricane or tornado hits?? Thanks you for using your time!!!

I'm a pilot and trying to learn to read the clouds. I often see cumulus clouds in the summer here in Indiana. Sometimes the bottoms are a little gray and the bottoms are often fairly flat, instead of being puffy like they are everywhere else. Why?

Are tornados easily predicted these days with advanced weather radar or do you still rely heavily on spotters on the ground? Is there hope for one day knowing when a tornado is going to strike (any new advancement in tech)?

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How do you tell when a hurricane or tornado hits??

Thanks you for using your time!!!