August 13, 2004. A day that will live in the hearts and minds of many across the state of Florida. That was the day Hurricane Charley came ashore as a powerful category 4 storm. Forecasts had been calling for the system to move up the west coast of Florida and take a hard right turn in to Tampa Bay. I spent all morning watching this storm whirl its way ever closer to the state. Then I noticed something. The storm started turning prior to what was forecasted. The television personalities guided us through the storm (fortunate for my family and me it didn't cause significant damage to our home) and since that day I strove to become a Broadcast Meteorologist.
My time in high school and college allowed me to obtain my degree in meteorology. I feel that if a person talking about the weather to the general public, they should be informed by those qualified and skilled to give an accurate account as to why the weather is behaving the way it is. The weather can change in a matter of minutes, and it's nice to know when thunderstorms might get in the way of your evening jog, or afternoon picnic. It is this passion for getting the forecast correct that allows me to see eye to eye with the viewers and give them the information they need most to plan their day accordingly.
I spent the last two years of college honing the forecasting and speaking skills to calmly guide viewers through dangerous situations, as those who guided me through Hurricane Charley. As a meteorologist for FSU Weather, I gained invaluable experience at first learning, then leading a team of student meteorologists. We informed the campus and surrounding areas of significant weather affecting them. Also, as the forecaster for the Friday weather show, I made it a priority to detail what was going to happen at the football game on Saturday or whether it was a good weekend to enjoy the sunshine or curl up and enjoy a book for those rainy days.
My time at WWSB has allowed me to learn a plethora about the business as a whole. I have learned to shoot great video and set up live shots from the chief photographer, edit from their chief editor, interview from a reporter who has been in the business since the days of Martin Luther King Jr, and learn how to speak conversationally to the audience from the morning meteorologist. I am prepared for any of the challenges that are presented to me because of my time here at WWSB.
Since I started doing broadcast meteorology I have learned a great deal, but there is always room to grow and expand one's horizons. I look forward to the challenges my future holds and will meet them head on.
