![]() I would say start early, and don’t be afraid to reach out! Grades are important, but your internship experience is going to hold so much more weight on your resume. What advice do you have for students interested in careers in digital and broadcast journalism, including weather coverage?Ī. It’s also nice to cover that refreshing fall air that follows behind a front. I love covering fall weather because that’s when we start to get stronger cold fronts. It’s usually 90° with a pop afternoon shower. ![]() Summer can be pretty monotonous, unless there’s a hurricane, in North Carolina. Of the four seasons, which is your favorite to cover? Why?Ī. Some weeks we’ll have a stretch of unseasonably warm temperatures or record low rainfall. When it comes to context, I like to use climate data to show if the current weather pattern is typical or abnormal. Radar apps don’t have most of the products we use to dissect a storm. People want to know is the storm getting stronger, where is it going, how long will this last? Most of us have basic radar on our phone, but the meteorologist comes in when it’s time to analyze the data on radar. A phone can alert you to a tornado warning, but people like to hear a human break down what’s going on. Speaking of severe weather, I believe that’s one of the most important roles of the local meteorologist. Or I can talk about how some storms Saturday could be severe. I can let you know that the 60% chance of rain Wednesday is during the morning. Your phone can give you a 7-day forecast, but beyond day one, it doesn’t give you much detail about the timing of rain or the amount. I believe now the role of the local meteorologist is to get into to more detail about the forecast and give context. What is the role of a local meteorologist?Ī. Weather information is available from numerous sources nowadays, including apps on our phones. During the shows, I usually post some weather graphics on Twitter and Facebook. I have a weather hit during the 4:30 and 5:30 half hour. I put my makeup on around 3:30 p.m., and then our show starts at 4 p.m. Usually we like to show something different each newscast so we also discuss what graphics or facts we want to highlight. We talk about the forecast and our plans for the show. After this call, I check the latest updated model runs and make tweaks to the 7 day as needed.Ĭhris Hohmann, our chief meteorologist, comes in at 2:30 p.m., and I give him a call between 2:30 and 3 p.m. At 1:15 p.m., I join a weather call to update the evening producers about the forecast. I do my first version of the 7-day forecast, and then I complete other graphics. When I go downstairs to my office, I start forecasting. ![]() I’ve been working from home because of COVID, but my work day is mainly the same. That’s not always typical in TV news so I feel pretty lucky to have this schedule. I work Monday through Friday 9-6, basically a “normal” schedule. In this interview, conducted by email, Bell talks about her workday at ABC11 and her favorite season as a weather forecaster, and she offers advice for students interested in careers in broadcast journalism. She has a degree in meteorology from Mississippi State University and previously worked at WAPT in Jackson. Brittany Bell is a meteorologist at WTVD, the ABC affiliate that covers Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville, North Carolina.
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