Andre's FAQ
Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!
If there is a question that you have and does NOT
show up here, please EMAIL me#1 What kind of education is required to
become a meteorologist?A Bachelor of Science in Meteorology or Environmental Science is the minimum requirement to become a meteorologist. Typically, it is a four year degree program.
You can go further to get a Masters and even Doctorate degree (an additional 2-4 years as a full-time student) but unless your focus is on research and development, a Bachelor's degree a sufficient to enter into "practical" meteorological fields.
#2 Are there any other fields of meteorology
other than television?Yes! Television, or broadcast meteorology, is only a small sector of employment available in meteorological fields. Other related fields include:
Aviation Meteorology - many airline companies (like NW Airline in Minneapolis) employ a meteorology department to customize forecasts, mostly of upper level winds, in order to calculate the amount of fuel necessary for each flight. Contrary to most people's perception, you do not "top off" an aircraft unnecessarily as it would mean having to carry unnecessary additional weight (which in turn requires more fuel burn to keep the plane in flight).
Private Industry - Certain weather-sensitive companies rely on personalized forecasts. Some of them even employ their own meteorologist(s) such as power companies, construction companies and transportation departments. Many of these industries also hire the services of private forecasting companies that have many clients that need specific and taylored forecasts.
Military Applications - All divisions of the U.S. military have officers of meteorology for military applications.
Government - The National Weather Service employs hundreds of meteorologists in every single state in the union that issue official National Weather Service forecasts.
Colleges and Universities - College professors that teach meteorology courses (Masters degree minumum, Doctorate preferred in many cases).
#3 Where did you go to college?
Lyndon State College, Lyndonville, Vermont. They speciualize in practical and broadcast meteorology with an on-site television station that broadcasts three newscasts daily. The meteorology students provide the forecasts with a state-of-the-art weather center complete with a WSI WeatherProducer (TM), a weather graphics computer that many television stations use in the daily preparation and execution of weathercasts.
Click on "COLLEGES" (left menu) and click on the LSC link to visit their web site.
#4 When did you become interested in meteorology?
I was so young (3 years old) that I do not ever remember a time in my life that I was NOT interested in meteorology! There is no doubt that my intense interest in meteorology at such an early age is a special gift from my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here's the story (as told by my mother and father since I do not remember the event):
My primary language in the first 5 years of my life was French. I had a playmate, Paul Lemaire, who was the same age. He spoke only English. No problem, though, for a couple of three year olds who were content to spend time pushing around dirt with toy trucks and making truck sounds.
One day, we were happily playing in the backyard when an approaching thunderstorm made the western sky look very dark and ominous. This apparently had me concerned. I stopped playing with my things, stood up and observed the blackening western sky. Then I pointed to the sky and said, "Regarde! Les nuage noir!"
My friend's attention came my way, assessed what I said and stood up definatively and said, "No... black clouds."
An argument ensued.... "Nuage noir!" "Black clouds." "Nuage noir!" "Black clouds...."
In truth, we were saying the very same thing, but we had no idea.
Ever since that point in time, my parents tell me that I was always looking up at the sky asking about the forecast for the day and wondering what the temperature was. Another obsession that went along with that was the time. I was always asking what time it was, driving my mother nutty at times. But with great care and patience, she entertained my frequent questions and "weathered" through that period of my life.
The obsession with time gradually diminished (although Sally will tell you otherwise and admittedly, I do like watches and clocks)... but my absolute obsession with weather did not wane at all. In fact, it grew through college.
#5 Where did you grow up?
I was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a large coastal town along the south shore of the state. It is on the western end of Cape Cod, a place of active weather, especially in the winter months.
My parents still live in the brick Cape Cod style home in which my siblings and I grew up, on the top of a small 100 foot hill from which you can see New Bedford harbor and the Acushnet River (which flows into New Bedford Harbor).
I have two older sisters and one younger brother, all of whom stayed in the New Bedford area.
#6 What are some of the most memorable weather
events that you have experienced over the years?Since moving to Ohio, some of the weather events that "stick out" include the severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that came through the area in July 1991. Many trees came down on our property. Electricity was out for more than a week in parts of Geauga County. Fallen trees prevented our being able to get to Sally's sister's house for nearly the same period. It was wood from several fallen trees on her property that Sally's father built several guitars that are a conversation piece at our home.
Another amazing weather event occurred in November 1996 that I remember well. It was the massive early lake-effect snowfall that had me shoveling 39" of wet, heavy snow off my roof... while Bill Martin, who lives on the far west side called me to tell me that he was playing golf at his house (no snow at all there).
The February blizzard of 1971 (southern New England) that lasted for two days and a very late-in-the-season snowfall on May 8, 1977 (New England) come to mind as a few examples of what I recall quickly.
#7 Do you have a favorite time of year?
Yes... however, let me preface that by saying that I enjoy every season for what it is.
My favorite season has to be autumn... I love the first cool, crispy evenings, the beautiful twilight colors in the evening and the turning autumn leaves. Winter is my second favorite. While driving on slippery, snowy roads isn't one of my favorite things, I do enjoy snowfall (don't forget, I ski!).
#8 What are some of your hobbies and interests?
They are wide and varied, but those in which I participate frequently and enjoy are:
Digital flim production and editing, Filmmaking,
Reading, Writing (currently working on a novel),
Cooking (my father is a retired chef),
Mountain Climbing, Hiking,
Enjoying Family.
#9 What is the most fascinating place you've ever been?
Iceland... hands down.
I went there on a working vacation in March 1987 and fell in love with this beautiful country. Everything is geothermally heated there as the island is essentially one, giant active volcano. The people are outstanding and friendly, speak a more grammatically correct English than we do in the USA (as well as their native tongue, Icelandic).
The neatest place: Blaoa Lundid (Blue Lagoon). It's a geothermally heated artificial lake produced from the steam by-product of a nearby electricity plant. When I was there, only a changing house was present. I did take a swim while I was there and... yes, the water is really REALLY blue (from the silica and minerals suspended in the water). Now, The Blue Lagoon is highly developed with resorts, inns, hotels and restaurants that surround the hot lake.
#10 I'm a student in high school. Is there anything
that I should be doing now in order to prepare
myself for a college degree in meteorology?The best thing you could do is to look for and take AP courses in math and physics.... specifically, if your high school has pre-calculus or calculus.... TAKE IT! It will make your life much easier in college having laid a foundation in calculus. You will use calculus from the first day of freshman status to the last final in your senior class in Atmospheric Thermodynamics.
Secondly (but not at the expense of the first), if you plan on a career in broadcast meteorology, get into the public arena and practice up your skills in oration (public speaking). Take public speaking classes if your school offers them. Go out for the school play. Try out for your school's radio or closed curcuit TV station if you have one.
You may want to also bend the headmaster's ear and see if he/she will let you do the school announcements daily.... a forum where you may want to inject a daily weather forecast like I did at New Bedford High School in new Bedford, Massachusetts (a high school with 5,000 students at last count!).
#11 Would you describe a typical day for you
as a meteorologist?My day begins with the alarm clock at 2:00 A.M. That's right.... 2:00 AM!
From 2-3 AM, I prepare for work and usually make myself a full breakfast. While eating, I spend time in God's Word (the Bible), many times reading Moody Bible Institute's daily devotional, "Today In The Word."
At around 3:30 AM, I am at FOX8 beginning to prepare for the day's weathercast. That preparation includes looking at the latest computer models that came in overnight. These models numerically simulate the atmosphere. Many of the maps I check are available on line. CLICK HERE to see an example of a medium range model showing surface features and temperature at 5,000 Ft. above sea level for 4 days from now.
While I am analyzing all the maps and information, I am also beginning to draw the graphics that will help me explain the forecast. Each map is done from scratch since we believe that each day's maps should be dictated by the weather pattern that presents itself. For instance, why show radar if there is nothing on it? I like to design maps that will best explain that day's weather.
Our 3 1/2 hour broadcast begins at 5:30 AM and goes to 9:00 AM. My weather segments usually fall within a few minutes of the following times:
5:08 (Weather Cut In)
5:16 (Weather Cut In)
5:30 (Weather Synopsis)
5:48 (Full Weather)
6:00 (Weather Synopsis)
6:13 (Full Weather + 8 Day)
6:38 (Full Weather)
6:50 (8-Day and Coffee Quiz)
7:00 (Weather Synopsis)
7:13 (Full Weather + 8 Day)
7:38 (Full Weather)
8:00 (Weather Synopsis)
8:13 (Full Weather)
8:30 (Full Weather + 8Day)
8:55 (Weather Recap)I also feed two radio stations with forecasts each morning: WCRF, Clevleand 103.3 FM and WNPQ, Canton, 95.9 FM. Since the advent of the internet and MP3 technology, I record each forecast here atthe station directly to MP3 audio format and upload them to WCRF and WNPQ. This gives the recording cystal in-studio quality.
My lunchtime comes at 9:15 AM. Yes... such things as leftover stwes, pizza, sandwiches... etc. hey! It's LUNCHtime for me! Remember.... I was up since 2 AM.
From time to time, I will be called upon to also prepare the noon weathercasts at FOX8. Depending on whether or not I have to do the noon news, I will leave the station between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM.
In between weather segments and news programs, there is plenty to do. Computer maintanence, office maintanence, technical support for the incoming meteorologist, public appearances, school talks, web site upkeep just to mention a few.
In my off time, I usually nap in the afternoon for a few hours so that I can spend evenings with my family. Then the cycle begins all over again!
#12 What is your favorite part of your job?
Being paid to do what I consider a hobby! (Please don't tell management.)
#13 What is your least favorite part of your job?
The hours.
In television, there is no such thing as "good hours" for a meteorologist. You either work early mornings, late night (prime time) or weekends. All three are challenges for someone ministering to a family... for me the least disruptive to family is mornings which is why I choose to stay on mornings.
#14 Are you friends with anyone at other TV stations
in Cleveland, or does "rivalry" prevent it?I am good friends with a number of personalities outside of FOX8. We regularly meet together, dine together and stay in close contact.
Yes, we compete for the same viewer at times, but the many friendships we have go much deeper than compeition.
#15 Have forecasts improved over the years?
Yes.... Just twenty years ago the 3 day outlook (3rd day) had a bout the same accuracy as the 8 day outlook 97th and 8th day) today. Of course, when we blow it for the following day, there are plenty of people who would have a different opinion, but that is usually because they were counting on sunny skies for their picnic and it rained. Very few times do we hear from people that planned on rain and skies turned out sunny.
Right now accuracy runs around 90% for the first 24 hour period. The accuracy slowly declines to 55-60% accuracy by day #8. Days #4-8 are typcically more of a trendcast than a specific hour-by-hour weather forecast.
#16 What kinds of changes have you witnessed
in television weathercasting over the years?When I interened at WNEV-TV-6 in New Bedford, Massachusetts in the 1970's, weather maps were large, bulky magnetic wall maps that we wrote on in markers, chalk and other various and messy impliments. weather information came in slowly over clucnky and noisy teletypes. Facsimile maps were expensive to obtain.
By the time I entered the professional workforce in television, I worked for one of the vyer first TV stations that tried using (8-bit) computer graphics for part of the weathercast. That was at WMT-TV-2 (now KGAN-TV-2) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. we were on the cutting edge of a sweeping change in the way television weathercasts were done.
In 1982, I moved to the Weather Channel and debuted the very first weathercast there with Bruce (Edwards) Kalinowski on May 2nd, 1982 at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time. The Weather Channel used mostly electronic graphics that were 16-bit. Looping satellite images was still a chore which had to be done manually. Radar images could not be looped easily as well.
By the time I moved to Cleveland in 1988, radar and satellite loops were becoming a regular staple as computer memory and speed improved. Now those images and loops are as "realtime" as you could possibly get!
What is around the corner?.... I can't even imagine given the amount of change I have seen in the last twenty years. It can only become more fun! You watch and see.....
#17 Is it harder for forecast weather in Cleveland
compared to anywhere else you have worked?Yes... and no.
You see, every place on Earth is unique weatherwise. These unique idiosynchrocies contribute to the local climate. It can be a lake, a river, an ocean current, a mountain or range of mountains or geographical position. They all combine to form a unique climate for every single place on Earth.
Yes... forecasting here due to Lake Erie (especially in the winter for lake effect snow) is quite a challenge, but experience is everything! Once you've lived somewhere for a number of years, you begin to get an intrinsic feel for what certain weather patterns will do to the area.
If you suddenly tossed me on to KUSA-TV in Denver, I'd be like a fish out of water and my accuracy would decline dramatically until I experienced mountain forecasting for enough years. Likewise, take Mike Nelson at KUSA in Denver and put him on WJW-TV in Cleveland and his mountain forecasting finesse would not help him one bit in forecasting lake effect snows November - February.
In New Bedford, MA (where I grew up), the east coast "bombs" (intense nor'easters) were a real challenge to forecast until the new computer models treated the ocean more like an ocean instead of a concrete slab.
In Cedar Rapids, I had to get used to the nocturnal thunderstorms (thunderstorms that develop in the middle of the night for a completely different set of weather dynamics). They took me completely off guard only a few weeks into my first job at WMT-TV-2 during the early summer of 1981.
Atlanta's elevation of nearly 1,000 ft ASL often made the difference between a hot and oppressively humid day in Macon to a hot and not-so-humid day in Atlanta.
In Minneapolis, I was back in the nocturnal thunderstorm territory and the effects of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers which seemed to affect thunderstorm severity and patterns.
Here in Cleveland, Lake Erie keeps us busy... even in the summer when the lake breeze can often be the focusing mechanism that triggers afternoon thunderstorms (let alone lake effect snow in the winter).
#18 Are you really pointing to nothing but a green
wall when you do your weathercasts?Yes.
The camera and switcher combined elecronically "remove" the green and replace it with any image. In our case, we generate weather graphics on a computer and "project them" behind us.
We do not actually see them on the green screen, rather, we have to use TV monitors placed strategically so we can see to what we are pointing.
First time visitors often think the weatherfolk are a little "looney" aimlessly pointing to a colored wall.
#19 You seem much taller on television than in person.
Why is that?This is my #1 comment that I receive when making public appearances!
TV does three things (usually) to a person:
Adds age.
Adds weight.
Adds height.People are often shocked to see that I am 5 foot 7 1/2". They expect someone much taller.
For the record:
Age: 44
Weight: 150# (has been since college!)
Height: 5' 7.5"
#20 Have you ever worked in a non-broadcast meteorological
position?Yes. I have worked as a trans-Atlantic flight meteorologist for Northwest Airline in Minneapolis for a few years in the 1980's. It was my job to forecast winds aloft at between 33,000 ft. and 43,000 ft. between the USA and Europe so that we could use as much of a tailwind as possible to cut down on fuel consumption.
It was an interesting job with some GREAT flight benefits... but after two years went by I believed that I was out of God's will in my life and went back into broadcast meteorology after an opportunity opened up for my wife and I to work together on KARE-TV, Minneapolis as a husband-wife weather team on their morning show. I was outside, she was inside. We did that for only 4 months before I received a contract offer here in Cleveland in 1987.
#21 If you were to give a single piece of advice to someone
wanting to become a television meteorologoist,
what would that be?Be ready to move to wherever they first job opportunity arises.
TV jobs are very hard to come by. If that is your passion, however, you'll never dissuade anybody who has their mind set. You may have to wait a month, a year, several years... before that first offer comes.
It is virtually impossible to start in a market like Cleveland. You will need to gain experience wherever they are willing to hire you.
When you graduate, you will need to send your video tape and resume to every single possible opening you can find.
This means that you will VERY LIKELY have to take your first job in a small market in Montana, Iowa, Texas, Georgia, etc., etc.... you cannot afford to get picky. GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR SOMEWHERE. You can then begin the process of gaining experience and begin applying for jobs in higher markets and closer to where you want to end up. This process will take time.... don't get so impatient that you will miss out on enjoying the experience and getting to see the country at someone else's expense!
For me, it was Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My first year was probably the lonliest time in my life, but I made friends quickly with people that I am still in touch with today! Iowa was more than 1,600 miles away from "home" (New England). That was 1,300 miles farther from home than I ever was in my life. But it was something I simply had to do... and you will have to do too if you are serious.
If you have your sights set on getting a job in Cleveland or Toledo or Columbus right out of college.... you'll be quite disappointed and in time probably end up in another career altogether.
