WJLA’s StormWatch7 weather team member on ABC7 & NewsChannel 8’s Good Morning Washington:
What got you interested in weather/meteorology?
One of my high school ROTC teachers was an ex-pilot in the Air Force, and he would bring in flight plan paper and tools to show us how to plot a course. I instantly became interested in everything around flying and weather. And the morning show I grew up watching was Good Morning America with Charlie Gibson, Joan Lunden and Spencer Christian. I would watch [Christian] deliver the weather before catching the bus. I recall one day realizing that perhaps I could forecast the weather.
Why the switch to WJLA?
Our business is a very male-dominated business, and sometimes as a female you have to fight harder to increase your chances of growth. At this point in my career, I felt this was right for me.
What about the Metro-D.C. weather patterns makes your job difficult?
The same thing that makes [the DMV] so beautiful is what makes it a challenge to forecast—you can go from mountains to the bay and over to the coast. All that change can have a huge impact on how systems form or fall apart as they move in. It is one of the most difficult parts of the country to forecast. It is that challenge of getting it right that I love.
What do you say to all the naysayers about meteorologists and getting the weather right?
As meteorologists, we know we are dealing with complex weather patterns and systems that can change— sometimes in minutes, let alone between 6 and 11 p.m. We may not get it right 100 percent of the time, but our goal is to provide the most accurate forecast for our area each and every day. Remember, a baseball player batting .500 is a superstar. As meteorologists, we achieve a higher percentage than that.
Quick Hits
Neighborhood: Howard County, Maryland
Favorite season: I love spring for the promise of what’s to come and the smell of a honeysuckle tree after an evening rain.
Go-to song of the summer: “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts. It brings back young summer memories [of being a] preteen traveling in my mother’s ’65 Mustang with hair blowing from the back seat.
Book you’re reading right now: Touré’s I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon
What you’re binge-watching right now: Agent X
