Ask anything: 5 secrets from a Weather Network presenter

Friday, October 28, 2016, 11:50 AM - Being a TV presenter is certainly a rewarding job, but there's parts of the gig that many people may not know. I get asked a lot of common questions, so here's a look inside of what it's really like working as a TV weather presenter/on-air meteorologist.

Question 1: What time do you wake up?

Working the morning show, people are always fascinated by this topic. My phone alarm goes off at 2:30 a.m., and then my old fashion clock radio, across the room, goes off at 2:41 a.m. I read in an interview once that Mark Wahlberg gets up at 4 a.m. everyday just to work out, so I like to remind myself that I get up earlier than an early to rise A-list movie star. While Mr. Wahlberg stays up all day, since my 2:30 a.m. wake-up call is rather early, after work I do take a nap. This nap recharges me enough to be able to get up and have a normal evening like anyone who has a 9-5 job. I can have dinner with my family, relax and then go to bed. Bed time is anywhere from 8 p.m. (which is ideal) to 10 p.m. (now we are getting into scary time).

Question 2: Is that a green screen behind you?

Green, green everywhere. What I call my office, which is really our studio, is literally wall to wall green. There is a great deal of detailed information in books and online on why green screens are used for movies and TV. Essentially the green screen allows us to superimpose images on the screen, which for The Weather Network’s purpose is our set and the maps. Fun fact, if we wear green we disappear.

Question 3: Do you buy your own clothes?

My friends and family always say they get a little jealous when I talk about this perk of the job. The Weather Network provides our on-air presenters with a clothing allowance twice a year, and then it's time to shop! I enjoy putting outfits together, so this process if fun for me. However, we do have to follow a set of guidelines. When working in the studio, we stick to a professional look, and we have to be very careful with certain colours and patterns. Using a green screen can be tricky, and while we stay away from green, other colours can be an issue, so we always test our clothing before taking off the tag.

Question 4: Do you read a script?

This always really surprises people, but when presenting the weather we do it all ad-lib. Terrifying at first, but then that becomes the real fun of it. Before going live I have seen all the maps that will be used, have had a briefing with one of our meteorologists, and my producer on the top stories. By the time we go live, I am clear on the direction that the segment is going. Also our behind the scenes team rocks, and they are such a big part of what you see on TV. It takes a village!

Question 5: Why does the long range forecast change?

Looking ahead at a forecast far out can be frustrating when it changes, but as we know following the weather is not a perfect science. Dr. Doug Gillham, head of the forecast centre at The Weather Network, says this about your long range weather: "Uncertainty in the forecast typically increases the further we go into the future. This is especially true with the timing and the track of any specific weather systems. Therefore, one should never cancel their plans because of rain or snow in the forecast for a day that is over a week away. Confidence is typically higher with temperature patterns, such as whether temperatures will be above seasonal or below seasonal one to two weeks from now."