Television Weathercasting

Book excerpt: Will it rain tomorrow? That perennial question has made weather the most popular segment of local television news for years. Yet weathercasters do far more than simply convey the latest outlook. Depending on the circumstances, they may inject humor into the forecast (having a Lhasa apso pant and wag its tail during the forecast, for instance), warn of a life-threatening tornado or hurricane, or instruct viewers on the science behind weather. This book, the first critically to examine weathercasters and their craft, is based on years of research and covers both the lighthearted and serious aspects of television weather. Chapters include pioneer weathercasters of the 1940s and 1950s, technical advances, interaction with the National Weather Service, severe weather coverage, celebrities who began with television weather, and the status of women and minorities in weathercasting.