Being a TV meteorologist is a tough job.
You have to have to look good on camera, make banter with the anchors, and somehow make discussions of the weather — the cliché topic of boring small talk — engaging for the audience.
When you aren't out in the field in the nastiest conditions, you have to navigate the pitfalls of the green screen. And worst of all — as Garry Frank of Grand Rapids, Michigan will tell you — even when you do a perfect job helping people prepare for their week, you end up taking the blame for the forces of nature.
It's almost enough to drive someone to a Nicolas Cage-style meltdown. With that in mind, let's take some time to appreciate the meteorologists of the world.
Whether they're braving the elements, breaking down atmospheric science, feuding with anchors, or simply looking good while they point at a map, they don't get enough credit. So here are seven of the greatest moments in weatherperson history.
Ted Pretty, Weatherboy
In this classic 2017 clip, Las Vegas weatherman Ted Pretty is reporting at a fireworks store ahead of the Fourth of July, and decides to approach a customer to get his thoughts on the best pyrotechnics to celebrate the occasion. Rather than answer, the young man comes back with his immortal retort, "Wouldn't you like to know, weatherboy."
Pretty's wounded "Where are your parents?" and "Kid's sketchy," sell the hilarity of the moment... Better not to look deeper to find out that the young man is actually Ted Pretty's son, who accompanied him to the location specifically for the bit. Still funny.
Alan Sealls Explains Hurricanes
Alan Sealls of Mobile, Alabama is the perfect weatherman to prove that there's more to the job than reading off some numbers. A meteorologist with a science degree from Cornell, Sealls always does his best to make sure his audience is informed about upcoming weather and interesting phenomena in atmospheric science.
He turns his forecasts into entertaining and informative little science lectures, and as Hurricane Irma approached the gulf coast in 2017, his professionalism brought him to the attention of Reddit, who dubbed him "the best weatherman ever." With the possible exception of Frankie MacDonald, he has remained the Internet's favorite person to talk about the weather. But despite his celebrity, Sealls has remained humble, uploading wholesome backyard videos to his overlooked personal YouTube channel.
Yanet Garcia Turns Left
On the other end of the spectrum is Yanet Garcia, a weathercaster out of Monterrey, Mexico whose expertise is not necessarily in meteorology. Before her stint on TV, she started as a model, and it shows. Her poise and fashion sense make the weather look good...
She garnered particular attention as perhaps the sexiest person in her profession after YouTuber Ozzy Man Reviews called her out for her dramatic turns in 2015 and 2016. The former girlfriend of gaming vlogger Faze Censor, Garcia has since left the weather business to act in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and be a full-time Instagram influencer, doing squats for more than 13 million followers.
While it may be (read: definitely is) crass to focus so much attention on Yanet Garcia's body, Ozzy Man Reviews delivers his commentary with a vocal styling that is hard not to find amusing.
Green Screen Beach Bod
A very different kind of sexy occurred back in 2012 when Ericka Pino — then working as a meteorologist for Telemundo in Los Angeles at the time — showed up to work in a green dress. That's a serious fashion faux pas for someone who works in front of a green screen, but rather than have her change, her co-workers decided to have some fun with it.
Over her dress, they superimposed footage of a large man in a speedo dancing at the beach. The sight of Pino's head almost perfectly lining up with the man's enthusiastic dance moves — for just a few seconds before she realizes what they're doing and walks out of frame — is truly a sight to behold.
Teresa Mannion's Apocalyptic Report
Never has a weatherperson sounded more like a segment in a big-budget disaster movie than in December of 2015, when Irish broadcaster Teresa Mannion was reporting on the theat of Storm Desmond. The intensity in her cracking voice as she implores viewers, "Don't take unnecessary journeys!" lends itself perfectly to a soaring, apocalyptic orchestral score.
Kristi Gordon vs. a Giant Spider
Over in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2013, a very different kind of apocalypse presented itself to meteorologist Kristi Gordon. When the view behind her switched to an aerial shot of the city, a giant spider seemed to suddenly be going straight for her head.
The striking image was obviously the result of a normal-sized spider building its web in front of the overhead camera, but even though Gordon knows that, it doesn't stop her from freaking out about the fifty-pound arachnid crawling around behind her. Her screams and attempts to dodge the creature are amusing, but her ability to then regain her composure and deliver the forecast is truly a credit to her professionalism.
Carol Erickson vs. Nicole Brewer
Last but not lease, we have the age-old feud between anchor and meteorologist. Back in 2013 this compilation of quietly seething, insulting banter between Philadelphia's Nicole Brewer and Carol Erickson went viral. The challenges of handling workplace tension — when you have to pretend to be friends for the live broadcast — were evident.
Of course the two women responded to their Internet fame by insisting that it was all in good fun, and that they're actually quite close. Sure you are...
So on February 5th, AKA National Weatherperson's Day, forget the groundhog and spare a thought for the people who really know something about the weather.