WBOC Chief Meteorologist Dan Satterfield made headlines Wednesday when the Washington Post named him one of the nation's "seven coolest TV meteorologists."
In his article, the Post's Matthew Cappucci wrote, "The friendly faces you see on the TV aren’t just meteorologists; they have to do it all. They’re teachers, broadcasters, graphic designers, station scientists and a whole lot more. Suffice to say they wear many hats.
"But have you ever wondered what your favorite forecaster is like behind the scenes? Meteorologists aren’t the “nerds” that some folks envision — or maybe some are (LOL). Regardless, many have some impressive or unusual hobbies — oftentimes that tie into weather."
Referring to Satterfield, Cappucci wrote, "Regardless of where you’re from, odds are that your local TV meteorologist has learned a thing or two from this meteorologist."
Cappucci recognized Satterfield's nearly 40-year career covering everything from "tornadoes in Oklahoma, hurricanes in Florida, the “Storm of the Century” in Alabama, and most recently, an exceptional season for severe weather in the Mid-Atlantic."
But what equally impressed Cappucci is Satterfield's "vast scientific expertise" and "love of learning."
"He’s worked tirelessly with several other meteorologists to spearhead the “station scientist program,” a mission designed to integrate science of all branches into newscasts and TV weathercasts," Cappucci wrote. "His goal is to increase scientific literacy, which he works toward both on air and on his blog for the American Geophysical Union. After all, Satterfield acknowledges that most television forecasters are the only scientists that most viewers encounter each day."
Satterfield's love of science has led him to travel across the U.S. and to take trips to both poles, which prompted Cappucci to ask, "Can your local TV meteorologists say they’ve been to both the Arctic and Antarctic?"
After learning about his inclusion in the Post article, Satterfield said, "I'm very honored, but one thing I've learned over the years is every other meteorologist knows something about weather that you don't and has something to teach you."
Click here to read the full Washington Post article.
