>> THE WEATHER DICTATES SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DRESS, WHAT ROUTE TO TAKE.

SO WE RELY ON OUR WEATHER GUYS.

AND NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER, TOM MESSNER IS ALWAYS SMILING.

THE ICONIC METEOROLOGIST JOINS ME, NEXT ON PROFILE.

>> TOM MESSNER GREW UP IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

HE WENT TO THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER IN OHIO TO STUDY BUSINESS ECONOMICS, BUT WHILE THERE BECAME INVOLVED IN COLLEGE RADIO, SERVING AS D.J., PROGRAM MANAGER AND GENERAL MANAGER OF THE STATION.

AFTER GRADUATION, HE WENT ON TO WORK IN RADIO FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE JUMPING TO TELEVISION AND SOON, HE WAS STUDYING METEOROLOGY.

IN 1990, HE BECAME CHIEF METEOROLOGIST FOR WPTZ PLATTSBURG, A ROLE HE HAS HAD EVER SINCE.

HE IS ALSO NOW CHIEF METEOROLOGIST FOR FIVE RADIO STATIONS AND THE OFFICIAL ONE AT THE ECHO CENTER IN BURLINGTON.

MESSNER LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN PLATTSBURG.

>> IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU IN THIS STUDIO.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE A GREEN SCREEN OR BLUE SCREEN.

>> SO I'LL BE SITTING THE WHOLE TIME.

>> ONE PLACE.

>> SO IN COLLEGE YOUR DEGREE WAS IN BUSINESS ECONOMICS.

WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO PURSUE?

>> DIDN'T KNOW.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, OKAY.

TIME TO GO TO COLLEGE.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

I DON'T KNOW.

MY DAD WAS A BUSINESS GUY, WORKED AT EASTMAN KODAK HIS WHOLE CAREER.

SO I THOUGHT, THAT'S SAFE.

WHY DON'T I TAKE THE BUSINESS ROUTE, GET A DEGREE.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THAT'S HOW IT ALL STARTED.

>> BUT THEN YOU GOT THE RADIO BUG.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT RADIO?

>> THE COLLEGE OF BOOSTER IS IN THE MIDDLE OF OHIO, SMALL SCHOOL.

YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON EVERYTHING THERE.

THE FIRST WEEK I WENT THERE THEY HAD AN OPEN HOUSE AT A RADIO STATION.

I RANT RAN INTO A GUY WHO TURNED INTO A FRIEND IN THE LONG RUN.

HE SAID, IF YOU WANT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN RADIO SHOW.

I THOUGHT, REALLY?

I CHECKED IT OUT.

WHY NOT?

THE NEXT THING I KNEW I HAD MY OWN SHOW.

WAYS ON ONCE A WEEK, WENT TO TWICE A WEEK.

BY THE TIME I WAS A JUNIOR I WAS THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND EVENTUALLY GENERAL MANAGER AS YOU MENTIONED.

SO YEAH, I GOT THE BUG.

>> WOW!

WAS IT MUSIC OR WAS IT JUST KIND OF TALK OR -- >> IT WAS TYPICAL COLLEGE FOR THE TIME.

WE'RE BACK IN THE 80'S HERE.

NOT TO GIVE TOO MUCH AWAY AGE-WISE.

AND A LOT OF THE MUSIC BUT WE DID NEWS, TOO.

YOU ALWAYS WANT TO LEAN ON NEWS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COLLEGE STATION SO YOU'RE KIND OF GETTING THE BACKGROUND AND THINGS MORE THAN JUST BEING A D.J.

BUT DIGGING UP SOMNUS AND DOING WEATHER.

BUT REALLY RIP AND READ STUFF.

I HAD NO INTEREST NOW IN WEATHER.

AS I LOOK BACK.

>> SO THIS IS INTERESTING.

SO YOU WENT AND YOUR CAREER WAS IN RADIO FOR AWHILE.

HOW DID YOU JUMP TO TELEVISION?

>> WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN I GRADUATED FROM THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER, HAD THAT DEGREE IN BUSINESS ECONOMICS, BACKGROUND IN RADIO.

I THOUGHT, WELL.

HOW CAN I USE BOTH THESE THINGS?

MAYBE I SHOULD SELL RADIO TIME?

MADE SENSE.

UNDERSTOOD THE BUSINESS, BOTH SIDES.

HAD A DEGREE.

I MUST BE READY TO DO THAT.

SO I MOVED TO AKRON, OHIO AND I'M SELLING ADS ON THE RADIO FOR A BEAUTIFUL MUSIC STATION, ELEVATOR MUSIC.

YOU KNOW, I'M 21-YEARS OLD.

I'M LIKE, BOY, I DON'T KNOW.

HAD SOME DOORS SLAMMED IN THE FACE.

I HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL ADVERTISING.

BECAUSE IT IS NOT EASY AT ALL.

AND I JUST WASN'T THAT THRILLED DOING THAT.

AND I WANTED TO GET BACK ON THE AIR.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE THE EXCITEMENT WAS.

SO I BOUNCED AROUND OHIO FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND THEN MOVED BACK HOME TO ROCHESTER.

AND HOOKED UP WITH A RADIO STATION THERE THAT WAS JUST A BALL.

TOP 40'S STATION.

I'M IN MY YOUNG 20'S, WE'RE PLAYING THE HITS.

ALL THE KIDS ARE LISTENING.

SO I'M DOING THAT.

AND ABOUT THREE YEARS IN THERE WAS A LOCAL TV STATION THAT THANK GOODNESS FOR ME WAS NOT DOING VERY WELL AT ALL.

AND THEY DID SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THEY SAID, WE NEED A WEEKEND WEATHER FORECASTER.

AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HOLD OPEN AUDITIONS.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?

THEY JUST SAID, IF YOU THINK YOU'D BE PRETTY GOOD ON TV WHY DON'T YOU COME ON IN, GIVE IT A SHOT.

WE'LL SEE HOW YOU DO.

I THOUGHT, TV WOULD BE FUN.

RADIO'S FUN.

MAYBE THEY'RE KIND OF THE SAME.

SO GO TO THE TV STATION AND AUDITION AND THEY GAVE ME THE JOB.

I THOUGHT, OKAY.

THIS WILL BE COOL.

SO I GO IN MY FIRST DAY.

AND I REALIZE, I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING HERE, YOU KNOW?

AND IN THOSE DAYS WE DIDN'T HAVE A GREEN SCREEN.

THERE WAS AN ACTUAL METAL MAP.

AND WE HAD MAGNETS FOR THE HIGHS AND MAGNETS FOR THE LOWS AND LITTLE COLD FRONTS AND WARM FRONTS.

SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WENT IN THERE AND I TURNED ON THE WEATHER CHANNEL THAT WAS RELATIVELY NEW THEN.

AND I TURNED ON THE WEATHER RADIO AND GRABBED THE NEWSPAPER.

AND I BORROWED EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION I COULD FIND.

>> WOW!

>> AND WENT ON THAT DAY AND DID NOT DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT ALL.

AND I REALIZED IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, IF I'M GOING TO DO THIS I NEED TO GET A CLUE.

SO I REALLY NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL FOR METEOROLOGIST WHICH IS WHAT I THEN DID.

>> SO YOU'RE DOING THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

>> I DIDN'T STAY AT THAT WEEKEND JOB IN ROCHESTER VERY LONG.

ONLY ABOUT A HALF YEAR.

AND I MOVED TO WATER TOWN, NEW YORK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ADIRONDACKS AND STARTED WORKING THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

BRAND-NEW TELEVISION STATION, CHANNEL 50.

THEY HAD JUST SIGNED ON AND STARTED NEWS.

WHAT I DID WAS I WAS DOING THE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 6:00 AND 11:00 WEATHER THERE AND COMMUTING TO OSWEGO ABOUT A HOUR 10 AND STUDYING METEOROLOGY.

IT MADE FOR LONG DAYS AND IT WAS SO GREAT.

SO I'M GLAD I DID THAT.

DOING YOUR OWN FORECASTING, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, SOME DON'T, JUST MAKES THE JOB MORE INTERESTING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY FOR YOU LIKE?

>> I'M NOT SURE I HAVE TYPICAL DAYS.

BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, WHICH IS ONE THING I LIKE SO MUCH ABOUT IT.

BUT I'M JUGGLING KIDS A LITTLE BIT IN THE MORNING.

MY WIFE'S A TEACHER.

WE'VE GOT TWO KIDS, ONE OF WHOM SHE TAKES TO SCHOOL AND I TAKE THE YOUNGER ONE.

SO I'M UP EARLY WHICH ACTUALLY HELPS ME GET THINGS DONE.

SOME DAYS, QUITE A FEW OF THEM I'LL GO VISIT KIDS AT A SCHOOL, WHICH IS REALLY A LOT OF FUN, GO IN THERE, TALK ABOUT WEATHER AND SHOW SOME VIDEOTAPES.

I KNOW I'VE GOT TO GET INTO THE POWERPOINT THING.

I'M WORKING ON THAT.

>> YOU'VE GONE TO LIKE 600 SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> YES.

WELL, IT WAS INTERESTING.

BECAUSE EARLY ON BEFORE WE HAD KIDS I HAD NOTHING BUT TIME ON MY HANDS.

SO I WAS HITTING THREE, FOUR, SOMETIMES FIVE SCHOOLS A, WE WHICH WAS GREAT.

REALIZING THAT WE'RE DOING HAVE A FAMILY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DRAW BACK ON THIS A LITTLE BIT.

USUALLY I DO ONE A WEEK NOW.

BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT.

AND KIDS -- I MEAN, YOU WALK INTO THE CLASSROOM.

THE EYES LIGHT UP THE GUY FROM TV, YOU KNOW?

AND I THINK I PROBABLY GET MORE OUT OF IT THAN THEY DO.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S REALLY NEAT.

AND I USUALLY TAKE PICTURES OF THEM AND WE THROW THOSE ON TV.

AND THEY LOVE THAT.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ON TV.

>> SO WHAT SORT OF RESOURCES?

YOU GO IN AND HAVE TO PULL TOGETHER THE WEATHER.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHAT KIND OF SOURCES OR RESOURCES DO YOU HAVE?

I MEAN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF FANCY NAMES FOR YOUR RESOURCES.

THE STORM TRACKER 5,000 AND THE SUPER DOPPLER RADAR NETWORK.

BUT WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?

WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THIS INFORMATION AND HOW ACCURATE IS IT?

AND HAS IT GOTTEN BETTER OVER THE YEARS?

>> THERE'S NO QUESTION IT'S GOTTEN BETTER.

DRAMATICALLY BETTER, I THINK.

WHEN I FIRST GOT TO DO CHANNEL 5 BACK IN 1990 WE HAD TELETYPES GOING.

IT WAS LOUD BACK IN THE ROOM.

AND WE HAD MAPS HANGING ON THE WALL.

AND IT WAS JUST A WHOLE DIFFERENT DEAL.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE WE ARE PRETTY MUCH FORECASTING, I WOULD SAY ABOUT 98% OFF THE INTERNET.

I MEAN.

>>> THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION ONLINE RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU CAN GET IT WHETHER YOU'RE AT THE TV STATION OR AT A RADIO STATION, AT HOME.

I MEAN, THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S CHANGED SO MUCH.

AND WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT FORECASTING MODELS.

THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU LEARN WHEN YOU GO TO SCHOOL FOR METEOROLOGIST.

IT'S LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF MATH INVOLVED.

AND OF COURSE, PHYSICS AND EARTH SCIENCE AND THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT MATHEMATICAL MODELS WORK TO TRY TO TELL YOU WHERE THE PRECIPITATION IS GOING TO GO, WHERE ARE THE HIGHS, WHERE ARE THE LOWS.

AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVED YO SIN CA SAYS WITHIN YOUR MARKET.

OUR COVERAGE HERE IS REALLY A BEAR TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU HAVE THE SNOW BELT AND -- >> YEAH.

WITHIN OUR VIEWING AREA WE HAVE THREE MOUNTAIN RANGES AND THREE VALLEYS.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE ADIRONDACKS, YOU HAVE THE SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY ON THE OTHER SIDE, CHAMPLAIN VALLEY, GREEN MOUNTAINS, CONNECTICUT VALLEY AND THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.

SO IT'S A PRETTY TOUGH PLACE TO FORECAST.

BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY A FUN CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW?

SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE FORECAST MODELS AND SAY, WE'VE KIND OF SEEN THIS SITUATION BEFORE.

BUT DO YOU REMEMBER THE WARM AIR TENDS TO MAKE IT FARTHER NORTH WHEN THE LOW IS THERE.

THESE ARE THINGS YOU LEARN OVER TIME AND TRY TO TAKE THE MODELS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN FOR YOUR REGION.

THEN WE ACTUALLY DO BREAK THE REGIONS DOWN BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFERENT IN ALL THESE PLACES.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, YOU ALSO ARE DOING FORECASTS FOR RADIO STATIONS THAT ARE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

>> TRUE.

>> SO KIND OF WHEN DO YOU FIT THOSE IN?

AND I TAKE IT YOU'RE DOING THOSE BY REGION AS WELL.

>> DOING THOSE BY EASIER BECAUSE YOU CAN SAY HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE AREA PEOPLE CAN HEAR THE RADIO STATION, WHICH WILL BE SMALLER THAN THE TELEVISION VIEWING AREA.

AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FORECAST MODELS THAT HELP YOU BREAK DOWN REGIONALLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

YOU CAN BREAK THINGS DOWN INTO SMALL, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SQUARE MILES, PRETTY WELL IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

SO IF YOU'RE DOING A FORECAST FOR BURLINGTON, IT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN SAY LAKE PLACID WHICH IS A STATION I'M DOING AS WELL.

BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING INTO TERRAIN AND DIFFERENT EVEN WIND DIRECTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO ALMOST IN A WAY THE RADIO STATION GIVES YOU A BIT OF A BREAK WHERE ON TV IT'S LIKE, FOR YOU GUYS IT'S GOING TO BE THIS.

FOR YOU GUYS IT'S GOING TO BE THIS.

FOR YOU GUYS IT'S GOING TO BE THIS.

>> AND THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF GO AFTER THE MESSENGER IF YOU GET IT WRONG OR THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY?

>> HAVE I HAVE -- WHAT I HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS, THIS KIND OF SURPRISED ME AT FIRST AND NOW I'M JUST USED TO IT.

IT'S NOT OF TEN WHERE PEOPLE SAID, HEY, YOU SAID IT'S GOING TO DO THIS AND IT DID THAT.

THEY'RE MAD AT YOU IF IT'S NOT THE WEATHER THEY WANT.

IF IT'S REALLY COLD, MESSNER, WARM IT UP.

THAT KIND OF THING.

IT'S USUALLY TONGUE AND CHEEK.

BUT I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF STRANGE THAT THAT'S WHAT BOTHERS THEM MORE THAN A FORECAST THAT MAYBE WAS A BUST, WHICH CERTAINLY DOES HAPPEN ONCE IN AWHILE.

>> THAT IS INTERESTING.

SOMETIMES YOU'RE ASKED OF COURSE TO BE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION WHEN SOMETHING UNUSUAL IS HAPPENING HERE.

WE HAVE A CLIP.

ONE OF THEM IS WHEN THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A BIG STORM IN NEWARK, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THERE IT HAPPENED UP HERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO LET'S LOOK AT THE TODAY -- THERE'S A REGIS AND KATHY LEE AND TODAY SHOW CLIP.

TOM ON THE NATIONAL SCENE.

>> HAVE YOU HEARD SOMETHING?

>> WELL, LET'S GO UP TO PLATTSBURG.

YOU WANT SNOW?

YOU WANT TO SEE SNOW?

I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CRYING ABOUT.

HERE'S SNOW FOR YOU.

LET'S GO TO PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK.

THIS IS TOM MESSNER, WAY UPSTATE IN NEW YORK CITY, WITH WPTZ TV.

HOW YOU DOING, TOM?

>> I'M DOING GREAT.

GOOD MORNING.

HOW YOU DOING TODAY?

>> WE'RE DOING OKAY DOWN HERE IN THE CITY.

OUR SNOW IS STILL GONE FROM THE STREETS BUT YOU HAVE SOME UP THERE.

>> WE DO.

BUT WE WEATHER GUYS FROM AROUND THE NATION ARE COMING AFTER YOU SOON, I THINK.

>> I KNOW.

WE'VE GOT THREE WEATHER MEN AT THIS STATION, TOM, AND WE TAUGHT THEM PLOTTING IN THE HALLWAY.

FURIOUS WITH ME.

>> I'M GOING TO JOIN IN.

CAREFUL.

>> WHERE'S THE SNOW?

>> WE DID GET HAMMERED FROM THIS STORM.

IT DIDN'T EXACTLY SMACK YOU GUYS.

ONE THING IS I THINK YOU GUYS USE A STICK LIKE THIS TO MEASURE, KIND OF A WIMPY THING.

UP HERE IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WE USE SOMETHING THIS SIZE BECAUSE WE END UP GETTING A AWFUL LOT OF SNOW.

WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A SNOWSTORM LIKE THIS AND YOU'RE A WEATHER GUY IT'S HARD TO GET OUT OF THE BUILDING, DOING UPDATES EVERY 5 OR 10 SECONDS.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UNDER THIS MESS RIGHT HERE IS MY CAR.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT FOR A COUPLE OF DATES.

LET ME GIVE YOU A FOR INSTANCE.

SEE IF IT'S ACTUALLY IN HERE.

THERE IT IS.

>> IT REALLY WAS A WHOPPER OFFER A STORM.

TOM MESSNER IS AT OUR AFFILIATE WPTZ IN PLATS BULGE, NEW YORK WHERE THEY GOT HAMMERED WITH HEAVY SNOW.

TOM, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING TO YOU GUYS.

WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE SNOW WE'VE GOTTEN IN JUST A SECOND HERE.

BUT THEY ASKED ME TO FINISH UP SHOVELING THE DRIVWAY.

SO IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A COUPLE SECONDS WE SHOULD BE ALL DONE HERE.

>> WAIT A SECOND.

TOM, GIVE ME A GEOGRAPHY LESSON.

WHERE'S PLATTSBURG?

>> PLATTSBURG IS ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

IT'S ACROSS THE LAKE FROM BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

>> OKAY.

LET THEM KNOW WHERE WE ARE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO SOME OF IT MUST BE JUST A BLAST TO.

>> IT WAS REALLY A BLAST.

THE THING THAT MADE THAT DOUBLE FUN, I THINK, WAS ROKER HAD BLOWN THE FORECAST.

ACTUALLY ALL THE NEW YORK PEOPLE DID.

BUT OF COURSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING WITH EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUAL FORECASTERS DOWN THERE ARE GIVING THEM A HARD TIME.

I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS REGIS AND KELLY WERE BROADCASTING OUT OF WABC, WHICH I THINK THEY STILL DO.

AND THE ABC FORECASTER ALL ALONG THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE STORM AND THIS KIND OF THING.

SO I THINK REGIS OR SOMEBODY AT THE SHOW SAID, WHERE DID THE STORM GO?

WELL, IT WENT NORTH.

IT WENT UP TO THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY.

CALL OUR GUY UP THERE.

WE CARRY THE SHOW.

SO WE DID THAT LIVE SHOT.

AND I THINK THE TODAY SHOW PEOPLE WERE WATCHING.

THEY SAID, HEY, CAN YOU DO IT FOR US?

THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE NEXT MORNING BY THEN.

AND THEY WERE STILL GIVING ROKER ON THE TODAY SHOW A HARD TIME.

SO FOR ME IT WAS KIND OF LIKE BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF, HEY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS DOWN THERE BUT WE'RE PRETTY HAPPY TO GET THE SNOW HERE.

>> DO YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY BETWEEN KIND OF HOW MUCH INFORMATION AND HOW MUCH ENTERTAINMENT?

THERE'S A LOT ABOUT THE WEATHER THAT'S ALSO ENTERTAINMENT.

WE'RE DESPERATE FOR WEATHER AND THE INFORMATION WE GET.

BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON I LOVE THE JOB SO MUCH.

BECAUSE THE SCIENCE ABSOLUTELY IS IMPORTANT.

BUT WHAT WE FIND IS THAT NORMALLY PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT BEING TOLD TOO SCIENTIFICALLY, YOU KNOW?

WE COULD TELL YOU ABOUT THE ISO BARS OR TELL YOU HOW LOW THAT PRESSURE IS GOING TO GO IN MILLIBARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WHAT WE FIND IS PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, IS IT GOING TO RAIN?

IS IT GOING TO SNOW?

WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE GOING TO BE?

IT TAKES SCIENCE ON OUR END TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN WE JUST TRY TO DELIVER IT IN A WAY THAT YOU MIGHT DELIVER IT IN SOMEBODY'S LIVING ROOM.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, ACTUALLY AND YOU'RE VERY MUCH A PUBLIC PER SO THAT THERE'S NOBODY THAT'S GOING TO MESS YOU.

HAS THAT CREATED ANY ISSUES?

I'M SURE YOU GET A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, TOMORROW, HOW YOU DOING?

BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF ISSUES.

THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE INTERNET.

AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

>> WELL, NORMALLY PEOPLE ARE WONDERFUL.

THEY REALLY ARE.

AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S LIKE HEY, HOW YOU DOING?

WE WATCH YOU, WE LIKE YOU.

WHICH IS GREAT IT.

MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

ONCE IN AWHILE THEY'LL SAY, HEY, WHAT'S WITH THE WEATHER?

AND YOU THINK THEY'RE KIDDING BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE.

YOU GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

ONE THING I DISCOVERED ESPECIALLY WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER, IT WAS TOUGH FOR THEM.

BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD COME UP.

I'M AN AVERAGE GUY.

I TAKE THE KIDS AND WE GO GROCERY SHOPPING AND WE'RE OUT ALL THE TIME.

I'VE REALLY TRIED TO CHANGE VERY, VERY LITTLE BECAUSE OF MY JOB.

YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME MIGHT SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO GO OUT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET HASSLED.

I REALLY I TRY NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO MY FAMILY.

AND FRANKLY I LIKE TO DO STUFF.

BUT THERE WOULD BE TIMES WHERE WE WOULD BE OUT.

AND PEOPLE WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE KIDS ARE YOUNG.

YOU'VE GOT THEM KIND OF PULLING ON YOUR SHIRT AND SAYING, DAD, LET'S GO, LET'S GO AND TRYING TO TEACH THEM, IF YOU COULD BE PATIENT I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

COMES WITH THE TERRITORY, PART OF THE JOB.

OVERALL THEY DID GREAT.

I SAW THAT WAS HARD FOR THEM.

AND THAT MADE ME FEEL A LITTLE BIT BAD.

BECAUSE I EXPECT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO TALK WHEN YOU GO OUT.

IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY.

>> AND YOU'RE OUT A LOT.

YOU'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> YEAH.

I DOING THAT.

BEING OUT AND ABOUT IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

>> YOU WERE ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LOVELY BOOK CALLED "GREAT NEW ENGLAND STORMS OF THE 20th CENTURY" BY "THE BOSTON GLOBE."

YOURS WAS ON THE ICE STORM.

10 YEARS AGO, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT.

>> HARD TO BELIEVE.

>> WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE STORY FROM THAT TIME?

>> WELL, A TREE FELL ON OUR HOUSE.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THAT ICE STORM THERE, WERE MANY AREAS EVEN WITHIN OUR VIEWING AREA THAT IT WAS NO BIG PROBLEM.

YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE IN RUTLAND IT WAS RANGE.

WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?

YET TO THE NORTH IT WAS A VERY, VERY ROUGH STORM.

I ENDED UP SPENDING TWO NIGHTS AT CHANNEL 5 JUST MONITORING WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE WERE ON TV ALL THE TIME FOR THOSE THAT COULD STILL SEE.

>> OVERNIGHT RIGHT AT THE STATION.

>> STAYED OVERNIGHT.

WE DID TONS OF CUT-S IN, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO MY FAMILY WAS AT HOME.

WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY GOT AN INFORMATION TO JOIN SOMEBODY DOWN IN ALBANY.

HEY, IF YOU JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF THERE -- OF COURSE THERE WAS NO SCHOOL.

MY WIFE TEACHES SCHOOL AND THE KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL.

IF YOU WANT TO COME ON DOWN THAT'S FINE.

IT'S SO INTERESTING NOW TO LOOK BACK ON.

THEY JUST DROVE OUT OF THE STORM.

IT WAS SLIPPERY GOING SOUTH FOR ABOUT MAYBE 10-MILES THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS RAIN AND THEY JUST LEFT.

THE REST OF US UP HERE WERE JUST KNEE DEEP IN ICE.

AND IT JUST WENT ON FOR DAYS AND DAYS.

OF COURSE YOU HEARD THE STORY ABOUT TOWERS COMING DOWN IN SOUTHERN QUEBEC AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND I JUST THOUGHT, AS I LOOK BACK ON THAT, TREE FALLS ON OUR HOUSE.

GOT TO DEAL WITH NO ELECTRICITY.

AND THESE GUYS JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE JUST LEFT.

AND HOW OFTEN IS THERE A STORM THAT YOU CAN JUST SORT OF LEAVE?

YOU KNOW?

AND I'M SURE THEY WEREN'T ALONE IN DOING THAT.

AND THEY WERE SO HAPPY.

IT WAS SO MUCH SAFER TO DO THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STORMS BUT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS EVER.

>> YEAH AND THE PICK SURE THE, AREN'T THEY?

THEY'RE SO PRETTY.

>> REALLY SOMETHING.

YOU EVER GOTTEN INTO A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE?

>> WELL, WE DID A SERIES ON CHANNEL 5 CALLED "EXTREME WEATHER" AND THEY SENT ME TO A HURRICANE.

THEY SENT ME CHASING TORNADOES.

AND THEY SENT ME TO THE TOP OF MT.

WASHINGTON, WHICH ISN'T DANGEROUS PER SE BUT BOY, IS IT COOL UP THERE.

IS THAT A NEAT PLACE.

>> AND COLD.

>> AND COLD.

>> VERY COLD.

>> YES.

AND VERY, VERY WINDY OVER THERE.

WINDS OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT QUITE AS BAD AS IT SOUND WHEN I SAY THEY SENT US TO FIND TORNADOES AND HURRICANES.

BECAUSE ONE THING THAT'S NICE ABOUT WHO I WORK FOR, WE'LL HAVE TELEVISION STATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE AFFILIATES IN INTERESTING PLACES.

SO WHEN WE WENT DOWN TO WAIT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF HURRICANE FRANCES A FEW YEARS AGO WE HOOKED ONE OUR TV STATION DOWN IN ORLANDO.

SO WE WERE SAFE BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>> SOMETIMES THEY'RE OUT IN A HURRICANE.

YOU SEE THESE PEOPLE BEING BLOWN AWAY.

>> I KNOW.

>> I MEAN, IT'S ENTERTAINING, KIND OF TIS LATING.

BUT IS THAT -- IS THAT REALLY A GOOD WAY TO DO THE WEATHER?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY PERCEPTIONS FROM CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE KATRINA.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE, OH, IT USED TO BE ALMOST FUN AND GAMES, JUST LIKE YOU'RE SAYING.

IF YOU'RE ON THE CORRECT SIDE OF A BUILDING YOU COULD BE STANDING THERE AND HARDLY TELL ANYTHING IS GOING ON.

YOU CAN HEAR THE WIND BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUST GET ON THE SAFE SIDE OF SAY A BUILDING BECAUSE WE DID.

THIS AND THEN -- AND TV PEOPLE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.

WELL, IT'S HARD TO SHOOT SOMETHING THAT LOOKS COOL.

YOU COME OUT BEHIND THE BUILDING, THE WIND IS BLOWING, THE TREES ARE BENT OVER LIKE CRAZY.

YOU CAN NORMALLY GO INTO SHELTER AGAIN.

YOU DON'T SEE THAT TOO OFTEN ON TV.

BUT AS LONG AS YOU'RE WITH PEOPLE WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND, LOOKS, IF IT'S GOING TO COME ONSHORE HERE AND GERE TO GO HAVE WHATEVER THE WIND DIRECTION, IS GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING, YOU'LL BE SAFE.

>> SO WHEN YOU WHY CHASING HURRICANING AND TORNADOES, TO GET BACK TO THAT, DID YOU HIT SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE DANGEROUS OR WERE YOU ALWAYS FEELING PRETTY SAFE?

>> I THINK I ALWAYS FELT PRETTY SAFE BECAUSE WE WERE WITH PROFESSIONALS WHO DO THAT.

IT WOULD ALMOST BE LIKE SENDING THE TEAM FROM FLORIDA UP TO COFFER A BLIZZARD AND WE SHOWING THEM HOW TO DO IT.

WE WEREN'T QUITE SURE HOW TO DO IT SO WE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS LEAD US?

WE'LL FOLLOW YOU AS YOU COFFER THIS.

AND ALMOST MADE THEM PART OF THE STORY.

WE DID THAT IN OKLAHOMA WITH OUR STATION THERE WHEN WE WERE CHASING TORNADOES.

BECAUSE TORNADOES, YOU GET ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE WAY THEY'RE MOVING AND YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.

NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT WITH HUNT.

BUT TORNADOES, I THINK AS SOME THINGS YOU REALLY HAVE TO DOUBLE WATCH OUT FOR.

SO WE WORKED WITH OUR STATION IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

AND THEY WERE TERRIFIC.

AND WE REALLY DID MAKE THEM A BIG PART OF THE STORY SAYING, THESE GUYS ARE REAL STORM CHASERS.

THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO LET'S MAKE THEM A BIG PART OF THE STORY.

YES, WE'RE HERE, BUT HERE'S HOW THEY DID IT AND THEY SHOWED US HOW TO DO IT, TOO.

>> RIGHT IT.

MUST BE INTERESTING TO ALSO JUST BE WITH OTHER METEOROLOGISTS.

AND WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SEE, OF COURSE, GLOBAL WARM SOMETHING HUGE TODAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> OVER THE LAST 20 -- YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR, WHAT 18-YEARS NOW?

>> YEAH.

>> IN THIS AREA.

SO WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT HAS CHANGED?

DO YOU NOTICE THESE AS PATTERNS OR TRENDS?

DO YOU NOTICE SOME TRENDS OR -- >> WELL, YOU NOTICE NORMALLY SMALL SHOTS AT A TIME.

I THINK YOU NOTICE MORE THAN ANYTHING.

LOOK AT JANUARY THIS YEAR AS OF THE 23rd WE WERE SOME 8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

AND I THINK PEOPLE JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.

AND YOU HAVE YEARS THAT ARE WARMER AND COLDER.

AND WE COME OFF 2007, DECEMBER, 45 INCHES OF SNOW.

JANUARY SHOWS UP, THE SKIERS, I MEAN, SO HASN'T END OF 2007 SAYING, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST YEARS EVER.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S PRETTY WARM.

AND YOU SEE THE SNOW BEGINNING TO MELT.

YOU'RE NOT SEEING A LOT OF SNOW FALLING OUT OF THE SKY.

AND I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS IT COMES DOWN TO PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT USED TO.

I REMEMBER WHEN WAYS A KID THE SNOW BANKS WERE OVER MY HEAD.

AND SO I THINK THAT ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

AND IT'S TOUGH TO HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO SAY, HEY, IS THIS EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING?

IS IT THAT MUCH WARMER JUST YET?

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY YES JUST BY LIFESTYLE AND SAY, IT JUST SEEMS DIFFERENT.

>> DOES IT MAKE PREDICTIONS MORE DIFFICULT?

OR ARE YOU PRETTY CAPABLE OF SEEING WHAT'S COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK TO 10 DAYS BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS?

OR ARE PREDICTIONS A LITTLE TRICKIER THESE DAYS?

>> I DON'T THINK GLOBAL WARMING PLAYS INTO PREDICTIONS AT ALL BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUCH A SMALL, TINY SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT THE ATMOSPHERE IS DOING.

WE DO A SEVEN-DAY FORECAST.

AND IT WASN'T TOO MANY YEARS AGO WHERE DAY THREE, SAY DAY FOUR, PRETTY SHAKY.

YOU KNOW, AND NOW I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD.

AND AS YOU EXTEND THAT OUT, IT GETS MORE DIFFICULT IN TIME.

BUT STILL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING FIVE OR SEVEN DAYS, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO FACTOR IN CLIMATOLOGY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THE ACTUAL AIR MASS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH.

>> SO PREDICTIONS FOR SPRING OR SUMMER?

>> OH, BOY.

THAT'S BEYOND SEVEN DAYS.

[LAUGHTER] >> YOU KNOW WHAT'S FUNNY?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN THAT BUSINESS.

NOT US, REALLY.

WE DO THE FIVE AND SEVEN-DAY.

>> I'M INTERESTED.

ONE OF YOUR RADIO STATIONS THAT YOU COVER IS -- I THINK IT'S CKON ON THE MOHAWK RESERVATION.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN THERE TO DO SCHOOLS AND TO BE THERE.

ARE THEY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN VERMONTERS OR NEW YORKERS?

FROM YOU AS A METEOROLOGIST OR AS A PERSONALITY?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE SAME THING.

I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A FAMILIAR FACE, BECAUSE WE'RE SURPRISINGLY POPULAR WAY OVER THERE, THE TV STATION.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD FORECAST FOR THEIR REGION.

I WILL TELL YOU, THAT PLACE IS UNBELIEVABLY NEAT.

THE PEOPLE THERE ARE WONDERFUL.

AND THE RESERVATION STRADDLES CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO WHEN YOU DRIVE EVEN TO THE RADIO STATION, YOU GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF COUNTRIES, YOU HARDLY EVEN KNOW YOU'RE DOING IT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PASSING THROUGH A BORDER PER SE AND NOBODY IS CHECKING THINGS OUT.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THERE.

BUT I THINK WHAT I'M DOING FOR THEM THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THE SAME AS EVERYBODY IS.

>> AND VERY LOCALIZED.

YOU CERTAINLY GET AROUND.

YOU HAVE THESE LIVE BROADCASTS FROM THE ECHO CENTER OR TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONIES.

ALL OF THIS STUFF.

ARE THOSE PUBLIC APPEARANCES IMPORTANT TO YOU AND/OR THE STATION?

>> YEAH.

>> THEY REALLY ARE.

I THINK THAT CHANNEL 5 IS VIEWED AS A PRETTY FUN STATION.

THAT IS ONE THING WE HEAR A LOT.

BUT YOU GUYS JUST LOOK LIKE YOU GET ALONG.

ARE YOU FRIENDS?

ABSOLUTELY.

PEOPLE HANG OUT AT OUR STATION A LOT.

IT IS JUST A -- IT'S REALLY A BALL WORKING THERE.

AND I THINK ONE REASON IT'S IS BECAUSE WE DO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

GETTING OUT OF THE BUILDING TO ME IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND IT MAY BE MY FAVORITE PART OF IT.

>> YOU'RE THE LUCKY ONE THAT GETS TO DO THAT MORE OFTEN.

>> I WOULDN'T TRADE MY JOB FOR ANYTHING.

BUT A TREE LIGHT SOMETHING FAN FAST IT'S TICK GO.

ING TO ECHO IS A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WE'VE BEEN DOING A FEW YEARS NOW.

THE LOCATION THERE, EVERY TIME I GO THERE IF IT'S NOT WINTER BECAUSE IT'S TOO DARK, I TO SHOW EVERYBODY THE VIEW.

>> TOM MESSNER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WPTZ.

YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND HIM.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON PROFILE.

>> THANK YOU.

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