The Wx Centre Team
Kyle Brookings
Chief Forecaster
Athabasca University Atmosphere, Weather, and Climate program.
How did you become interested in the weather?
Since the age of 3, I've been interested in the weather (I've been told). In Grade 5 we did a unit in science on the weather and that sparked an interest and growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador, it was the snowstorms that really got me interested.
What is your most memorable weather experience?
Hurricane Igor in 2010, I was shocked at how powerless we are against mother nature.
What is your favorite sports team?
The Toronto Maple Leafs.
What is one fact about you most people don't know?
I'm left-handed.
Christopher Poitras
Operational Forecaster
Completed the Penn State Weather Forecasting Program. Marshall University Bachelor of Science Majoring in Geography, with a Concentration in GIS (Geospatial Information Science) and a Minor in Meteorology.
How did you become interested in the weather?
Since I can remember, with having been born and raised in Calgary, the constantly fluctuating and volatile climate further sparking an already budding interest in weather. As I was growing up, all weather fascinated me, especially how every person relies on a great forecast in one way or another. However being a prairies kid, thunderstorms have always fascinated me the most. As a result, after experiencing a few severe thunderstorms in my own backyard (and even having to hide in the basement on a couple of occasions, due to an imminent tornado threat), I knew exactly what career path was meant for me! I knew that I wanted to become a Meteorologist, as I have a resilient passion to warn people, and ultimately save lives in the path of imminent severe weather!
What is your most memorable weather experience?
A severe thunderstorm that produced a tornado NW of Sundre, Alberta on July 30, 2010. This storm was the first time I experienced witnessing the development of tornadogenesis.
What is your favorite sports team?
The Calgary Flames.
What is one fact about you most people don't know?
I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Find him on Twitter.
James Follette
Operational Forecaster
Starting BSc Honors in Atmospheric Sciences and Major in Physics at UBC Vancouver.
How did you become interested in the weather?
What got me interested in the weather are a few things, at age 3 my grandfather taught me everything about the weather from clouds and the meaning of each wind direction. My interest grew when I moved a lot over my younger days in the '90s, lived in Alberta for 12 years and got to experience the -40's to even -70's! the very cold clear nights with no wind, to severe to thunderstorms and Tornadoes in spring and summer.
What is your most memorable weather experience?
Haha, I have a lot of memorable experiences in weather over my 28 years! I have experienced tornadoes, hurricanes, 40-degree heat, -70 cold, earthquakes! Monster blizzards. But my most memorable is the massive blizzard named White Juan, just 5 months after Hurricane Juan. It dumped nearly 100 cm of snow in my old town, combined with 100+ winds, heavy storm surge, and heavy thundersnow. It was a blizzard to always remember! There was so much snow, we had to call in the army and shut down the town! Schools were closed for a week and we had to dump the snow in the ocean.
What is your favorite sports team?
My favorite sports team is the Toronto Maple leafs... ( what's funny is the grandfather that taught me about the weather and got me interested in it was a Bruins fan!) I also love the New England Patriots, Toronto Argonauts, and because I live in Kamloops, I love the Kamloops Blazers WHL team.
What is one fact about you most people don't know?
I hate coffee, for me A lot of hot chocolate is my caffeine fix!
Dylan Smith
Operational Forecaster
How did you become interested in the weather?
When I was younger I used to watch the Weather Network everyday. I would always get excited when a storm was forecast and still do. I started posting forecasts on my personal Facebook profile to express my excitement as I knew many people related to the weather.
What is your most memorable weather experience?
I recall White Juan. I was just a kid, our driveway was so deep in snow I dug a cave and fit myself inside.
What is one fact about you most people don't know?
I dabble in the stock market.
Carole Chantler
Content Contributor
How did you become interested in the weather?
Picked up a cheap meteorological textbook and started reading it. After that, I just started photographing storms.
What is your most memorable weather experience?
Down at a creek photographing storm clouds. I felt the hair stand up on my arm and smelt sulfur. However, I did not leave at that time. I kept shooting clouds. It wasn't until a fork lightning bolt came down an arm's length away from me. I left then. It left a large hole in the ground.
What is your favorite sports team?
The Tampa Bay lightning.
What is one fact about you most people don't know?
I am not a Severe storm chaser I am a Severe storm stalker. I do it all on foot.