About us/Rob Bradley
Education
Florida State University, Bachelors of Science in Meteorology
Q&A with Rob Bradley
About Rob:
Rob grew up in South Florida, where daily afternoon storms and the occasional hurricane stoked his interest in meteorology from an early age. That interest was fostered by his father, who one time brought him onto the roof of their home to watch a funnel cloud move through the Everglades miles away. Years of film making and tv production in high school led him to broadcast meteorology at Florida State University, where he joined and eventually led the student run daily 30 minute weather show. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology, he began his career at KESQ in Palm Springs, before heading to KFSN in Fresno and WLOS in Asheville. Rob joined the WeatherNation team in December of 2019 and has covered everything from major hurricanes to intense blizzards. In his spare time, Rob enjoys getting into the mountains, cooking, photography, and traveling.
What inspired you to become a meteorologist?
My dad was always keeping up with the weather and instilled a passion in me for meteorology as well as other earth and space sciences. Hurricanes and severe weather in South Florida made me want to learn more about forecasting and the processes at play. When I graduated high school, I started studying film and business but I was missing science too much, so I decided to pursue a degree in meteorology. My passion quickly grew as I began taking classes and tried forecasting on air during FSU’s student run weather show.
What is your most memorable weather experience?
Watching our yard and my home town take a beating from Hurricane Wilma really sticks out. We didn’t suffer a lot of damage until the eye passed our area and the wind shifted to the opposite direction. We lost a lot of trees in town and were without power for a while, not to mention out of school. What I remember most, though, is all of our neighbors coming together to clean up our street in the storm’s brutal aftermath.
Outside of weather what are your hobbies and life interests?
I love getting outside as much as possible. Hiking and rock climbing are my favorite activities but I’m sure I’ll be on the slopes a lot more now that I’m closer to big mountains again. If the weather isn’t good for outdoor activities, I’m usually listening to music, going to the gym, cooking, or watching a good movie.
Besides your parents who has influenced you the most in your life?
I think I picked up on things here and there from everyone. My friends taught me a lot about following passions while my teachers, bosses, and coaches all contributed extensively to me being ready for almost anything. Over the last decade though, my girlfriend (now wife) has truly helped me embrace who I am and open up which has significantly helped me in broadcasting.
What is a little known fact about you?
My wife and I have become sort of movie freaks over the last few years. We’re still catching up on some of the classics but we usually see a few new movies a month. This comes to a head during Oscar season when we try to pick the winners ahead of time. I usually do pretty well but I have fallen short of beating her every time so far.
What are your hopes and dreams for the profession of weather?
I hope the field can keep up with how quickly technology is evolving to improve warning times and public safety. Sending a warning to a phone is a step in the right direction but I hope we can continue to expand on that and help people understand when they’re specifically in danger, down to a very small area. While forecasting has improved tremendously over the past century, I hope we continue to push the boundaries on that front as well. Giving people more time to prepare or evacuate ahead of a weather event with better forecasting is vital as population centers continue to grow.