Confessions of a Weather Channel Junkie

Admit it. Some part of you really digs the Weather Channel, with all its happy maps, local radar scans, gesturing experts, and elevator jazz. It has become a part of the television-driven United States, watched both actively and passively by millions of viewers. I’d consider the Weather Channel a cultural institution.

When I was weighing my options for college, meteorology was one of the majors I considered – along with philosophy, chemistry, Russian literature, and anything that looked compelling with my name next to it. But the closest I ever got to studying meteorology was taking an introductory geology course – pretty weak. While I never pursued broadcast meteorology as a career, the Weather Channel network has been part of my life since I was a kid. I can even credit my childhood obsession with the Weather Channel as the reason I possess a near-freakish knowledge of US geography.

Though it sounds silly, the Weather Channel has been like a servant-friend throughout the years. It’s been in the background while I’ve studied, cooked, slept, and probably (at some point) while I was having sex. Consulting the Weather Channel for conditions before a roadtrip, before a frisbee foray in the park, or before a wait at the bus stop has become normal. I once checked the weather before heading out to a Minnesota Twins home baseball game before being gently reminded by a friend that the Metrodome has a roof.

For a short period, I was living in an apartment without cable because I wanted to save money. When people asked if I missed anything about the 70+ stations I lacked, I said yes: I miss the Weather Channel. I got what I asked for when my rental company began to offer free cable, and now I am finally owning the title; I am indeed a Weather Channel junkie