Jim Cantore facts for kids

Jim Cantore (born February 16, 1964) is a famous American meteorologist. He is well-known for his work on The Weather Channel. He has been reporting on weather for over 35 years.

Jim Cantore's Career

Jim Cantore grew up in White River Junction, Vermont. He went to Lyndon State College and graduated in 1986. Right after college, in July 1986, he started working at The Weather Channel. He has been there ever since.

Becoming a Weather Star

Jim Cantore is one of the most recognized meteorologists on TV. Some people even call him the "rock star of meteorologists." He is great at explaining complicated weather in a way that everyone can understand.

The Weather Channel often sends Jim to report live from big weather events. When severe weather happens, more people watch the channel. Because of this, Jim has become a very familiar face. People even joke that if Jim Cantore shows up, bad weather is coming! The Weather Channel made a funny commercial about this idea in 2011. In the ad, Jim goes on vacation, and everyone around him panics, thinking a storm is on its way.

Reporting on Major Storms

Jim is famous for his live reports during major weather events. He has covered many powerful hurricanes. These include Hurricane Andrew, Katrina, Sandy, Irma, and Ian. He also reports on other important events. He has covered Space Shuttle launches and big sports events like the Winter X Games.

Jim is a member of important weather groups. These include the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. He even received an award in 2003 for using satellite technology in new ways.

Other Work

Besides live reporting, Jim Cantore also narrates TV shows. He is the narrator for Storm Stories on The Weather Channel. He also narrates the "Local On The 8s" segments.

He even appeared in an entrance video for a hockey team, the ECHL's Stockton Thunder. He would say, "a 100% chance of thunder!"

From 2008 to 2018, NBCUniversal owned The Weather Channel. During this time, Jim sometimes filled in for Al Roker on The Today Show. He also reported on the weather from London during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Viral Moments

Jim Cantore has had a few moments that went viral online. These are videos that became very popular very quickly.

The College Incident

On January 28, 2014, Jim was reporting live from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. A student tried to run into him. Jim quickly reacted and stopped the student. He didn't even stop talking during his report! The video of this moment has been watched millions of times online.

Thundersnow Excitement

On February 14, 2015, Jim was covering a winter storm in Massachusetts. An unusual event called "thundersnow" happened. This is when it snows and there's also thunder and lightning. Jim got very excited about seeing this rare weather. His reaction video has over 5 million views on YouTube.

Dodging Debris

On October 10, 2018, Jim was reporting during Hurricane Michael in Panama City Beach, Florida. While live on TV, he had to quickly dodge a piece of wood flying through the air. The video of him avoiding the debris was viewed over 500,000 times in just one hour on Twitter.

Hurricane Ian Branch

On September 28, 2022, Jim was covering Hurricane Ian in Punta Gorda, Florida. He was hit by a tree branch during the storm's strong winds. This video also went viral, getting millions of views very quickly.

Jim Cantore's Personal Life

Jim Cantore cares deeply about his family. His former wife has Parkinson's disease, which is a health condition that affects movement. His two children have Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause learning difficulties.

Jim does a lot of charity work to help others. He supports the Fragile X Research Foundation (FRAXA) and the Parkinson's Unity Walk. He also helps with Make-a-Wish Foundation events. He has also worked with the American Red Cross.

Narrated Shows

• Storm Stories
• IntelliStar 2
• IntelliStar 2 Jr.