These 10 Weather Reports Went Hilariously Wrong...
Storm Surging for Treats (2021)
The news is filled with animals grabbing the spotlight with their unpredictability. And in 2021, one fluffy video invader didn’t just steal the show but also a lot of hearts. As Global News’s chief meteorologist, Anthony Farnell, was showcasing the weather in front of a green screen, his goldendoodle, aptly named Storm, was feeling peckish and went looking for treats - on camera. Only he caused viewers to ignore what Farnell was saying to focus on the adorable pup’s hungry antics. This isn’t the only time Storm has crashed a broadcast. As a puppy, he interrupted “The Morning Show” in 2012, looking for friends to play with him.
Name Issues (2013)
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We imagine one of the worst fears for reporters is reading names out live, only to realize they’re fake and a joke. We can thank Bart Simpson for popularizing that shenanigan. In 2013, KTLA 5’s weather reporter Henry DiCarlo became one such victim. As he read out named shoutouts for anniversaries and birthdays, DiCarlo congratulated Hugh Janus for turning ten. Before DiCarlo realized he was the butt of that joke, one of the anchors burst into laughter before explaining it was a trick name. Once the reporter knew what had happened, instead of being embarrassed, he too found it hilarious, which made the incident even more charming.
The Low-Down Report (2013)
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No matter how many times a person has rehearsed and checked their report for accuracy, technology can step in at any moment to tarnish it all. And in 2013, that was the case for Lisa Hidalgo at Denver7 News. As she was showcasing a beautiful photograph of snowfall, the camera tilted to the floor, giving viewers a slight peek behind the weather curtain. Hidalgo, for some reason, awkwardly tap danced to the camera while yelling. After a bit, she gets on the floor and finishes the last portion of the report before crawling away from the set as production staff laugh.
Thor's Showcase (2014)
After finding fame online as the BBC meteorologist who accidentally flipped the bird during a broadcast and tried to hide it hilariously, Tomasz Schafernaker was back again with antics in 2014. But this time, it was a Freudian slip that gained him more fans. Near the end of his broadcast, Schafernaker announced the possibility of lightning the following day. However, he did this by telling viewers to be prepared for Thor and his lightning balls…uh-oh. Even though the reporter hastily stated “bolts” to try to hide his slip of the tongue, the damage was done. Now, everyone was imagining something far different than the pretty lights in the sky.
John! (2019)
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Usually, reporters will hide their displeasure at a colleague during a live broadcast. Instead, they’ll say something during a break or during another segment. But not Matt Laubhan for WTVA in 2019. As the reporter was discussing a tornado incident, he kept snapping at fellow meteorologist John Dolusic, who was off-screen. On top of yelling his name repeatedly, Laubhan admonished him for being on his phone, clapped his hands and snapped his fingers to get his attention, and got passive-aggressive at him for the Doppler radar system glitching. It was bonkers, but some of the most riveting TV we’ve watched in a while. Reportedly, Laubhan apologized later by buying drinks from a store Dolusic owns.
The Walking Dragged (2017)
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In 2017, Norman Reedus and executive producer Greg Nicotero appeared on Sky News to talk about the upcoming season of “The Walking Dead.” It was all pretty standard and went off without a hitch. But when the interview was over, that’s when it got interesting. While it wasn’t broadcast live as they went to a commercial break, it was sent out by the channel on social media. With the weather report set to use the screen behind Nicotero and the Daryl actor, a floor manager awkwardly came onto the set and pulled the duo’s chairs out of the shot. Reedus found the funny side by saluting as he went while Nazaneen Ghaffar waved him off, launching a load of memes.
Dog With No Shame (2014)
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Since 1998, Carol Kirkwood has been one of the main faces of weather reporting on BBC programming. As such, the Scottish reporter has experienced a few technical mishaps over the years. In 2014, the new addition to the blooper reel came from a journalist’s worst nightmare, a dog. As Kirkwood was doing a weather segment on a beach, a black labrador, whose human reportedly works for the BBC as a producer, decided to slip into the background of the shot to enjoy the water. However, the background pup then squatted down to pee as laughter erupted from the studio. Kirkwood took it well, even if this isn’t the only time a dog has upstaged her.
Strong Wind Report (2017)
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Animals can be a potential problem for live reporting, but so can children. As WLBT’s Patrick Ellis was reporting in 2017, Houston, the child of a guest, skipped past staff and ran onto the set to interrupt. On top of questioning Ellis’s predictions by asking if he’s “crazy sure,” the kid mimed passing gas on the reporter and pretended to be a pterodactyl. An awkward Ellis asked Houston if he wanted to do the weather report. Which he did by stating there were going to be “farts everywhere…and toots.” At that point, his father rushes onto the set to drag the gas-obsessed child away, leaving Ellis and viewers bewildered.
Perfect Run (2014)
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One of the most popular things on the internet is seeing smug people getting some karma. And in 2014, Chelsea and Michael became such victims. During a segment with KOIN 6 News’s Lisa Balick on the snowy weather in Portland, Oregon, the reporter questioned the couple on jogging in those conditions. Throughout the interview, they talked about how it was the “perfect texture” to run and how nice it was. But at the end of the segment, as the duo runs off, the camera catches the magical moment as Chelsea slips on the ice. After Balick checked if she was okay and the runner threw a thumbs up, she hobbled away with her bruised ego.
Really High Temperatures (2015)
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Some people might have a meltdown when a technical glitch ruins their live broadcast. But not Cory McCloskey for FOX 10 Phoenix in 2015. As the meteorologist announced the local weather, most locations had reasonable temperatures. However, several places were marked with ridiculously high ones, such as Surprise, which probably shocked the residents with 1350 degrees Fahrenheit. That would melt aluminum! But they didn’t have it worse than Cave Creek, with an absurd 2960 degrees Fahrenheit! That’s hotter than molten lava and more than the melting point for steel! McCloskey kept his cool, pun intended, by making jokes about the scorching temperatures, such as telling residents to evacuate, which delighted viewers.
