Brad Panovich


Brad Panovich is an American meteorologist currently serving as the chief meteorologist for WCNC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a fellow of the American Meteorological Society and is recognized for his "Weather IQ" educational platform and his extensive use of social media to communicate complex atmospheric science topics to the public. In 2017, he received the AMS Award for Broadcast Meteorology, the highest national honor for a broadcast meteorologist.

Early life and education

Panovich was raised outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and became interested in meteorology after experiencing the Great Blizzard of 1978. He attended Ohio State University, where he participated in storm chasing research during his junior and senior years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology.

Career

Panovich began his career at stations in Dayton, Ohio and Cadillac, Michigan. He later joined WWL-TV in New Orleans as a weekend meteorologist. While at WWL, he covered tropical weather and returned to the station in 2005 to assist during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In 2003, Panovich was hired as a meteorologist at WCNC-TV in Charlotte, rising to chief meteorologist in 2008. He also serves as a part-time instructor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the department of earth, environmental and geographical sciences. Additionally, he provides seasonal winter forecasts for the regional website SkiSoutheast.

Awards and recognition