a day ago
North Mississippi gets new service for forecasts, dangerous weather coverage. What to know
A new weather service is available in North Mississippi. An award-winning meteorologist has created his own apps and streaming channel to bring the community the latest forecasts and up-to-date severe weather coverage, like strong storms and tornadoes.
Chief meteorologist Matt Laubhan is well-known in the Golden Triangle area. He's a 10-time Emmy winner and worked at WTVA for 14 years.
His last day there was July 1.
Mississippi LIVE Weather launched at midnight on July 2. By that afternoon, it was the most-downloaded free weather app in the Apple App Store in the nation.
In his first broadcast at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Laubhan thanked viewers for "demanding that we do something to take care of you in active and severe weather." He said the support to save his job and those of his coworkers was "humbling."
Allen Media Group owns the local TV station. Earlier this year, the company announced, then walked back, plans to layoff many meteorologists around the nation. The idea was to consolidate resources with The Weather Channel, which it also owns, and shift to using Atlanta as the primary hub for forecasting and coverage.
Last month, Allen announced plans to sell all 28 of its local stations to reduce company debt.
Laubhan said during the initial taping that many people still at the station are not just friends but family, and he asked people to keep supporting them. This service is not to compete or be "vindictive" but to ensure everyone in the community gets the information they need.
Currently, he is based out of a studio in Tupelo. Initial plans are to broadcast live at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., with coverage of dangerous weather as needed and a few forecast updates throughout the day.
"You will see some changes as time progresses, because this is a big project and some things are a work in progress," he posted on Facebook.
The first broadcast covered North Mississippi. The area spanned north-south from Southaven to Kosciucko and east-west from Greenville to Hamilton.
Mississippi LIVE Weather has "the most advanced weather analysis software on the planet," he said. The system uses detailed data from across the world.
"I'm not planning on doing a paywall at all," Laubhan said, "especially when we start talking about severe weather coverage." He said that information saves lives.
The goal, he said, is to be sponsor-driven, and there will be sponsorship opportunities.
He explained that the product will improve over time, and former WTVA personalities, like Gabe Mahner, will be joining him as part of the expansion plans.
If you aren't from that region but the name sounds familiar, Laubhan went viral in 2023 for praying during a broadcast while a deadly tornado bore down on Amory.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Kansas and worked in Texas before moving to Tupelo in 2011.
He and his wife, WTVA anchor Emily Leonard, have two children.
According to the Mississippi LIVE Weather, Laubhan is the only Certified Broadcast Meteorologist in North Mississippi.
The American Meteorological Society has run the program for 20 years, and the AMS Certified seal pops up on broadcasts to alert the public. In June, AMS celebrated the 1,000th person earning the seal.
The designation is limited to only a handful of people who have passed an exam and meet educational and career requirements to be a trusted, competent weather source for their community.
North Mississippi Storm Chasers and Spotters, which has worked with WTVA for 13 years, announced that it will be working with Mississippi Live Weather.
The group of more than 30 volunteer members works to track severe weather events by reporting ground conditions to multiple government and media connections, according to Historically, that's been the National Weather Service and Tupelo-based WTVA, though they also have worked with the Red Cross and other emergency management services.
"Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that all of you continue to receive the latest weather updates without the hype. We look forward to forging this new path with Mississippi Live Weather, and we hope you will join us on this journey," their statement read.
Laubhan pointed to their network of cameras in North Mississippi as part of his initial broadcast, saying they plan to leverage those during severe weather events. He said the 501(c)(3) would likely welcome donations to help offset those costs.
Website:
The site has forecasts and a live weather radar.
YouTube:
Android app: Mississippi LIVE Weather
iPhone app: Mississippi LIVE Weather
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Meteorologist starts new service for Mississippi weather forecasts
