Weatherman has never seen a tornado, likes sports

Want to know what the weather will be tomorrow? Junior Sean Everson can tell you. This meteorology major made his big screen debut this year as the new SLU-TV weatherman. He attests his passion for the weather was something he grew up with, as this Omaha native has seen some of the widest weather extremes.

“In Omaha you can have summer temperatures over 100 and still get huge thunderstorms and tornadoes, but in the winter, it can be below zero and blizzards,” Everson said. “Seeing all different kinds of weather  really stuck with me.”

Everson scored the job after shadowing last year’s weatherman, David Koeller. Koeller was graduating and unless someone stepped up to fill the role, Saint Louis University was going to be without a weatherman.

“David had no one to take his place, so I asked if he wanted help,” Everson said. “He was glad to show me the ropes and how to put the forecast together. At the end of last year he let me do my first weather forecast during finals week.”

Despite having done several forecasts since, Everson is still getting used to seeing himself on television.

“Seeing and hearing yourself is weird,” Everson said. “You think you sound one way, but its always different. I enjoy it, though.”

According to Everson, his favorite part of the job is also the part he finds the most challenging.

“I enjoy the challenge of forecasting,” Everson said. “You would have to be a wizard to predict the weather 100 percent all the time.”

Everson knows firsthand that a weatherman can’t always be right. One of his first forecasts this year came close being wrong.

“I forecasted for sunny skies and 90 degree weather. There were going to be thunderstorms the next day, but a band of storms came through and it just missed us to the south,” Everson said. “You could see it pass by.  I was like ‘Oh man, I’m going to get one of my first forecasts handed.’ We had wind, but no rain.”

Everson has also found that the trials of a weatherman extend beyond wrong forecasting. Sometimes, people get annoyed when the weather is forecasted correctly.

“Sometimes, I’ll forecast for hot weather and get people like ‘Why did you make it so hot!’” Everson said. “And I’m like, I can’t control it. I just put up what I see.”

Everson said modern technology and resources make the job a bit easier, but he still feels there is a lot left to learn about putting together a forecast. He hopes to refine his skills over the next two years

Over the summer, he had an opportunity to learn from one of his idols. During an internship at Channel 6 in Omaha, Everson got to work with Chief Meteorologist Jim Flowers.

“Jim Flowers has been there for as long as I can remember,” Everson said. “I grew up watching him, so getting to work with him was incredible.”

Though he’s been watching the weather a while, Everson regrets to say he has yet to see a tornado.

“I am a meteorologistsand am from Nebraska, which is in tornado alley, but I’ve never seen a tornado, which surprises a lot of people,” Everson said.

Everson’s favorite kind of weather is severe weather, so tornado spotting is high on his meteorological to-do list.

When he’s not watching the weather, Everson enjoys watching and playing sports. He is also a member of Oriflamme, the Micah program and the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Program.

Whether rain or sleet or snow, Everson is here to keep you up to date on the weather conditions.