Bill Evans Weather Man
Meteorologist hopes to influence new generation to pursue his field Newton Meteorologist Bill Evans gave a lecture and signed copies of his books at the Health Sciences and Performing Arts Center at Sussex County Community College on Monday, Dec. 19. Evans' newest book is a weather thriller “Dry Ice,” the third book in a series he has co-authored with Marianna Jameson. Evans has been the senior meteorologist for WABC's Eyewitness News since 1989 and a meteorologist for 37 years. During his hour-long lecture Evans talked about his life as a meteorologist and narrated a video presentation. Afterward he took questions from the audience, which was filled with college and elementary school students as well as with adults from all walks of life. This was not the first time Evans visited the college. He served as the Commencement Speaker for the college's 2008 graduation ceremony, where he was awarded an honorary associate’s degree. Weather on the mind Evans posed with fans for photographs and he signed copies of his latest book as well as “Frozen Fire,” also co-authored with Jameson, that made the New York Times best sellers list. During his tenure at New York's WABC-TV, Channel 7 he has won multiple Emmy awards and traveled around the world. Evans appears regularly on Good Morning America and can also be heard on the radio, including ESPN radio and the ABC radio network. Evans told the audience that he knew he wanted to become a meteorologist at age 9 after enduring Hurricane Camille in 1969. He is a native of Meridian, Miss., and felt the full fury of Camille's power when the storm made landfall. Hurricane Camille was one of the strongest and most destructive storms ever to hit the continental United States via the Gulf of Mexico with winds of 190 miles per hour. Filled with fear riding out Hurricane Camille on his family's farm in Mississippi had a profound effect on Evans. Since then he has been in many storms...by choice. Evans has studied every aspect of weather related phenomenon through the years. He studied meteorology at Jackson State University. One member of the audience asked Evans to describe a typical day for him. “My day begins at 2 a.m. I shower and get dressed then have a cup of coffee. While drinking coffee I browse the Internet for weather related items and check the traffic reports because I have to drive into New York City from Connecticut where I live. I am in the city usually between 3 and 3:15 a.m. When I get to my office I gather more information about the weather on my computer. I don't have a staff so I do everything myself. Sometimes in the summer I will have interns help me. I do forecasts for numerous radio and television programs such as WABC's Imus, Mike and Mike, ESPN, WFAN, and I have a blog and I am on Facebook and twitter and the list goes on. I typically work a 9- or 10- or 11-hour day.” With all of his weather related activities Evans hopes to influence a new generation into the field of meteorology.