Sunday, March 15, 2009:
I jumped out of bed eager to give people a great forecast today. Although it was cold, sunshine was on the way. The morning low was a paltry 25 degrees. My forecast included perfect weather for the St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown Detroit, and parade-goers got lucky…I was right! The sun was bright, and hundreds of smiles on the parade route were even brighter as highs reached 56 degrees in the afternoon.
Go Blue!!! My Michigan Wolverines heard some terrific news today. Michigan men’s basketball is going to the NCAA tournament! Congratulations for making it to The Big Dance. Coach Beilein and his student-athletes played inspired basketball this season, and it’s paid off! They are bringing March Madness to Detroit and Southeast Michigan. The Michigan State Spartans are in the tourney, also, as the number two seed in the Midwest Region. Wouldn’t a Michigan/Michigan State battle for the national championship be amazing? I am extremely excited about the upcoming games.
Michigan students impact the world in general, not just the sports world. This morning, I chose to highlight the work of University of Michigan student scientists and engineers who brought the latest communications technology to rural Kenya. The students teamed up with Kenya Data Networks to provide telecommunications and internet capabilities for the heart of Africa. This kind of work is inspiring and highlights how all of us are connected and have the opportunity to make a difference in the world no matter where we are or were we decide to get started.
Andrew Humphrey, CBM
Meteorologist, Science & Technology Reporter and Weather Producer
WDIV-TV
Saturday, March 14, 2009:
This morning was sunny and frosty, and I was eager to share some good news with people – it was going to stay sunny, get milder and I set up a great segment on the show.
In addition to doing weather, I pitch many story ideas to my Local4 brethren. This week I had the inside track on Detroit’s 2009 FIRST Robotics competitions at Cass Technical High School. FIRST Robotics in Michigan is an excellent program designed to get kids excited about math, science, engineering and technology by designing, building and having contests with robots. If you have not been to a FIRST Robotics competition, you must experience it. FIRST Robotics’ tournaments have all of the energy and enthusiasm of a football or basketball game.
FIRST Robotics’ mission is right up my alley. When I learned they were coming to the Motor City I told my producers they would be great guests. The volunteers and students know what to say, and they will bring their robots to the studio and move them around and shoot basketballs by remote control. My colleagues loved the idea so I helped book them.
The FIRST teams and volunteers arrived at 6am and were on the air by 6:40am. My friend and co-anchor Lauren Sanders interviewed FIRST Robotics Michigan leader Gail Alpert, volunteer & educator Dave Verbrugge, and student robotics engineers from Milford High and Cass Tech. The interview went great and the kids fired up their robots and tossed game-balls all over the studio. It was the perfect way to spread the word about the Detroit-Areas best and brightest.
Speaking of Southeast Michigan’s bright future, I showed my school visit picture from Pinckney’s Light of the World Academy. As I mentioned in my March 10th blog, I had a wonderful time and the students and teachers were perfect participants.
Finally, Detroit will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this weekend with it’s annual St. Patrick’s Parade down Michigan Avenue in the community of Corktown. Thank goodness, I am forecasting sunshine and mild weather for everyone preparing the parade route. Sunday’s weather looks even more spectacular.
Andrew Humphrey, CBM
Meteorologist, Science & Technology Reporter and Weather Producer
WDIV-TV
Sunday, March 1, 2009:
March came in like a lamb. And it’s good lambs have wool to stay warm because it was frigid! During Local 4 News Morning I reported air temperatures in the lower teens and single digits and below zero wind chills. My fellow journalist, Silva Harapetian, was outdoors with hundreds of Biggest Loser contestant hopefuls who sang and danced to generate heat. Later, as I told her, Lauren Sanders and Gail Anderson, our high temperatures were over 10 degrees below normal.
We were only able to scrounge a maximum of 26 degrees from the cold air at 3:08pm. Fortunately, I and hundreds of my closest friends were inside, warm and cozy at the San Marino Club on East Big Beaver for the Taste of Troy. It was my fifth year in a row of being the emcee and live auctioneer to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Troy. The crowd was shivering when they entered the door and were all smiles knowing they could enjoy some delicious food while donating to an extremely worthy charity.
After auctioneering, I went back to work to prepare for Local 4 News at 6 and to spend time with some other extraordinarily important people…kids. Farmington Hills Cub Scout Pack 318 arrived at 5pm for a station tour. I showed them our weather office, newsroom and studio. Also, they met my fellow anchors Karen Drew (News) and Katrina Hancock (Sports). Afterward, we took this picture and I showed it on Local 4 News at 11.
The bright smiles of the scouts and the charitable crowd in Troy were heartwarming and absolutely made my day, no matter how cold it was.
Andrew Humphrey, CBM
Meteorologist, Science & Technology Reporter and Weather Producer
WDIV-TV, Detroit
Saturday, February 28, 2009:
This morning I drove to work through snow. Fortunately, it was very manageable and actually beautiful. I felt like I was in a snow globe. We had one of those rare occurrences; lake effect snow from the east rather than the west. Northeasterly winds picked up moisture from Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair and dropped it as a thin line of lake effect snow. When I got into work and cranked up 4 Live Radar and saw the formation and movement of the snow on the radar loop. I enjoyed sharing what I experienced with the audience so they could start their weekend off on the right foot.
During Local 4 News Morning, which began at 6am, my coworker Lauren Sanders told the story about a family who were taken to the hospital with possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Amazingly, the family’s two year-old alerted the mother and saved the entire family. Local4 Reporter Natalie Sentz interviewed the mother. This extraordinary story should be a reminder for all of us to make sure our home appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained and in working order and to invest in carbon monoxide detectors.
I hope everyone enjoyed the sunshine while staying warm. After days of clouds inclement weather, we were finally treated to a sunny day!
Just before Local 4 News at 6, Cub Scout Pack 863 from Plymouth, Michigan arrived for a station tour. I showed the boys and their parents all of WDIV-TV’s inner workings and fielded some terrific weather and television questions. My fellow writers, producers and anchors like Karen Drew and Katrina Hancock shared their experiences with the scouts and found them adorable. The visit will help the scouts earn a new badge!
Andrew Humphrey, CBM
Meteorologist, Science & Technology Reporter and Weather Producer
WDIV-TV, Detroit
Wednesday, February 25, 2009:
The cold weather could not stop me from making another school visit. A parent, teachers and the principal of Grosse Pointe Academy’s Early School invited me to speak with the entire kindergarten class.
We had a terrific time! The children are so adorable and intelligent. We had fun playing weather word games, and I enjoyed sharing my love of math, science and serving people as a Local4 Meteorologist.
Thank you Grosse Pointe Academy Early School! You have some of the best and brightest students in the Detroit Area and the world!
Andrew Humphrey, CBM
Meteorologist, Science & Technology Reporter and Weather Producer
WDIV-TV, Detroit
