People & Culture

Storm chasing with Jaclyn Whittal

Episode 91

For more than a decade, meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal has been reporting on extreme weather across North America — learn about how she got into the field and what it takes to be a storm chaser

  • Oct 15, 2024
Whittal in Chile's Atacama desert - part of an Impossible to Possible expedition with RCGS Explorer-in-Residence Ray Zahab. (Photo courtesy Jaclyn Whittal)
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Whittal stands in front of an iceberg in Pond Inlet, NU. (Photo courtesy Jaclyn Whittal)
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It is definitely hurricane season, so what better time than now to sit down for a conversation with one of the world’s leading storm chasers, Jaclyn Whittal.

You probably know Whittal as the long-time co-host of Storm Chasers, where you’ll regularly find her reporting from Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, at the leading edge of some of the biggest hurricanes on record, or facing down fires in the interior of B.C. As a Fellow of the RCGS, Whittal also spends time working in the Arctic and running across deserts like the Atacama and Death Valley at the hottest times of year. 

With all that as her platform, she is a leader in educating the public on the climate change science behind the increasingly extreme weather we are experiencing. We get into all of that in this fascinating conversation, as well as how she started out in musical theatre before switching to storm chasing.  Did you know Whittal took over from the legendary Canadian pop star Shania Twain in a musical review at a famous Muskoka resort? She’s a fascinating person with a great story to tell. Enjoy! 

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