Jim Cantore

Career

A native of Beacon Falls, Connecticut, who was raised in White River Junction, Vermont, Cantore graduated from Lyndon State College in 1986. The Weather Channel gave him his first job out of college in July of that year and he has worked there ever since. Cantore has become one of the most well-known meteorologists on television.

Cantore has been lauded for his ability to "break down" complicated weather events into terms the average viewer can understand. Cantore is often selected to go to report on severe weather events. Since the ratings for the Weather Channel increase during these events, Cantore has become a recognizable figure.

Though he is best known for his live field coverage of major weather events (such as Hurricanes Ike, Gustav, Katrina, Isabel, Rita, Andrew, Floyd, Mitch, Bonnie, Irene, Sandy and Matthew), his contributions go well beyond severe weather field reporting. His early work at TWC included developing the audience favorite Fall Foliage Forecast. He has reported from events such as the Space Shuttle Discovery launch, the "Winter X Games," PGA tournaments, NFL games and more. Jim is a member of both the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. He holds the AMS Television Seal of Approval. He also received the NOAA-David S. Johnson Award in 2002 for his innovative use of environmental satellite technology.

Aside from live reporting for TWC, Cantore also serves as the narrator on the TWC series Storm Stories. He also narrates Local On The 8s (excluding the national version).

He is featured in the beginning of the ECHL's Stockton Thunder entrance video saying "Hello, this is meteorologist Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel; a special weather advisory has been issued for the Central Valley—a 100% chance of thunder."

After NBC Universal's acquisition of The Weather Channel in 2008, Cantore has occasionally filled in for Al Roker on The Today Show. He was also in London hosting weather segments for NBC during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Algis Laukaitis of the Lincoln Journal Star has referred to Cantore as the "rock star of meteorologists".

Viral videos

On January 28, 2014, while doing a live on-location report at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, Cantore was charged by a student named Colin Marcelli. Cantore noticed the charge, and kneed Marcelli in the groin. Marcelli immediately ran off. Cantore never broke his train of thought nor appeared frazzled during the incident. A recording of the shot has gained upwards of two million views on YouTube.

Family

Jim married Tamra Cantore, whom he met while at TWC. Their marriage produced a daughter Christina (born in 1993) and a son Ben (born in 1995). Tamra suffers from Parkinson's disease and both children have Fragile X syndrome. Jim and Tamra divorced in 2009. Cantore does charitable work for both diseases, supporting FRAXA, the Fragile X Research Foundation, and the Parkinson’s Unity Walk. He also contributes his time to Make-a-Wish Foundation events around the country and he has also served as a celebrity cabinet member with the American Red Cross. Cantore has been dating Andrea Butera, of CNN, since 2010.

Narratives