It may look like a simple bedroom in Raleigh, North Carolina, but to Ethan Clark it’s the headquarters of North Carolina’s Weather Authority, one of the state’s most followed Facebook pages. With more than 600,000 followers, Clark, 22, provides detailed weather updates, often live as storms pass by.
“If you’re just joining us, the storms will continue to move east,” Clark said during one of his live broadcasts.
Clark’s fascination with weather began in high school. A photo of him at age 10 dressed as Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel on Halloween showed his passion.
“I love hurricanes,” Clark said. “For example, I don’t like anything that causes destruction, but I like the science of how it goes from a thunderstorm to a hurricane. I like the process of snow. It’s something new every day.”
Clark’s work has had a profound impact on his community. Leslie Dean, a Greenville resident, started following his page in 2016 during Hurricane Matthew.
“Ethan’s prediction is very accurate,” Dean said. “He doesn’t exaggerate the possible systems that come through.”
For Stacy Huff, Clark’s page became a lifeline during a tornado threat.
“My husband, I and the dog were all crammed in the closet and listening to his livestream the whole time,” Huff said. “It was so reassuring to hear that voice say, ‘Okay, now that you’re out of danger, you can come out.'”
Emily Brewer credited Clark with saving her parents’ lives during Hurricane Helene. “During this crisis, the helper was a student sitting at his desk in his dorm room, making these predictions and sharing them with all of us,” Brewer said.
A community celebration
Clark’s dedication earned him one of North Carolina’s highest civilian honors from newly elected Governor Josh Stein. In November, CBS News contributor David Begnaud surprised Clark with a party at Raleigh’s Mecca restaurant, filling the room with his biggest fans.
“I am so proud of the work you do and the lives you have impacted,” Dean told Clark at the meeting.
Huff echoed the sentiment. “Everyone feels like you’re their weatherman,” she said. “You’re not the weatherman of Raleigh or the weatherman of Charlotte, you’re their weatherman.”
Meeting his hero
The surprises continued when Begnaud revealed that Clark would meet his childhood hero, Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel.
Last week, Clark flew to Atlanta to meet with Cantore.
“You’re ready to just jump in the air, aren’t you?” Cantore said, impressed by Clark’s professionalism.
Clark even made a forecast on The Weather Channel: “We have a short warm-up and another clipper system with highs in the 40s on Friday and lows in the 20s,” he said.
Cantore was impressed. “Dude, if I had done so well the first time, I wouldn’t have had to finish college,” he joked.
David Begnaud loves uncovering the core of every story and will continue to do so, spotlighting everyday heroes and proving there is good news in the news with his exclusive ‘CBS Mornings’ series, ‘Beg- Knows America’. Every Monday, prepare for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com
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