What other meteorology program gets you on-air practicing your forecasting skills? None. Fast Track gives you that opportunity twice with two on-air weather segments that are included in the 30 minute broadcast.

First, there is the weather planner where you have a chance to work in front of a blue screen with graphics that you choose! The segment is two minutes, and you choose how to spend them. You can include almanac statistics, game day forecasts, week long forecasts, and enjoy the chance to practice your dialogue in front of the camera. The second segment is weather word of the week. You get to choose a term relating to weather and decide how you want to explain that term to the viewers. You get to make your own graphics and practice in front of a blue screen. Weather students will also have the opportunity to produce their own weather stories. If it snows in April, you can be out on the street talking to the people about the strange occurrence. All this air time will be great footage for your resume tape. Be in the middle of all the great weather action!

Tom Coomes
Hello, my name is Thomas Coomes and I’m a senior in Synoptic Meteorology. I came to Purdue as a Chemical Engineering major, but my ego and extraverted personality did not fit the field. I combined my love of science and being the center of attention into a career goal of being a television meteorologist. I’ve had an internship at WSBT TV-22 in South Bend under meteorologist Rick Mecklenburg. I honed my delivery and learned the ins and outs of being a T.V. Meteorologist. Making a forecast, severe weather, taking long breaks on the roof, it’s all a bunch of fun. I have high aspirations and anticipate moving about the country working my way up the ranks of T.V.

Kate Walters
Hi, I’m Kate Walters and I am a synoptic meteorology student graduating in May of 2007 and my hometown is Leesburg, Virginia.  My previous experience in meteorology includes working for the Baltimore/Washington National Weather Service office in Sterling, Virginia, ABC News in Washington D.C. for the morning show, WLFI CBS affiliate in West Lafayette, IN, and planning on working for NBC in Washington D.C. this summer.  I love learning new weather terms and capturing fascinating weather pictures.  If you have pictures you would like to share please e-mail me at kwalters@purdue.edu. I really enjoy doing the weather word of the week segment for Fast Track News Magazine because sharing my weather knowledge with others is really important to me.

Ross Ellet
Hello, I’m Ross Ellet, and I joined Fast Track News Magazine during the spring semester of 2006. I am currently a junior studying synoptic meteorology at Purdue University. Before coming to Purdue I lived outside Albion, IN which is a farming community north of Fort Wayne. I then graduated from Central Noble High School in 2002. Although young, I have gained lots of experience in broadcast meteorology over the past several years. I began with a passion for the weather at just a few years old. I would watch the local weather every day and try to compete by making forecasts myself at the age of 5. At that time my forecasts had very little accuracy and many people just laughed, but with time that began to change. At the age of 15 I became a weather spotter for WPTA-TV 21 in Fort Wayne, IN and the National Weather Service. At the age of 19 I became a weather volunteer at WLFI-TV 18 in Lafayette, IN. An internship then followed.

At the age of 21, I officially became apart of the WLFI weather team by doing fill ins when needed. Today I can be seen doing the weather for both Fast Track News Magazine and WLFI at times. In the future I hope to continue working as a broadcast meteorologist somewhere on the east coast or in the Midwest. Besides broadcasting, I have several hobbies. I enjoy spending time with my wife, friends and family. I am a huge Indiana Pacers and Colts fan. I have three big hobbies, which are photography, traveling, and camping. Perhaps my favorite past time is storm chasing. It includes all of my hobbies into one and can help people stay safe by reporting severe weather conditions as they unfold.

David Heckard
Hello, my name is David Heckard and I'm a senior in Meteorology who
works for Fast Track weather and is a reporter. I am in my third
semester with Fast Track, joining the news magazine since its inception.

Previously, I was an intern at WEHT-TV in Evansville, where on my first
day on the job I was sent in a hailstorm to collect hail. I have also
interned at WLS-TV in Chicago, where I learned the in's and out's of
broadcasting from meteorologist Phil Schwarz.

I have been involved with the Exponent since my freshman year at Purdue,
where I am a senior writer and have covered numerous sports for the
paper, including volleyball and men's basketball. I also do podcasts for
the newspaper. I intend on purusing a career in broadcast meteorology after graduation.