Meteorologist Chris Justus Talks Weather with 5th-Graders

Much to the excitement of Hendersonville Elementary 5th-graders gathered around the meteorologist, Chris Justus of WYFF News 4 predicted this winter will bring at least a few snow days.

Justus came to his hometown Friday, Nov. 13, and spoke to the elementary students about meteorology. Currently studying a weather unit, the students shot their arms into the air to answer Justus’ questions about conditions required for snow, wind direction, and temperature.

“Is it going to be cloudy or dry if an east wind is coming from over the ocean?” Justus asked the students. A student correctly answered that the forecast would be cloudy, since moisture would’ve been picked up over the ocean.

“But a west wind is the opposite,” Justus said. “You’ve got a lot of land. The wind moves over the mountains and it dries out everything.”

He explained that meteorologists can tell a lot about upcoming weather conditions just by knowing wind speed and wind direction, but forecasting snowfall is very difficult – especially in Western North Carolina.

Right now, Justus said, it’s looking like we’ll have a wet winter since we’re currently in an El Niño year.

“Normally a winter will bring 9.5 inches of snow to Hendersonville. This year we’re forecasting double that,” Justus said. “That could be two really big snowstorms or 10 little ones.”

He added, “This could possibly be the strongest El Niño season since 1997,” when Hendersonville received 20 inches of snow.

Regardless of how many snow days they may see this winter, Justus encouraged the 5th-graders to pay attention during their math, science and geography lessons – especially if they want to be a meteorologist one day.

He also reminded them not to wear green if they’re ever forecasting weather on the news in front of a green screen.

“Two Christmases ago, I wore a green tie my grandma gave me,” Justus said. “I had holes all over my chest,” he said, laughing.

(Article written by Molly McGowan Gorsuch, HCPS Public Information Officer.)