Carl Arredondo - Chief Meterologist WWL-TV
Posted
on Aug 01, 2015
Carl"As a kid growing up in Texas I was always fascinated by the weather," says WWL-TV Chief Meteorologist Carl Arredondo. "I was always found by the window looking outside when thunderstorms were coming by..." One day, a television meteorologist visited Carl's junior high school in San Antonio to speak about weather during a Career Day. "From that day on, being a meteorologist was what I wanted to do."
He took all of the math and science courses he could find, and went on to study Meteorology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. While pursuing his degree, Carl received hands-on experience in the field by working at a private weather company called the Institute for Storm Research, which provides offshore clients around the world with valuable weather data.
After earning his bachelor's degree in May of 1985, Carl continued working for the I.S.R. for another year. "During that year, I was fortunate enough to be sent to the southern tip of Argentina to forecast for a French oil platform for two months. The experience was wonderful."
Carl took his first broadcasting job as the Weekday Meteorologist at a small TV station in Brownsville, Texas. Similar positions at stations in Corpus Christi and Laredo, Texas followed. Then in 1988, Carl moved to Atlanta, Georgia to become an On-camera Meteorologist at The Weather Channel.
"Working at The Weather Channel was very beneficial because I was able to work with meteorologists from all parts of the country," he says. "It helped me to get an all around education of different weather events, particularly tropical and severe weather activity."
Carl earned his American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval in 1989, and two years later, he left Atlanta to come to WWL-TV, Channel 4 in New Orleans. "Louisiana weather is very important to everyone because it can change rapidly and I try to keep that in mind for the people who work outside, the fishing community, and parents who have to dress their kids for everyday activities." Carl lives on the Northshore with his son Carl IV.
As Chief Meteorologist for WWL-TV, Carl was interviewed by The Weather Channel for his insight on the path of Hurricane Georges during the storm's historic approach for the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Carl was interviewed by many media outlets not only in the United States, but also around the world on his experiences before, during, and after Katrina. Carl was the only staff meterologist on the air during the entire event and the only TV meteorologist broadcasting in New Orleans during Katrina. Carl's home had 3-4' of water and lost just about everything due to Katrina.
Carl earned the Associated Press "Best Weathercast" for 2000 and the Press Club of New Orleans "Best Weathercast" for 2002.
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