Tri-Cities residents now can access around-the-clock local weather forecasts as WJHL News Channel 11 recently launched a 24-hour cable weather channel.

“It’s a place for people in a hurry to pick up the latest radar,” said Chief Meteorologist Mark Reynolds. “It will give people a more localized look at our region’s weather.”

It’s the first of its kind in the Tri-Cities region, according to Christine Riser, news director for News Channel 11. All News Channel 11 meteorologists will contribute to programming.

“Everyone wants to know if they’ll have to take an umbrellas to an appointment, if the Saturday plans will be rained out, of if the kids should take a jacket with them to school,” Riser said. “This digital weather channel is just one more way you can get the information any time you want it.”

The channel, likened to the nationally-recognized The Weather Channel, will provide continuous local coverage—especially during severe weather events. The station also plans to air educational weather pieces and children’s programming.

“Time and time again, our viewers tell us and our research back up that one of the top reasons to watch local news is for local weather information,” Riser said. “So it only made sense to find a way to offer local weather information 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

Milligan College photography student Jessica Davis said she’s dependent on the weather to plan school projects. The junior spent Monday afternoon taking outdoor photographs on East Main Street in Johnson City.

“I usually don’t have a lot of time to watch television,” she said. “This would make it easier to get the forecast.”

Similarly, Becky Mallory, owner of Artopia, a Johnson City art store, said she and her husband frequently watch national weather channels.

“With this, you won’t have to wait for your local weather on the eights,” she said.

This project took more than two months to plan, according to Riser. Tri-Cities residents now can access around-the-clock local weather forecasts on BVU OptiNet’s channel 247. It also will air on channel 252 on Comcast and channel 749 on Charter Communications.


“No one else was broadcasting a local weather channel in the Tri-Cities market,” she said. “We saw it as a service we could offer to viewers that wasn’t being provided, so we seized the opportunity.”


We want your feedback
News Channel 11 wants your suggestions for the weather channel’s programming. E-mail Mark Reynolds at mreynolds@wjhl.com to give your comments.