PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Jacob Klein’s passion for weather was, quite literally, sparked at an early age.

“There was a thunderstorm in my backyard,” said Klein, standing outside his family’s home in Pittsfield. “And just over there, there was a tree, and some lightning came down and hit it, and it exploded and the rest of it caught on fire. And then I realized how dangerous the weather could be, but also how exciting.” 

What You Need To Know

  • He updates the website daily with his forecasts using data from his own weather station
  • In addition to the website, Klein does daily weather reports for WTBR radio in Pittsfield
  •  Klein wants to become a professional meteorologist

Since then, the now 14-year-old, has tried to learn everything there is to know about weather. This past summer, he started his own website, BerkshireWeather.com.

“I feel that there’s a lack of knowledge around the community, not enough people know the weather from a local source,” said Klein. “You can get a broad view, but I feel it’s important to know your local conditions.”

Klein updates the website daily with his local forecasts, complete with data he gets from his weather station in his backyard.

“I look at this and I see what the current conditions are,” said Klein, scrolling through dozens of data points on his iPad. “And then what the forecasts are, and I kind of try to combine them all.”

Klein is only in eighth grade, but he knows he’d like to become a professional meteorologist.

Klein is already getting a taste of the business by doing daily weather updates for Pittsfield’s WTBR radio, always ending his reports with the same cheery goodbye:

“For more weather forecasts and education, go to berkshireWeather.com. I’m Jacob Klein for WTBR, and I hope you all have an amazing night. Cheers everyone!”