Former NOLA met now forecasting in Cincinnati

[therock1811]

From New Orleans' weather to ours
Meteorologist warned of hurricane, then got out of town for good

By John Kiesewetter
Enquirer staff writer

Hurricane Katrina evacuee John Gumm has found work in his hometown as WKRC-TV's new meteorologist.

The 1993 Glen Este High School graduate started Wednesday at Channel 12, his first TV appearance since warning New Orleans viewers Aug. 27, two days before Katrina hit.

"It was the most important work I've ever done in my life - telling people to get out of town that Saturday," says Gumm, 30, whose rental home in Slidell, La., was heavily damaged.

Gumm had been on New Orleans TV for 12 hours straight that day. Then his wife, Jennifer, called at 9:30 p.m. and said she was going into labor. His bosses allowed him to leave for the hospital.

"It was either family or career at that point. I think any person in their right mind would choose to be with their wife for the birth of their first child," he says.

After Connor Jacob Gumm arrived at 3:20 a.m. Sunday, Gumm, who had now been up 40 hours, drove his expanded family in heavy rain through Mississippi to northern Alabama. They eventually reached Jennifer's parents in Bloomington, Ind.

"She was traumatized, and wanted to be closer to family," he says. So Gumm called his bosses and asked out of his new three-year contract.

Gumm had heard there was an opening at Channel 12, and now pursued it. "This worked out perfectly," says Gumm.

And he had already fulfilled another dream. While packing up keepsakes in Slidell before Katrina, he found a sixth-grade essay written at Brantner Elementary School in Mount Carmel.

"We were supposed to write about our greatest dream - and I still have the paper - saying that my greatest dream in life is to be a meteorologist and some day save a large city from a big hurricane."

It's great to have a man like this here. Channel 12 gets my vote now, more than ever.

[TSmith274]

Yep, he's a good one.

[LaPlaceFF]

Yes he knows Zach and has been here on Teamspeak

[Vandora]

Awww. Glad to see him in my hometown.