Daniel Talbot, 45 who runs the Wellington Extreme Weather Channel, had a dream several years ago of creating a weather station. It turned out to be a very expensive challenge and in the words of Sir Edmond Hillary, Talbot has knocked the bugger off!

Interrupted by COVID-19 and after years of hard toil, networking, and fundraising the project to install a fully functioning, high-tech weather station to help inspire kids is ready.

This $150,000 weather station was crowdfunded and installed in schools for the educational benefits of children and the benefits of them learning about weather events and weather as a career. 

Daniel has now been able to partner with the Met Service, a major New Zealand weather organisation and is a self-described amateur weather expert. A very kind person doing it for the kids, doing it for the community is about to complete his project which is to install a weather station in the school in Upper Hutt.

What are 3 things you have learned about people and the community? 

Well, I’ve learned that if you don’t get the Weather forecast right, the Weatherman is in trouble lol.

I’ve been forecasting the Weather to my friends since 2007, it was only in June 2013 during a severe storm in Wellington, that I started my own weather page.

In July 2017 I started crowdfunding for a state-of-the-art Weather Station for Upper Hutt City. I’ve given years of my time to Weather forecasting, teaching people about the weather and our changing climate. There is a fascination with Weather within the community, particularly the heat in Upper Hutt during the Summer. 

Why have you chosen Schools And the Weather? 

The Weather Station needed to be in the center of Upper Hutt City and St Joseph’s School was the perfect location. It’s a big wide open grass area. Which will result in accurate Weather observation data for Upper Hutt. The Schools themselves, have awesome educational opportunities. Thanks to my partnership with the MetService, the children at St Joseph’s School will get a lesson about the Weather from qualified Meteorologists and be shown how their new Weather Station works. As I look to build a network of Weather Stations throughout the Wellington region through crowdfunding there will be many Schools in the Wellington region that could benefit from this. 

What do the next few days look like? 

Weatherwise, there are some Rain showers on Monday, late afternoon or evening. Mostly fine and settled otherwise, with cold mornings and a Southerly airflow to keep things cool. 

What keeps you motivated? 

The excitement of knowing that I’ve created something for the community that will have an educational benefit to so many children over many years into the future. That my passion has inspired the next generation to pursue a career in Meteorology. By being persistent and never giving up on my goals. Remaining focused and determined to succeed, no matter how long it took.

The encouragement and support from the community believing in me and following me on this journey and lastly the ever-changing Weather and the dynamics it brings to all of New Zealand.