If we’ve learned anything covering the world of sports media over the years, it’s that few media members get more fired up than meteorologists.
We’ve seen meteorologists feud with local media over forecasts, throw shade into their weather reports, and fire back at football fans upset about tornado warnings.
Sunday, Erin Andrews was on the sidelines in Lambeau Field for the game between the Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions where rain and strong winds were becoming a factor. At the start of the 2nd quarter, she chimed in with a weather update.
“We just got an alert there is a high wind gust warning within the next hour-45 minutes,” said Andrews. “Expecting gusts up to 43 miles per hour. So we’ve got the wind, we’ve got the rain, we’ve got the grass, we’ve got the NFC North, baby. Welcome to Lambeau.”
“This is like Erin’s dream” added announcer Kevin Burkhardt. “Lambeau Field, it’s miserable weather so she gets to be a weather person.”
Someone who wasn’t too happy with Andrews’ foray into weather prognostication was Milwaukee-based meteorologist Sam Kuffel of CBS 58.
“Begging Erin Andrews to stop making up weather alerts,” Kuffel said on X in a since-deleted post, “stuff like this makes me irrationally angry.”
When another X user wrote, “And 43 mph?! Specifically,” Kuffel responded, “Right?!?!”
Jeremy Nelson, the Chief Meteorologist for WJCL, also chimed in to ask “Did she just say high wind warning?” Kuffel responded, “Yup. For 43 mph winds too?? Nothing stronger than 25-30mph here so far today.”
The forecast in Green Bay called for rain and winds between 15 and 25 mph on Sunday, per The Weather Channel.
It was unclear where Andrews got her weather information though she does say that she “got an alert,” so it doesn’t sound like she made it up as Kuffel implied.
On Wednesday, Andrews sent a message to Kuffel on X saying she would be happy to explain where the data came from.
@SamKuffelWx hey Sam! Just saw the story abt your tweet. Let me know the best way to touch base. Wanted to show you where Fox security (working the game) and I got our Weather Alert for the Packers game! Thx!!
— Erin Andrews (@ErinAndrews) November 7, 2024
“Hey Sam! Just saw the story abt your tweet. Let me know the best way to touch base,” she wrote. “Wanted to show you where Fox security (working the game) and I got our Weather Alert for the Packers game! Thx!!”
No word yet on whether Andrews and Kuffel have connected but hopefully we find out. We’d love to know where Andrews and other Fox sideline reporters get their weather info as well.
