Working from home has its advantages. For example, you get to spend much more time with your pets than you normally do. Your pets however might be too overly excited to respect your working hours and personal space. This is exactly the case when Chief Meteorologist at WFIE-TV Jeff Lyons went to broadcast live at home. While many of us have to stay at home, it’s still nice to know how’s the weather. So weather forecasters are continuing their work from home. Lyons forecasts are a little bit different than others because for one, he allows his cat, Betty to join on the broadcasts.
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Meteorologist named Jeff Lyons, who’s working from home, went viral for inviting his cat to a live broadcast
Due to social distancing rules, Jeff Lyons set up his new studio in his dining room.
“Working from home has been an adventure. I have my studio and green screen set up in the dining room. It’s nice to have a 30-second commute after the late news,” he said. Only then did he realize that his adorable cat is an aspiring weather forecaster herself, who kept insisting on being part of the show. Turns out that people love seeing her!
“Betty was under the dining room table during one weathercast, and the director asked to see her, so I held her up for the camera. We just had the final 30-second weather to do, so I kept her in my arms just for fun…little did I know!”
Ever since she made her debut on the show at the beginning of April, more and more people have started watching Lyons’ broadcasts.
Some viewers even come from Europe and Australia, so it’s clear that it’s not the weather forecasts they are interested in.
“The outpouring for this silly cat has been crazy,” said Lyons. “I’ve spent 34 years in local TV as a meteorologist, so I am used to being known around this area (southern Indiana), but this is something that has really thrown me for a loop!”
To make it even more special, Jeff decided to give Betty a designated lower third graphic that says “Betty the weather cat.”
When asked how Betty was adopted, Lyons reveals that his family was chosen by her. “Betty just showed up on our windowsill about 11 years ago. My daughter, who was 10 at the time, begged to keep her. I had always had cats growing up, so it was an easy sell, plus, I’m a softie!”
Currently, Jeff Lyons is self-isolating with his family at their home. “My wife of 31 years and I have 3 kids, Natalie 21, Justin 24 and Patrick 27. All are home at the moment, as they paused university and jobs. We feel fortunate that we have this time together, and pray for those affected by the virus. We live in hope—like everyone–that this will pass soon,” he said.