Katie Melvin is the newest Meteorologist joining the NewsChannel 5 weather team. She has always been a neighbor to Tennessee, originally from a small town in North Carolina.
Katie knew from an early age that meteorology was a passion, and her family has plenty of stories to prove it. Her favorite shows growing up were 'Storm Stories' and 'Local On the 8s' on the Weather Channel.
She graduated from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte with both a B.S. in Meteorology and B.A. in Mass Media Communication Studies. During her time in college, she quickly found a love for the social science behind how meteorologists communicate weather information— including why we choose certain colors for specific weather events over others, and how that skews public perception.
Inclusiveness in weather is incredibly important to Katie. Her color-blind father has been an inspiration in spearheading this area of research. She's continuing to work towards the goal of becoming a published scientist.
During her time in Charlotte, she received the 'Atmosphere Award' that recognized her positive attitude, community service and peer motivation. She also brought together a partnership between the University and the local animal shelter. By using weather graphics that featured animals up to adoption, she helped many pups find a home.
Katie got her start just a few hours north in the Cape Girardeau-Paducah-Harrisburg market where she started just weeks after the devasting Mayfield tornado. The region covered 4 states, including a few northwestern Tennessee counties. The Midwest often brought vast types of weather, from tornadoes to snowstorms, sometimes in the same week. She began as a Weekend Meteorologist and reporter before working her way up to the most watched show in the region as the Weekday Morning Meteorologist.
When Katie is not in the studio, you'll often find her in a classroom. She believes the heart of being a meteorologist means being a public servant and an educator. She has worked with students of all ages from Elementary to College. She currently serves as a mentor for the University of Tennessee in Martin which is making history with its first broadcast meteorology class offered on campus this year.
When she isn't checking the latest weather model runs, Katie loves to cook southern food, spend time with her cats Miso and Salem, or be out on the lake with her parents & brother. Katie is a full believer in southern hospitability so if you ever see her out, be sure to say hi!
