Jenks Meteorologist is Happy to be Home
Oklahoma offered the perfect breeding ground for channel 6 meteorologist and Jenks resident Lacey Swope’s love of weather.
While as a child, she was afraid of storms, as she grew, she became interested in the atmosphere and the math and science behind it.
Swope went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma with minors in mathematics and broadcast journalism. She has been a meteorologist at Griffin Communications for six years and recently relocated in Jenks from Oklahoma City to be closer to her family.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Getting to be a part of people’s daily routine. I love that people rely on our team when the skies go dark or when it is beautiful outside. Talking to people of my home state about my passion is my favorite part of the job. Going to schools and teaching children about weather is also amazing. I love getting the chance to calm their nerves about our Oklahoma springs.
What does a day at work look like for you?
I do the 9 p.m. news Monday through Friday. I wake up and look at the current conditions and current model runs while having breakfast. I get to work around 2 p.m. and attend our daily content meeting. I inform my coworkers of the weather conditions and what we need to highlight. After that, it’s back to models and forecasting. Then along with our team, I build graphics for our evening shows and my newscast.
What would you say to encourage more female students to pursue subjects in school?
Don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you aren’t qualified because you’re a girl. Work hard, study hard, and you can do anything you put your mind to.
Females may be outnumbered in subjects right now, but that is slowly changing. There are so many opportunities for women in these fields. I have found that it makes us unique. In the broadcast world, that can be a very beneficial aspect.
Why have you chosen to remain in Oklahoma?
It’s home! All of my memories are here. All of my family is here. My husband’s family is here. The weather here is unlike anywhere else in the world. For a weather nerd like me, my home state is No. 1: Always changing, always humbling us, and always teaching us something new.
Updated 02-01-2018
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