Meteorologist John Smith

It has been a privilege to serve the Grand Strand and P*e Dee over the last 4½ years. From hurricanes to severe weather and even winter storms, I feel fortunate to have played a part in providing important information to all of you. I greatly appreciate you trusting me with your forecast all these years.

I'm excited to be able to continue serving this community in a new way as I move into my new role as an educator. Since I'll be staying in this area, I won't say goodbye. If you see me out and about, feel free to say hello! Just don't ask me for a forecast... I probably won't know off the top of my head! 😂

Outside of a stray shower Sunday night, we stay dry through at least Thursday. Then a cold front delivers rain Friday and a modest cool down for next weekend.

Clouds will increase during the day Sunday. Don't be surprised if a brief shower moves through Sunday night. Any rain will be out of here by daybreak Monday with mostly sunny skies by the afternoon!

Post sunset glow in North Myrtle Beach this evening!

Sunset in Garden City this evening!

We have quiet, but chilly evening on the way. Rural communities and areas across the Border Belt may dip into the upper 30s tonight.

If there is one person most responsible for my career as a broadcast meteorologist, it's Ed Piotrowski WPDE.

Many people don't know this, but I was terrified of thunderstorms growing up. A lot of that fear was likely after having experienced Hurricane Hugo at 4 years old. I started to take control of that fear when I started watching Ed in the summer of 1996 when I was 11 years old. I started watching during Hurricane Bertha coverage and never stopped watching the weather after that.

I met Ed three times between 6th and 9th grade, then emailed back and forth with him during high school. When I was at Francis Marion, he let me intern once a week... which I did for all four years. Even during my 11 years in Florida and New Mexico, Ed continued to be a source of wisdom and support. Coming back to work with him at WPDE, he has always had my back both professionally and personally.

Not all people will do all the things Ed has done for me and the many other interns to whom he has volunteered his time. It's a testament to Ed's willingness to do good and pay it forward. Thank you seems insufficient, so let me just say that I'm truly fortunate to call you a mentor and friend!

I have been a professional broadcast meteorologist for a little more than 12 years, but my time in and around the business goes back much farther than that. I became interested in meteorology way back in 1996 when Hurricanes Bertha and Fran impacted the Carolina coast. The following fall, I got to meet the meteorologist I watched all summer, Ed Piotrowski. I also made my first appearance on TV!

I met Ed a couple more times in the next few years and by high school I was emailing him every few months with questions about weather. At the end of high school I was getting set to attend Francis Marion University in the Fall of 2003 and he offered to let me come to the station once a week to intern. During that time I learned how to make graphics, how shows are put together, how to deliver a forecast, but most importantly I learned a lot more about how the weather works and how to forecast.

In 2007 I graduated from Francis Marion with a physics degree and left home for the first time to attend Florida State University for grad school. I spent a ton of time studying and doing research for my master's thesis. But I also got to keep my broadcasting work going by delivering the forecast on the school's half-hour weather show.

After graduating from Florida State in 2010, I put out nearly 100 job applications across the country and ended up landing in Albuquerque, NM. I spent eight years covering winter storms, monsoons, windy springs, and unfortunately a lot of La Niña... those of you in New Mexico know what that means.

In 2018, the opportunity for me to return home and work at WPDE came along. It was great for my career to come around full circle and I have enjoyed my time working for the station that I watched growing up! It's fitting that my last time on TV is on the same channel as my first time on TV.

Last night’s full moon illuminating the steeple of Old St. David’s Church in Cheraw! This picture was taken by my high school biology teacher, David Evans!

Travis Huffstetler shares this sunrise from Surfside Beach!

This is me saying that I’ll be taking a break from social media after today… go ahead and like this! You know you want to! 😂