Meteorologist

“For a career devoted to educating viewers about severe weather, as exemplified by his life-saving coverage of the May 2007 Greensburg, Kansas, tornado.” From the 2010 American Meteorological Society’s Award for Broadcast Meteorology

Managing Meteorologist Jay Prater joined KAKE in January 2004.

Not just his head is in the clouds. Jay is also a Commercial Pilot and FAA certificated Advanced Ground Instructor, actively teaching aviation meteorology to future pilots and flight instructors. As a co-owner of a 1974 Piper Arrow, it allows him to quickly travel to the various National Weather Service offices across KAKEland, visit schools, and host NOAA weather radio programming events.

Jay was designated as the first Certified Broadcast Meteorologist™ by the American Meteorological Society® in Kansas, and the fourth worldwide. He was awarded CBM™ certificate number 4, even though he was the first to take and pass the CBM™ exam.

Before being superseded by the CBM™, Jay was awarded both Television and Radio Seals of Approval from the American Meteorological Society®. Today, he also maintains both Television and Radio Seals of Approval from the National Weather Association.

He is a former member, and Chairman of the AMS Board of Broadcast Meteorology. Previously, Jay was a NWA Councilor, Chairman of the NWA Broadcast Meteorology Committee, Recertification Chairman for the NWA Seal of Approval, and a long-standing member of the NWA Subcommittee on Standards and Ethics.

Jay came to KAKE from Panama City, Florida, where he was the morning meteorologist for WJHG. He also worked as the Managing Meteorologist for WSMV in Nashville, Tennessee and WAFF in Huntsville, Alabama. During his time in Huntsville, he was a weather consultant to the contractor of the Unity Module. Today Unity is in orbit, as a key component of the International Space Station. Jay’s television career began working weekends for WVTM in his native Birmingham, Alabama starting in 1987.

In his spare time, Jay is an Extra Class Amateur “Ham” Radio operator, working with volunteer storm spotters. You might also game with him online, via Xbox Live.

Jay is Kansas’ most honored broadcast meteorologist. His awards include:

American Metrological Society:
Award for Broadcast Meteorology

National Weather Association:
25th Anniversary Special Award

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences:
2006 Regional Emmy® Award: Set Design: “The KAKEland WeatherPlex”
1999 Regional Emmy® Award: Weathercast

2013, 2007, 2006, 2004 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Weather Anchor
2012 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Technical Achievement

2005 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Interactivity
1998, 1997, 1996, 1995 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Weathercast

1998 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Spot Story: “Birmingham Tornado”
1996 Regional Emmy® Award Nomination: Engineering Achievement

RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Awards:
2023 Regional Digital Award: “Beyond the TV Screen”
1998 Regional Spot News Award: “Rainsville Tornado”
1995 Regional News Series Award: “The Doppler Dilemma”
1993 Regional Spot News Award: “Hurricane Andrew”

State Press Associations:
2023, 2019, 2009 1st Place – Weathercast
2020, 2010, 2007 2nd Place – Weathercast
1999, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1993 Best Weather Anchor
1998 Best Spot News: “Birmingham Tornado”
1996 Best Spot News: “Huntland Tornado”
1994 Best Spot News: “Ice Storm '94”

Kansas State Fair:
2007, 2006 Grape Stomp Champion
(No real skill here…just size 12 feet)

Jay, along with his daughter and son, live in Wichita.

He’s an avid “Kansas Explorer” having visited, so far, over 50 of the 64 counties of KAKEland. His travels have included the “daunting” climb of Mt. Sunflower, standing on the “3 corners” of Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska, and actually adding twine to the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine” in Cawker City. Along the way, he’s taken photographs of most of the county courthouses.

You can watch Jay weekdays at 4, 5, 6 and 10pm, or whenever tornados threaten, on KAKE.

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