Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore shares stories, offers hurricane tips to Lake Square Mall crowd: ‘He knows his stuff’

Jul. 1--LEESBURG -- Pam Bowman couldn't resist when she spotted veteran TV storm chaser Jim Cantore at the Lake Square Mall.

Bowman, 69, of Leesburg chased down The Weather Channel meteorologist and asked in jest, "Is there a hurricane coming?"

Canotore smiled at the notion because he's known for being where the action is whenever a hurricane is about to make landfall. As Bowman put it to a reporter: "Where he is that's where it's going to hit."

But there were no TV stand-ups with wind and rain whipping in his face on this occasion -- he was in town to serve as guest speaker Saturday at the Hurricane Awareness Expo.

Cantore drew a crowd of several hundred as he talked about his background and shared experiences from his encounters with harsh weather at the mall's center court. Later, fans lined up for a few moments of chit chat with the 55-year-old Cantore and to have their photo taken with him.

Cantore -- known for his muscular appearance and "animated, tenacious style, both in the field and in the studio," according to his biography on The Weather Channel's website -- urged those on hand to be prepared because he said storms can crop up quickly.

He suggested people take photos of their belongings and make sure their insurance coverage is adequate.

"Know what your policy covers," he said, seated on a stage with Dr. Anna Marie Chwastiak, who oversees the operation of LakeFront TV, Leesburg's government-access television station.

Chwastiak knew Cantore from her days presenting health tips on The Weather Channel. Leesburg paid a $5,000 engagement fee to the channel, City Manager Al Minner said.

He said he was satisfied by the turnout and noted that coverage of Cantore's visit will air on LakeFront TV and that The Weather Channel will run public service announcements about Leesburg.

The goal of the expo was to encourage residents to make preparations ahead of a storm. Hurricane season started June 1 and runs until Dec. 1.

The National Oceanic Administration's Climate Prediction Center in May predicted four to eight hurricanes and nine to 15 storms powerful enough to warrant being named. Two of the four predicted hurricanes are expected to be Category 3 or higher, producing winds of at least 111 mph.

If and when a hurricane develops, Cantore will be ready. A native of White River Junction, Vt., he drew laughs when he told the crowd that his high school football team was the Hartford Hurricanes.

"I think it was meant to be," he said of his career choice.

The Weather Channel hired Cantore out of the small Vermont college he attended. He made his first on-air appearance in July 1986 and covered his first hurricane in 1992, Hurricane Andrew's second landfall in Louisiana.

"That was a wild first one," he said of Andrew, which is better known for its first landfall near Homestead, south of Miami, as a Category 5 storm that pulverized the area.

He said the worst situation he encountered was Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"I'm telling you guys it [water] came up probably 15 feet in five minutes," he said. He called it the "scariest, without a doubt," experience he's had.

Bowman, for one, was impressed that Leesburg landed Cantore for the expo.

"This is little old Leesburg," she said, adding she respects the well-known weatherman for his reports.

"He knows his stuff," she said.

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