Breaking Records with New Weather Show

By Lauren Horton, General Manager

The day Ed Cohen walked into our station, asking if he could do a weather show, I had no idea that his program would be setting a new high for Westford CAT, becoming the most watched and most commented on program ever done at the station. His episodes have had well over 500 views so far on our website’s video on demand library and our YouTube channel. Who knew that clouds, precipitation, fronts, air masses and such could be so entertaining? Apparently Cohen did.

Having taught at several institutions of higher learning including Northeastern University and Bentley College, Cohen has developed quite a following.  He obtained his BS in Meteorology from the City  College of New York, and his MS in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin. He currently teaches  meteorology and astronomy at Nashua Community College.

“I decided to start a TV show because of the way I teach,” says Cohen.  “I have been putting on shows in class for many years. Chip Barrett, the head of the Westford Highway Department, told me to try Westford CAT.”    

 “I use humor in my classes so students will be more interested in the material I cover,” says Cohen. That humor transfers nicely to his new television program, “Weathering the Weather with Ed,” which local viewers can watch on Westford CAT’s public access channels, online at www.westfordcat.org or on our WestfordCAT YouTube channel.

His co-host, Mark Rocheleau, is the perfect side kick for Cohen’s shenanigans. Rocheleau, who also works full time at Westford CAT as our Video Systems Engineer, does double duty on the set and in the edit room for the program. He has a great knack for baiting Cohen at the right moments and then moving the show along to the next topic or segment when it’s time.  After the shoot, Rocheleau does the final post-production editing, adding the right graphics and written comments to reinforce the spontaneous jokes made during the shoot.

Given all the graphics and maps that are needed in the show, it’s been the perfect program to utilize some of the new features in our upgraded studio, including our virtual sets.  While the show is shot in front of our green screen, the end result looks like they are in a fancy, big time studio. Only they are actually right here, in Westford.

When asked what he hopes will happen if the show takes off, he matter-of-factly says, “ I would like to be noticed and contacted by TV people in New York City, of course, which is where I grew up.” Good luck, Ed.

And, if watching all this weather info gets you interested in learning more, Cohen is offering his meteorological study guide as a fundraiser for the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation, in honor of his wife who suffers with the disease. Harvey Leonard, Chief Meteorologist for WCVB-TV Boston and a regular viewer of Cohen’s new program, recently gave him the following endorsement: “If you are only going to read one book on meteorology, I would recommend Ed Cohen’s Study Guide.  It is very informative and written in an easy-to-read manner.  Whether you are a person with just a casual interest in weather or you are studying meteorology, you will learn all the basics in a very understandable way.  Personally, even with all of my years as a forecaster, I found it to be a great review.  I highly recommend it!”

A $25.00 donation will get you a copy of his book.  Checks should be made out to Edward Cohen, and sent to P.O. Box 61, Westford MA  01886. All proceeds will go to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation and are tax deductible.