Bad weather cell phone.
A Minnesota meteorologist is being dragged by viewers as “unprofessional” for texting his wife live on air during severe weather coverage.
During a stormy day in the Rochester, Minnesota area on July 28, KTTC News Chief Meteorologist Nick Jansen found himself multitasking while on the air. Three hours into his storm coverage, he used his phone to verify his family’s safety, including that of his 6-month-old baby.
Jansen later shared feedback he received via email, which criticized his actions as unprofessional. One particular line from the email stood out to him: “That he has to call his wife to make sure she takes the baby to safety? Maybe some people think it’s noble or cute. I don’t,” Jansen posted on Facebook alongside a now-viral video of the 10-second incident.
The moment was caught on camera as Jansen stood in the studio before a radar screen, awaiting news director Zach Fuller’s completion of a power outage update.
Jansen, 32, was captured on video looking down at his phone, seemingly unaware he was on live TV.
He managed to get the text off before the report was sent back to him.
Afterward, Jansen continued his report with an apology: “Sorry, just had to text my wife, baby was sleeping well tonight so that’s gonna be over with at this point in time,” he said before resuming his weather coverage.
The chief meteorologist and family man estimated strong winds in the Rochester area could reach between 40 to 70 mph.
In response to the viewer’s criticism, Jansen defended his brief off-camera action, explaining he was ensuring his family’s safety during a storm.
“I take my job and your safety very seriously. But I’m also a husband and a father,” Jansen explained to the viewer. “In the midst of severe weather, I chose to take a brief moment to confirm that my wife and child were safely in the basement.”
“That’s not me being unprofessional, it’s me being human. I am a husband and a father FIRST. Let’s all try to show each other a little more understanding and respect in life,” he added.
Jansen doubled down on his assessment of the on-air blooper as an acceptable act from a loving father.
“When I received this latest email, I was like, you know what? I don’t think it’s acceptable that I can’t take a second to make sure my loved ones are OK,” Jansen told TODAY. “I’m sure a lot of viewers were texting their families. And we always say on-air, ‘If you know someone in such-and-such a town, make sure to let them know this is coming.’ So I was kind of taking my own advice.”
Station executives praised Jansen for thinking of his family while keeping the viewers informed of the danger they faced in the inclement weather.
“The KTTC team is proud of Nick and the work he and the First Alert weather team did Monday night and the work they continue to do to keep our communities safe,” station Vice-President and General Manager Stephanie Hedrick said in a statement.
“KTTC knows that when our meteorologists, anchors and reporters are delivering the news, they are also talking to their own families- informing them and helping to keep them safe. In this case, viewers saw that happen live – Nick being a good husband and dad by taking a moment and making sure they were safe.”
Other viewers applauded Jansen for taking the time to check in on his family.
“Texting your wife in the middle of a broadcast was my signal to take the storm seriously. I now have a new level of storm seriousness,” one person commented.
“I support you! I thought it chivalry at it’s best!” another added.
The massive storm cell blew across the Gopher State and the surrounding Midwest in the late evening of July 28, producing damaging winds up to 75 mph and causing power outages for thousands of customers, according to the National Weather Service.
The strongest wind gust was measured at 92 mph at the Spencer Municipal Airport in Spencer, Iowa, approximately 200 miles southwest of the KTTC studios.
KTTC is a dual affiliate of NBC and CW+, covering southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa.
