Rachael Penton

Rachael Penton's passion for weather, nature, and all things science began at an early age. Growing up on the Gulf Coast, Rachael experienced Hurricane Katrina, Ivan, and Georges firsthand, as well as numerous severe weather events. Her love for Twister and The Wizard of Oz as a kid also piqued her interest in tornadoes. She had the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of witnessing a tornado first-hand when she and a group of stormchasers witnessed an EF-4 tornado in Bennington, Kansas as well as the historic El Reno, Oklahoma tornado in 2013.

Penton has had the opportunity to cover a range of weather and other scientific topics throughout her career. While in Alaska she had the chance to cover winter storms, extreme cold, earthquakes, and the aurora borealis. She also covered numerous severe weather events and winter storms while working in Columbus, Ohio. Working in Louisiana has brought her the widest range of weather coverage, including ice storms, extreme droughts, and more severe weather events than she can count! The most notable event she's covered while working in Louisiana is historic Hurricane Laura, with 14 hours of continuous on-air coverage.

Rachael also has a passion for reporting in the field on a range of topics, and has received numerous awards including "Reporter of the Year". She is also an FAA certified drone pilot.

When she's not forecasting the weather or reporting on stories, Rachael loves to travel anywhere and everywhere. No location is too big or too small, and she hopes to see as much of the world as possible. She loves the process of planning trips, reading, gardening, and cycling!