16 Meteorologists With Ridiculous Names

AMS certification. Check. Charismatic-verging-on-creepy on-air personality. Check. Impossibly coiffed hair and blinding white teeth. Check. Smokin’ hot bod. Check. Props. Check.

Instantly recognizable name that not only rolls off the tongue but elicits giggles, disbelief and inevitable comparisons to adult film stars, superheroes, and/or characters in John Waters’ movies. Check.

All of the above qualities can help to solidify the career of a television meteorologist, but it’s that last item — a pronounced, even peculiar name — that truly helps a person stand out from his clicker-waving green screen contemporaries. In honor of World Meteorology Day on March 23, we’ve rounded up 16 meteorologists from across the country with names that may have been the source of endless torment as children (we’re looking at you, Mr. Larry Sprinkle) but as weather-forecasting professionals, have gained them instant recognition. While some of these meteorologists' names are weather- or topography-related, others are just plain ridiculous (and yes, a couple are stage names). And you’ll probably notice that there’s only one female meteorologist on the list. We’re not sure how that happened, but we know that you’re out there somewhere, Donna Dewpoint and Shelly Stratocumulus. Will the real-life Gale Weathers please stand up?

Does your local weatherman or woman have a name that’s worthy of inclusion on this list? Please tell us about them in the comments section. And for extra fun, try mixing and matching the first and last names of the folks listed below to see what you come up with. (Personally, we’re partial to Stormy Spiceland.)

• Ray Ban: The Weather Channel (retired)
• Sam Champion: "Good Morning America" and a longtime veteran of WABC, New York
• Storm E. Field: WABC, New York; WCBS, New York; WWOR, N.Y./N.J. (retired)
• Amy Freeze: WABC, New York
• Sunny Haus: KARE, Minneapolis
• Dewey Hopper: KPNX, Phoenix (retired)
• Johnny Mountain: KABC, KCBS, Los Angeles (retired)
• Casanova Nurse: WTXL, Tallahassee, Fla.
• Dallas Raines: KABC, Los Angeles
• Stormy Rottman: KBTV/KUSA, Denver, Colo. (deceased)
• Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz: WCAU, Philadelphia
• Topper Shutt: WUSA, Washington, D.C.
• Flip Spiceland: CNN, WXIA, Atlanta (retired)
• Larry Sprinkle: WCNC, Charlotte, N.C.
• Harry Wappler: KIRO, Seattle; originator of the “Wappler Doppler” (deceased)
• Ken Weathers: WATE, Knoxville, Tenn.

Also on MNN:

• America's hottest weather forecasters
• Infographic: The media vs. Mother Nature