Community Connections with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers
Community Connections with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers is hosted by keynote speaker, author, professor, and media host Dr. Ryan T. Sauers, a leadership, communication, and marketing strategist.
With more than 30 years of experience across business, academia, and media, Dr. Sauers explores how leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit directors, and executives grow organizations through clarity, trust, and meaningful Human2Human connections.
Each episode highlights community leadership, small business growth, entrepreneurship, economic development, relationship-driven marketing, and practical communication strategies in today’s AI-driven world.
Community Connections with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers
Episode 98: Ed Piotrowski — Weather, Community, and Making an Impact
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In this episode of Community Connections with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers, we sit down with Ed Piotrowski, Chief Meteorologist at WPDE ABC 15, and one of the most recognized and trusted voices across the Grand Strand.
Ed shares his journey into meteorology, what sparked his early fascination with weather, and how that passion has grown into a platform that impacts thousands throughout the region. While many know him for forecasting, this conversation goes deeper—highlighting his commitment to community involvement, education, and making a difference beyond the screen.
With more than 200 appearances each year, Ed discusses how he uses his role to serve others, connect with people of all ages, and remain grounded as both a media professional and community leader.
You’ll hear insights on leadership, consistency, giving back, and what it truly means to use your platform to positively impact the lives of others.
⏱ Length: 28 minutes
🎧 Listen on: Spotify, iHeart, Apple Podcasts & wherever you get your podcasts
👉 Community Connections with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers spotlights business owners, community leaders, and difference-makers across the Southeast and the country—who inspire us all to Keep Pushing Forward (KPF).
🎥 WATCH VIDEO/TV show now → https://youtu.be/vd07l9pc8Ss
Connect with Ed Piotrowski
WPDE: https://wpde.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdPiotrowskiWPDE
X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdPiotrowski
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EdPiotrowskiWPDE
Connect with Dr. Ryan T. Sauers
Website: https://ryansauers.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansauers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryantsauers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanTSauers/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryantsauers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ryantsauers
Twitter/X: https://x.com/ryansauers
Hashtags
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Hello again, everyone. It is time for another episode of the Community Connection Show. The show that brings you positive stories and encouraging news as we interview top leaders in every sector of the community. And now, here is your host, national speaker and best-selling author, Ryan Sowers.
SPEAKER_02Hello again, everybody, and welcome to another community connection show with Ryan Sowers. I am super excited to have my friend Ed Piatrowski, WPDE, ABC 15 in Myrtle today. He's docking it out in the studios, uh, missing the hurricanes, all kinds of things going on. Ed, how you doing, my friend?
SPEAKER_01I'm doing very well. No big hurricanes to worry about, no major severe weather, so life is good.
SPEAKER_02Yes. And we were talking before we went on air. You uh uh two years in a row uh of snow and no hurricanes.
SPEAKER_01Unusual. It's very unusual. I mean, who would have said Myrtle Beach was going to get two five-inch snows and not have a single hurricane in the course of a year? That was not on my bingo card.
SPEAKER_02It was not on not on your bingo card. And I know you had to change some travel plans around, but hopefully you got to do that because you worked about 24 hours a day, five days in a row.
SPEAKER_01It's a lot of fun, though. It's uh my my job is like a hobby to me, so it's kind of fun.
SPEAKER_02Well, well, first I just want to say you do so much, and you I couldn't think of a better guy to bring on the show. You do so much in the community, you really do. And I mean, you're always putting your, I'm just saying this, I have no reason to say it, but thank you for doing this and thank you for all the stuff you do in the community and making life better. It's really just uh something I wanted to say. And uh, but let's let's get um a little bit of background. So, you where are you from originally?
SPEAKER_01So, my dad was in the Marine Corps for 30 years, so I'm from all over, if you will. I was uh born in Hawaii, if you can believe that. I was two years old when I moved away, so I don't remember it at all. We lived in California, Texas, New Jersey, the Carolinas, but I've been in Myrtle Beach now for 32 years. So uh I guess this is kind of home. It's more than half my life spent here at Myrtle Beach.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, cool. So you got to see a lot of things and been down um whatever. So how tell me about the journey of how you end up in meteorology? I mean, how did how did that develop?
SPEAKER_01You know, as a kid, I've always loved the weather. I mean, I remember when we were in South Texas, if there was even a threat for a snowflake, which is very rare, I of course would go outside and just stare at the streetlight all night long. Um, so I knew I wanted to do weather from a very young age, but I had no clue that I would ever end up on television to do it. Um, it's just one of those things where I went through high school and my dad got stationed back in North Carolina, and uh I decided to go talk to a television meteorologist because I wanted to learn more about the weather. And sure enough, um, he let me intern and I went to school at North Carolina State University, got my degree, and I got my first job in eastern North Carolina as a weekend meteorologist, and then moved to Myrtle Beach in January of 1994. And as they say, the rest is history. That's where I've been for the rest of my career.
SPEAKER_02That's very cool. So, did you actually? I mean, a true fact, I'll tell you, I took um with my wife now, girlfriend at the time, in college, I took a meteorology course. Now, she learned more than I did because I every every time I asked her, I said, it's the wedge. And she said, Ryan, the wedge is when we were in Atlanta. I said, Okay, I'll ask Ed when I'm she's like, he's gonna think you're an idiot. But uh, did you did you have to go take, did you get a degree?
SPEAKER_01Did you study that in at school? I sure did. Uh, I got a uh Bachelor of Science degree from NC State in meteorology, which I jokingly said just makes me an educated weather guesser, you know. But uh, hey, your wife's speaking my language when she talks about the wedge, though, man. That's a real deal.
SPEAKER_02I tell I told her I was gonna do it, but I mean it's El Nino and Wedge for 33 years telling me all these things. And she's like, dude, don't you remember what I said? I said, I don't know what you said. I I I'm gonna check with Ed to see if you're you've any official uh track, but very cool. So yeah, so being down here, well, let's talk about that. I mean, how much have things grown in your 32 years down here?
SPEAKER_01Well, Broadway at the beach, everybody goes there when they come to Myrtle Beach. That did not exist when uh I started here in January '94. And uh I was talking to a buddy of mine just this morning about you know, January, February when it rolled around in the mid-90s, they were rolling up the sidewalks. There was no restaurants open. You couldn't do anything. But now, you know, it's all year round we have visitors. So it's grown tremendously. The population has grown. Uh, you know, you can go to a different restaurant uh every single night for seven years and never eat at the same restaurant. So it's uh it's pretty amazing how much this place has grown.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I've just been, you know, the last couple of years being back and forth, just seeing just in every direction, going up towards you know, Calabash all the way down towards Conway and Florence, just growth and people coming into the the area. So it's really cool to see. Well, so what is it like? I mean, let's get into the you know, you'd have you've had two years we were just alluding to uh recent snow at the beach that I actually got to witness, which is one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life. But when you go into these kind of things, you're pretty much, you know, 24-7 giving updates. I mean, it's a pretty I mean, people don't realize the problem. I'm sure the time it takes to try to figure these models out.
SPEAKER_01Right. No, you're right. Um, I like to say there's 10 Super Bowls a year, 10 big weather events a year where people really, really depend on you uh to give them a forecast, context, and perspective on what's going on. So for me, that means I'm all in, whether it's you know, a 24-hour day or a seven-day work week, whatever it is, that's just when I need to be there to give people what they want. The rest of the year, it's it's obviously not as difficult. It's more of an eight-hour uh job, but uh I enjoy it. Um I love telling people about the weather. And uh hopefully whatever forecast I put out there is going to be accurate and helps them plan accordingly uh so that their family uh and their friends and their home are well protected. So it's pretty interesting uh each and every year, what big event's gonna be the one that really defines uh the year, like the snow did so far this year?
SPEAKER_02100%. So you did, like I said at the very beginning of the show, you do a lot. And I know you I didn't even let you answer it because I thought I was just giving you a compliment, but you do give so much back to the community, and this is a community connection show. What drive what's that drive? I mean, you don't have to do all that stuff.
SPEAKER_01No, you're right. I don't have to, but I absolutely love it. I really feel that um as much as I love my job as a television meteorologist, and that's my biggest passion, using my position in television to raise awareness for various organizations or charities or you know, teaching kids about the weather or just emceeing various events. Uh, it's just a great way to connect with the community, uh, highlight what they're doing in the community to make the community better. So I just always love it. I I probably do about 200 appearances a year, and uh, they really are fun. I don't know how else to put it, they're just a lot of fun, and you feel good about using your platform to help other people uh raise awareness to to what they're making money for or what they're trying to promote.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's funny. This show actually was uh had two different shows, it was an evolution right in the early days of COVID. And we started interviewing people making a difference, and they all have the same philosophy. I mean, you don't have to, but the answer very you said is because I want, I want to, you know, and and and I'm sure you feel the same way. These people you meet uh you come out better from getting to meet them, right? You know, people don't right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt there's a benefit for me too, because you, you know, you hope these people they get to know you, they like you, they're gonna follow you or watch you on television. And ultimately, that's how my bills are paid by people watching following me. So um I appreciate them. I always say, Ryan, you know, the people that watch me, the people that follow me, they're really my employers because without them, I don't have a job and I can't provide for my family. So I appreciate everybody who is willing to watch or listen to what I have to say when it comes to the weather.
SPEAKER_02Well, tell me, you you uh like you said, uh I'll let my wife at some point see when this is the show comes out about the wedge and El Nino and every other thing. I have cumulus clouds, I'm coming at old school memory. But tell me, uh, what do you enjoy? I know you like doing a little bit of travel when you get the time. What are some things you enjoy doing when you can get a minute to you know live your life a little bit outside the uh weather?
SPEAKER_01Well, my wife Cindy, who is an amazing woman who puts up with me, she loves being out at these events as well with me, which I think is really cool. And uh we don't have any children, so we can go out, go to a uh barbecue judging contest or MC an event. And people have actually asked her to come MC with me, which I think is really, really cool. Uh, so we love doing those things together. We love traveling. Um, you only live once, as I like to say, and it's we work hard, play hard. So I'll do 24-7 to get us through a uh a weather event, but I'm also gonna take my time and go have fun skiing or you know, going to a beach or whatever it may be. So it's it's just a lot of fun doing that stuff.
SPEAKER_02100%. And didn't know Cindy, uh, does she enjoy doing some of that M Sing with you?
SPEAKER_01She really does. She was a little nervous the first time, and I said, You don't have to do it. She said, No, I really want to do it because she knows it's it's helping a charity event. We do a lot of those together. And uh I kind of laugh because I think people like Cindy more than they like me. So, you know.
SPEAKER_02Well, that that means you uh yeah, what do we say, outpunch your coverage or whatever, whatever they outkick your coverage? I'll kick your coverage, yeah. Okay, the kickoff rules were getting me, you know, with uh kickoff rules. Right, right, yeah. Now, what uh you you were mentioning when you were kind of coming through. Did you have anybody kind of mentor you in when you have their leadership or communication skills when you were coming through meteorology? Did you kind of tip a cap to hey, you know, they showed me a way, you know, how they did it a little bit?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Um, when I was at NC State, I was in interning at a uh WCTI in Newburn, North Carolina, chief meteor officer at the time with Skip Waters. And I met him at the mall. He said, Come on up, you know, let's uh show you what we do here, kind of a thing. And so I learned a lot from him, not only about meteorology, but he's the one that really uh tipped me off that get involved in the community. It's good for everybody that gets involved. So I will always owe him a huge debt of gratitude for uh teaching me that. And then, of course, as you move on to other positions, uh, for me, there are people in the business who were my great mentors for meteorology. And that includes uh my buddy Rob Perillo, who's in Lafayette, Louisiana, Tim Heller, who was in Houston, Eric Thomas, who was in Charlotte, and uh just some other great people over time that have uh been there every step of the way for me, helping me get better at what I do.
SPEAKER_02Well, that is awesome. And look, you know, that's the thing. We all have those stories. I like to say, you know, we all have a story. I mean, I you know your story, you but we all have one and how we how we got to this moment. Now, in the uh ABC 15 Myrtle WPDE, um do you has it? You have a it looks like you got a great group of colleagues there. Uh y'all is that a really solid team?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they really are. And I know this is gonna sound cliche because this is not typical of television, but it really is like a family here. You know, Jen and I, uh our main anchor, we go uh on vacation every year together with our spouses to go skiing. Uh Connor is awesome. He's getting married to our morning meteorologist. And my team right now is as good as any team I've ever had. And it's because we're all, you know, to me, we're all down to earth. We we care about one another. And ultimately, we put the best product on we can and let the chips fall where they may. We're not going to sensationalize anything or create something that's not there. We just do what we got to do. In fact, one of our uh our production managers just walked in, Boston Mike. He's been with us for 15 years or so, and he's phenomenal. We have a lot of fun with him as well. But we all work together as a team and really feel like a family.
SPEAKER_02And I only ask you those quote unquote loaded questions because it comes across that way. I mean, it really does. I mean, authenticity, I often say, you know, you can't, I mean, it's hard to fake that completely.
SPEAKER_01People figure it out very, very quickly. There's no question about that. And we just we probably have too much fun and uh we have to be reeled in a little bit, you know, it's more of a newscast, but we do have a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it's it's um well, where is the uh I what was I gonna ask you? What outside of the Myrtle and the beaches here, what's one of the coolest oceans or beaches you've been to?
SPEAKER_01Oh gosh, my wife and I have been to Jamaica, okay. Um western part of Jamaica, those those beaches were phenomenal. I've been to the Bahamas several times, but it's usually in April for a conference and the it's still too chilly for me. Um and I also, you know, spent four years in Corpus Christi, Texas, so right there in the Gulf of Mexico is really cool as well.
SPEAKER_02So well, that's very cool. Well, um, so when you when you get in these situations, when we're talking to future leaders or you know, different people uh that would be listening to the show, what are some things you would just advise people, the up-and-comers of younger generations when they're gonna run into whatever their career choices, adversity or hardships, or hey, it must be great to listen to Ed and Ryan. They got all the answers, you know. I mean, what are some of the things you know when hey, it's all you know, being on TV is is is amazing, but it's not all roses and glory, you know, and then and so for those people just like, well, you guys got all the answers. Well, no, that is not true. But what might you say to them, you know, when they're having a hard patch of life?
SPEAKER_01You know, ultimately I tell people as they're as they're getting started in any business, work hard and do what you can for your business or your employer. It's not about what you can do for me, because the employer wants to see you work hard. You want to gain the experience as well. And that is huge in our business. I just want somebody that's committed and passionate about what they're doing. And if they are, they're going to get better and they're going to advance. And there's not a bigger turnoff in in an interview to hear somebody say, Well, how many weeks vacation do I get? Or when do I have to work a holiday? And you know, that's an immediate, like, yeah, it's a red flag there. So, you know, be passionate about what you do. Do everything you can to get your foot in the door as an intern and then eventually as an employer, work extra hours, do whatever you have to do uh to separate yourself from everybody else.
SPEAKER_02Man, you you literally almost gave the exact answer. I was telling someone the other day, is like that is not what you ask about. Can you work remote and you can you do this and that? You you pay your dues by going above and beyond. And uh, but you can see it. I mean, you you know, we're not here just here talking about the weather. I mean, you love what you do. I mean, you love what you do. I can see it in the community. You love it, and and if I follow you, you have the platform that you have on TV, which hence hopefully brings an audience through social or traditional TV or whatever, then translates into the real world relationships.
SPEAKER_01Right. And in this day and age, too, people don't sit down and just watch a newscast like they used to. So we have to be multi-uh media meteorologists, as I like to say. That means you need to meet people where they are. And a lot of times that's on social media, that's on YouTube, uh, you know, in general, any digital stuff. Uh, television is almost second now compared to what we do on digital, but you have to be there everywhere uh if you plan to succeed in this business. Because if you concentrate only on television, people don't want to wait all day to get information. They had to back in the day before the internet was another choice, but now you have to meet them where they are.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so you got that mainstay platform because people ask these questions. But you uh I know you've got your Facebook page, your Twitter. I still say Twitter, you know, X. Um it's always Twitter to me. Yeah, it's the Twitter, yeah, it's too. But um, before I forget to do it, what are your handles for that for people? Because I know you a lot of people follow you, but what are I don't remember offhand, but you they're pretty easy to find, I remember.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um, for for Twitter X, it's just Ed, it's at Ed uh Piatrowski, just my name. On Facebook, it's Ed Piotrowski W P D E. And I think it's the exact same thing for Instagram. I don't do TikTok, I just never really got into that and some of the other platforms. So I just concentrate on those three basically.
SPEAKER_02Perfect, perfect. Well, what um kind of looking at 2026, uh, what are some, you know, do you got any objectives in front of you that you want to accomplish or you know, some things you're excited about going in well, we're in March, so uh going into the warmer time, hopefully.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, I still don't want to get fired. That's always a good thing. Make sure the check doesn't bounce. But um yeah, you know, just to, you know, I'm I'm been working in television now for 35 years. So retirement is a lot closer now, you know, than it used to be. So no matter what I do, whether it's another year or five years, I just want to finish strong. In other words, you know, have the same passion, same work ethic all the way until the day I retire. I don't want to be one of those people like, yeah, he really got crazy toward the end there and didn't work very much. I just don't want that to be my legacy. So uh, you know, always work hard. Um, I always want to help build up the rest of our team so that they can move on and do other things as well. And we're always looking at the TV station to improve our digital footprint, uh, to do more things, to have more fun with that and to uh, you know, obviously meet more people on the digital side of things. That's still uh a place that we all need growth on compared to what we had in television. 100%.
SPEAKER_02100%. So that is um yeah, yeah, you don't want to be that uh sitcom back in the day hanging on for one more dear season. You know, you want to go out with gate, uh guns ablazing and and so you know, again, we got so many people watching the shows. Uh, you know, how do you I got one question I didn't ask you earlier, your values. I mean, things that are important to you, how how do those drive, you know, every part of your life and what you choosing to put your time into, in work, out of work, whatever. I mean, there's certain things that, hey, this is what makes me tick and what matters.
SPEAKER_01Right. You know, and I know this is gonna sound cliche, but in my mind, everybody is created equal. We're all, I don't care if you're the CEO of a company or you're the janitor in my eyes, uh, you know, you're we're all identical. We're all the same. Uh, so I treat everybody equally, uh, the same. And I just think that being a person who is kind and generous really goes a long way. You don't know how just a small act of kindness can really change somebody else's life or or give them a push in a direction uh that will help them tremendously. So that's just been uh something in my faith, of course, as well, is a big part of that. And I just always want to be a shining example of good in the community um and with my family as well. They're always going to come first. But um, when I'm out and about, I want people to know that I'm a genuine person and you can come up to me, we'll take pictures, do whatever you want. And uh, you know, just just to be a good guy in a in a world that is uh obviously very chaotic and often just crazy, just to kind of be a voice of reason. And uh, you know, my Facebook page, I don't allow politics, it's all positive. You can get all the negative stuff somewhere else.
SPEAKER_02I kid you not, that last statement you just said is exactly why this show launched. I said, you know what? If you want to read all that stuff, there's 95% of the online world that we're not doing it here, you know. And that's why when we bring great guests like yourself on, you know, there it's funny, you know, the faith, the values, the family, the community of of, and yeah, you know, I'm a real person, I'm a flesh and blood, you know, I'm on TV, you know, it's it's a part of it. Let me ask you this. I was just thinking, is there when you when you're doing the 24-hour days and and just grinding it out or whatever, as much as you love the weather, is there a story or moment that you go back to? Is it you know when you were a kid, you know, watching that weather when you were growing up or or thinking of that person at home that really count on you that it goes in your mind that it's like, dude, I'm tired. I'm I'm tired. Uh we all get there, but that that kind of reverberates well in the in the crux when you're in that challenge that comes out in your mind of why you're doing what you're doing.
SPEAKER_01You know, I you know, you you know when there are big weather events, people are searching for information so that they can make decisions, uh, the right decisions to protect their life and family. So I know during those long, you know, 24-hour days, it's really a lot of adrenaline and that drive, knowing that what I'm saying, I think is going to probably help somebody. So that is a huge motivating factor for me. And uh yeah, it does get tiring at times. We we'll take a nap here and there. We have a nice little couch in our uh in our weather office and we can do that in a in a down point. But you know, I just I just try to always be there to help people along the way. And the chief meteorologist I had before that uh was that way as well. And I saw what a big difference it made in his career in terms of people trusting him because they knew he was always going to be there for them. And as long as I'm here, I'm gonna always do that.
SPEAKER_02I love that. Well, what this is always a question people ask me, and I always try to figure out an answer. What would you say is like a fun fact or something that a lot of people wouldn't know about Ed? You know, that there's something you enjoy or something. I can never think of anything that good. So, you know, yeah, I'm trying to think of you pretty much said them all, but is there anything like out there?
SPEAKER_01I you know, I don't know. I mean, a lot of people find it fascinating that I was literally born in Hawaii, yeah. Um, but that's really about it. I'm a pretty plain Jane, so to speak. Uh trying to think if there's anything I don't know, I don't think so, Ryan. I wish I had something I could tell you about. It's okay it's okay. I'm who I am.
SPEAKER_02I never I never can answer that question either. I say the same thing. I'm like, you know, I don't really know, but I guess Hawaii makes sense because what military uh over in Hawaii, correct? Is that how is that how that started for you?
SPEAKER_01Say that again because I think you cut out from some.
SPEAKER_02But uh Hawaii's uh got a military base, correct? So is that where uh okay, so your first two years are there. So that is a kind of a cool story. Probably didn't get to enjoy it, didn't get to enjoy the beaches at 18 months old, but that's okay.
SPEAKER_01No, that's exactly right, but it's it's it was a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_02All right, so a couple more things, and you, you know, and then you guys gotta you gotta I know you got a lot to do. Um so if we're talking to people in the community right now and they want to connect more about hey, we got these great outreach things going on, and you're already covering a gazillion of them a year, so I'm not trying to put more in your plate, but how how do they go about that? Because there are so many wonderful things going on, the schools and the communities, and we all can't say yes to everything, but how how do they go about you know reaching out if there's something and in the future they're trying to build?
SPEAKER_01So, you know, with me, I I'm having open door policy, open email policy, whatever. And said, hey, if you got something going on, just email me or message me on Facebook. And uh, if I can, as long as the station lets me do it and I can fit it into my schedule, I'll be happy to help out with that, to help raise awareness. So that part, and a lot of times when we have big events, we have community partners here at WPDE. Once a month, we have a different um charity, I guess you can say, like American Cancer Society, Meals on Wheels. Whatever it may be. And we'll do stories on that. More of the anchor team will get involved to help raise awareness with that as well. So it's uh really on a station level. I do a lot more, uh obviously as an individual, but um yeah, all you have to do is reach out to me via Facebook or my email. And we even made my email easy. It's edit w.com. We're not going to put the Piotrowski in because that gets spelled a million different ways.
SPEAKER_02I do, I do understand. And I do understand. Um all right. So as we kind of um come to a close here, you know, uh, first of all, kudos to all doing that and making a difference in people's lives. I mean, you know, I do see the Facebook comments and you reach for your digital footprint. I mean, thousands and thousands and thousands of lives. And, you know, you know, you always got a few of the naysayers out there, but the value not you, I'm saying everybody in life, but people, but I mean, you still well, but it's important, it's impossible to please everybody, as you well know. And uh, you know, that's what I wanted to say in the outset. You work all those 24 hour days, by golly, you deserve a time to go and enjoy yourself and live life to the fullest, right? So to the so those last couple of people, let's say somebody wants to get into the weather. You know, we got a future generation coming up, not me, because I'm not competing enough to be in the weather. But the people, oh yes, she is, and I can't wait for her to listen to this because she's not gonna believe I went with the wedge and El Nino. I can't remember the other ones. I had like four of them, but she informed me the wedge is not um I had it all wrong. So, but what so NC State, do they still have a program uh in meteorology? Yes, they sure do.
SPEAKER_01Um, it's uh it's a BS in meteorology. In the Carolinas, you've got uh UNC Asheville, UNC Charlotte, and also the College of Charleston and um University of North Carolina in Asheville. So there's a lot of schools in uh the Carolinas where you can uh get a degree in meteorology. And uh I think to your point is you know, the most important thing if there are children out there that are watching or high school kids, math, science, and English are the three big things you're gonna have to know to get a degree in meteorology. And you know, the one thing too is that you you practice a lot, you get in front of a camera, intern at a television station, or just set up a camera and a green screen. Kids do that all the time now, and you practice. Then eventually you're gonna send a digital uh video out and eventually get hired. And like I said before, do everything you can do uh to impress those people that you're a hard worker and that'll that'll help you advance more than anything else.
SPEAKER_02I love it. It's absolutely fantastic. And um, with that said, um, I know we've we've we've hit our our our limit, but you know, it is um the last thing I want to say is that degree those people are getting, whether it's from meteorology or whatever else, with the advent of AI, this is my belief. You can tell me, but I feel if you've you've really busted it, you really know your craft, AI is not going to replace you. You're gonna get better at your craft versus somebody doesn't know anything and trying to use AI to replace, you know what I'm saying? And do you agree with that?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Yeah, 100%. Um, you know, we use uh models now that are AI based, and what they do is they just help they're learning from their mistakes. So it actually makes our forecast models better over time, but it still takes humans to actually interpret that. You know, people like, well, this model says this, and go, yeah, but sometimes those models are wrong, and here's why they're wrong. And that's what we learn through experience and and education is to know when the models are wrong. And uh, the human is always going to make a better forecast than any computer out there over time, but AI is definitely helping us in terms of making better forecasts because they're learning uh very, very quickly when they do make a mistake.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and that's what I've been telling students, the ones I've taught or whatever. I said, look, if you really, whatever it is, history, art, meteorology, what if you're really good at your that, you know, AI, then you can look at it constructively and take it to the next level versus, you know, you just input something and have no idea what you're getting out.
SPEAKER_01Right, right, exactly. So I used to say I'll write something up and then I'll run it through Chat GPT just to make sure that it's grammatically correct. Because as somebody who's a scientist, I'm not much of an English or a or a word, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_02No, I mean it's it, but I think, you know, and it's different generations list. We're coming to an end. I know I was telling you the last question, but you know, if you come in the end of the show, you know, I mean it's when the internet started or when social media started, you know, this is tools at our disposal. And again, I feel if you if you know things, they can make you more efficient and make you better. Uh, but you know, not learning the math and the English stuff when you were young kids or whatever, then you don't have any foundation to use such tools.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. I kind of look at AI. It's like before AI, you had a stick and you're gonna try to hit a ball with a stick. Now with AI, you can try to hit that ball with a big fat bat.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_01You know, you have a better chance of hitting the ball, so to speak. It just it enhances your product. If you use it the right way, it's gonna make you better and make your forecast better as well. Perfect.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'm gonna close us out here real quick, Ed, but let me first just thank you so much for uh taking time to come on the community connection show. I really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01Hey, thanks for having me, Ryan. I love doing things like this and uh long live your wife and her wedge. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02I'm sure I screwed that part up too, somehow, but uh, you know, I I got these weather terms she says, and she likes she loves the weather. So um I did I do too. I do too. But I'm gonna I'm gonna close this out and I just thank you again. Thanks. Keep up uh the great work in the community, keep up the great work with the weather, and keep working hard and playing hard, Ed. You're doing a great job.
SPEAKER_01Thank you, Ryan. Appreciate you very much.
SPEAKER_02All right, folks, you've been listening to another community connection show with Ryan Sowers, have special guest Ed Pietrowski, WPDE Myrtle, ABC 15 with me today. And thanks for tuning in, and we will see you next time.
SPEAKER_00This has been the Community Connection Show with Ryan Sowers. Stay on the lookout for new or past shows with community leaders wherever you listen to your podcasts. And if you want to see the video interview of any show, visit Community Connections TV.com. Thanks for tuning in, everyone, and we will see you next time.