VALLE CRUCIS, NC - What does a 7th grader who loves weather do? He creates a Facebook page to share his forecasts. That was 2016. Little did he know his interest in weather, and his Facebook page, would end up saving lives and getting help to many communities during Hurricane Helene in 2024.
That 7th grader was Ethan Clark, the owner and founder of North Carolina's Weather Authority. Clark is visiting Valle Crucis and the Original Mast Store for a Meet-Up and Q&A on Wednesday, October 14 at 5 p.m.
With a degree in environmental science and meteorology with concentrations in natural disasters and climate change, Clark is using his early love of weather to plot his career path.
In an article published in North Carolina State's Academic and Student Affairs Howlin' Success, Clark wanted to give smaller towns – like those in the mountains and along the coast – no-hype weather forecasts they can trust and count on. Several followers in the mountains and/or those with relatives in the western part of the state credited his posts and forecasts about Hurricane Helene with saving their lives. He also played a pivotal role in getting help to more remote towns – like Spruce Pine – and provided accurate information to aid rescue efforts after the disaster.
Submit your weather-related questions for the North Carolina Weather Authority via Mast Store's Facebook or Instagram presence by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, or ask them yourself at a Q&A session moderated by Mast Store's Social Media Creator Sammy Scheerer at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, on the back porch at the Original Mast Store in Valle Crucis. Participants can enjoy free popcorn during the event.
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