In Fairfield County, Jack Drake is a pseudo-celebrity. Known as the Danbury Weather Guy on social media, he has become the trusted, go-to meteorologist who offers daily, up-to-the-minute technical forecasts.
“I just broke 60,000 followers, which I never dreamed was possible. I try to bring a fun, upbeat, and local vibe to the weather reporting,” said Drake. “I just try my best to be authentic.”
To recognize Drake’s commitment to the school system and his community, Bethel Public Schools is awarding him the Friend of Bethel Award.
“This is an award given to someone in the community who has continued to give back to the school. He is a Bethel school parent and he’s been really supportive,” said Christine Carver, Bethel superintendent of schools. Along with a ceremony that will be held this month where other school awards will be given out, Drake’s photograph will be hung on the wall in the Bethel school’s central office.
“Every year, a variety of people are nominated by the community,” Carver said. “The winner wasn’t hard at all this year; Jack’s name came up a lot. He was the perfect person because he has definitely gone above and beyond in support of Bethel schools.
“He volunteered to be a keynote speaker at the school’s 2024 Science Fair/Expo where he highlighted his craft. He’s taken part in numerous school visits and assemblies, and he was part of our STEAM Expo where he spoke about meteorology and weather prediction.”
Carver admits she relies on Drake’s weather forecast for school delays and closings. “He’s become a real dependable voice, keeping parents up-to-date on weather. I find his school closure maps amusing,” she added.
Drake, a Bethel parent, was surprised upon learning of the award.
“I’m blessed to have a wonderful relationship with so many of the teachers and administrators at the schools. My aunt, Irene Drake, is a teacher at R.M.T. Johnson Elementary School and was actually the first to tell me,” he said. “I love sharing my passion with students. I’ve also consulted on forecasts for the First Selectman (Dan Carter) and Emergency Manager (Tom Galliford) in Bethel and I hosted a community event for the Solar Eclipse in 2024 on the Municipal Center lawn that brought hundreds of people together to look as the sky.”
Also, Drake hosted a “Twisters” movie night at Greenwood Features that brought in over 100 weather enthusiasts and storm chasers.
Form a very early age, Drake nurtured an interest in meteorology. “At four years old, I kept a weather journal and practiced live forecasts in my backyard,” he said.
Upon earning a B.S. in meteorology from Western Connecticut State University in 2017, Drake worked as an intern at WTNH Channel 8 in New Haven as a meteorologist/reporter. There, he collaborated with other meteorologists as part of WTNH’s Storm Team 8.
“I had a good time there and learned a lot from the other meteorologists, including Gil Simmons and Kevin Arnone,” he said. “But I did not pursue a broadcast career at that time due to minimal job openings, low starting pay, and concerns about the future of the TV news industry. Also, the hours were rough,” he said.
Instead, Drake pursued a career in corporate science to support his family without leaving his hometown. For his day job, he works as a quality engineer at Entegris, a semiconductor supply chain company in Danbury.
Retaining a love of weather forecasting, Drake started his Facebook page where he posts longer daily forecasts and explanations, sharing them across platforms. Over time, he has become well known across other area cities and towns for his accurate forecasting that features illustrative charts, graphs, and easy-to-understand technical explanations.
“I look at weather data every single day using a blend of tools – computer models, local weather stations, satellite/radar imagery,” he said. “I would do it regardless of whether I had a page of a following. I just live and breathe weather.”
His role models are Dr. Mel (Goldstein), chief meteorologist for WTNH who also created the WCSU Weather Center; Brad Field; and Gil Simmons.
Drake is happiest when he can share his love of meteorology. “I would like to continue being a resource for the community when bad weather strikes and inspiring future generations that may have a passion for science/nature/the outdoors,” he said.
