Max Jackson, Edmonson Voice: If you're like so many south central Kentuckians, you turn on your local news channel mainly to hear the recent weather forecast. The problem is, the person giving the forecast usually drops all kinds of stuff in there that you don't find interesting, or he or she's got their sleeves rolled up as though they're in the middle of some kind of a crisis. You just want to know if it's going to rain or if it's going to be cold, or simply, what kind of shirt you're supposed to wear. Landon Hampton, founder of wxornotbg.com (weather or not bg . com) has found success in creating his own brand of weather forecasting, and he's breaking all the rules. You probably remember him as the guy in the suit and tie on WNKY television (Channel 40) bringing you all that mumbo-jumbo, but he decided that that particular format wasn't for him and he had a different idea. "I consider myself very blessed to have had a passion for weather instilled in me since a very early age, 4 years old to be exact," he said. "From paperback weather books to a mini-weather radio I carried around, my passion only grew as I went through middle and high school." After graduating Butler County High in 2006, he graduated from WKU in 2010 with a B.S. in Meteorology and an A.S. in Meteorological Technologies. He was a member of WKU’s first class of Meteorology grads. "After shocking my friends and family by quitting a comfortable job as a Flight Control Meteorologist with UPS in Louisville, I took a leap of faith and moved back home into my parents' basement with aspirations of launching my own weather company." Coming from a long line of entrepreneurs, he didn’t see why he couldn’t become one himself. "I launched ‘Landon’s Fast-Forecast’ in 2011, which quickly grew a following," he said. "I was then approached by Diane Dyer, owner and operator of Beech Tree News in Morgantown, to provide weather content for them digitally and through social media. This obviously increased my exposure, and also provided a new outlet to provide weather content, following their launch of an FM radio station in 2014." After spreading through Butler and Warren Counties, thanks to Beech Tree, WNKY, and the Daily News, wxornotBG was officially launched in 2013. Since then, he's continued breaking the rules, gaining more outlet partners, and reaching more and more south central Kentucky residents, as he provides weather forecasting information and content across multiple digital, radio, and broadcasting platforms. And all without scaring people to death, telling them to go buy milk and bread, and without rolling up his sleeves. ![]() Landon has officially joined the Edmonson Voice team as our very own meteorologist with the help from PBI Bank in Brownsville. Thanks to PBI, Brownsville will now have it's very own Weather SkyCam looking down at the Edmonson County Courthouse that will have a view of the town square, Brownsville skies, and current weather conditions in real time. "Becoming a partner with the Edmonson Voice is another HUGE piece to the puzzle," he said. "I was born and raised in Butler County, and one reason I launched wxornotBG was to fix what I looked at as a problem: sub-par weather coverage for rural areas." He said small towns and tight-knit communities are what helped take wxornotBG.com to what it is today, and that the Edmonson Voice is another perfect outlet for wxornotBG. "Being part of Edmonson County's top local news source is a no-brainer," he added. "The Edmonson Voice has found success in much of the same way I did," he said. "The future is digital technology and the Voice has not only embraced that idea, but found a way to bring a great network to their hometown. That's exactly what we're trying to do with wxornotBG.com. We’re providing weather info in a new & improved way, with pictures, digital weather sensors, and SkyCams that help us tell a more complete story." The Edmonson Voice has featured a Weather Page for quite some time thanks to Edmonson Drug Co. INC, but now that page will be much improved, full of local, personalized weather forecasts from Landon twice everyday, along with shots from the PBI Bank SkyCam. Landon's popular videos also break the rules. His forecasts are recorded in his own personal office, in a casual setting, oft times in jeans and a t-shirt. He regularly incorporates comedy and pop culture in his forecasts, another reason for his growing popularity. "The weather can be complicated at times, and we’re here to provide a solid educational foundation to help those we serve better understand our environment," he said. "We also like to have a little fun, too," he said with a smile. "I’m extremely excited to join the Edmonson Voice family and I look forward to where this goes in the future." *Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site.
Odis allen
5/8/2017 08:23:15 am
Just watched OUR weather channel and I loved it. Very thorough and concise report without the drama. I really liked the weather map combinations coupled with clear descriptions. Thank you.
Andrea Wells
5/8/2017 08:59:09 am
Wow, this is a great feature. Way to go Voice! Best news source ever. Comments are closed.
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