She had both forecast this event and reported from the field after the disastrous flooding occurred. One event that stood out to Shalhoup, in particular, was the 2021 Tennessee floods that killed 20 people. Aside from being under a microscope more than the average person, there's also the emotional toll of needing to cover some tough situations. It wasn't without emotional labor, however. 'All of the science that I loved growing up, this is my way to actually use that and help the public and make this a part of my life.' 'It took me five days, and I figured it out,' Shalhoup said. Instead, her first boss asked her to cover the weather. Shalhoup would go on to use her communications degree toward a career in broadcasting - but not as an anchor. 'I feel like we kind of have each other's backs in that way.' 'And it's nice to have that kind of support from other women, and I feel like that's been one of the benefits of being a woman in this field,' Shalhoup added. It doesn't matter what you've done in your past, just know that you're working towards your future,'' she would tell Shalhoup. ''You've been doing this your whole life, whether you realize it or not. Her mother would also played a large role in encouraging her and supporting her whenever she had difficulty with a lesson or problem. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Shalhoup didn't start out in meteorology, but as the daughter of a science teacher, she grew up with a love for the subject. 'You'd never call a male meteorologist 'weather boy,' right? You'd never go into a courtroom and call a female lawyer 'legal girl,' right?' my student loans for my meteorology certification would already be paid off,' Shalhoup said. 'If I had a dollar for every time I've been called 'weather girl'. Shalhoup added that in local news, most broadcasters choose and pay for all their own clothing, makeup and hairstyling, which can cost a small fortune.Įxpectations and qualifications are also emphasized with women meteorologists, Shalhoup pointed out. One example she gave was when she received a 'scathing' message from a viewer after wearing the same pair of heels for the third time in a week. In my experience, that expectation is minimal, at most, for men.' 'Of course I want to look good while presenting on TV, but I don't want my performance to rest solely on that. 'There's definitely a greater emphasis on appearance for women. Viewer reaction to a broadcaster's wardrobe choice is one of the main differences, she pointed out.

Female meteorologist