Al Roker’s New Show on PBS Helps Children Overcome Their Weather-Related Anxiety

Looking for ways to support your child’s understanding of weather without triggering climate anxiety? Look no further than PBS Kids! Earlier this month, the network debuted Weather Hunters, an animated program geared towards youth ages 5 to 8.

News anchor and weathercaster Al Roker co-created and stars in the show. “Right now is the perfect time for Weather Hunters because there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world and happening in weather,” he told Parents magazine. “We need to try to demystify it and explain to kids why things happen. Because even after the mystery is gone, the awe remains the same.”

Weather Hunters follows the curiosities of 8-year-old Lily Hunter, a young weather detective, and her family: her dad, a TV weathercaster named Al, voiced by Roker; her mom Dot, a TV producer; her 11-year-old brother Corky, who passionately documents exciting weather events on video; and her 5-year-old brother Benny, who draws and paints what he sees on family weather adventures.

Episodes cover everything from the science behind cumulus clouds to how to prepare for hurricanes. The latter episode was inspired by real-life events, Roker said, when his own family survived Superstorm Sandy.

Now adults, his children were terrified by the 2012 storm. “We talk about hurricane preparedness, how we can track and watch them, have a plan ready and make sure that we’re okay,” Roker said. “We give kids permission to be concerned about things – but must explain what we’re going to do about it. Kids feel what we feel. They are incredible receptors of our feelings.” 

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