Howdy! I joined the KETK 56 Weather Team in 1998 as weekend meteorologist and am currently the morning meteorologist for KETK 56 Today with sidekicks Bob Brackeen and Melissa Lanier. They are fun co-workers! The behind-the-scenes crew on the morning news also makes KETK a fun place to work!

It's great to work with veteran Chief Meteorologist Scott Chesner, an excellent meteorologist~ It's also an honor to work with fellow Aggie, Meteorologist Zach Glenn, who has weather wisdom and talent beyond his years!

Before coming to KETK, I was morning meteorologist at WXVT in Greenville, Mississippi. I'm a Native Texan, born in Bryan and spent my early years in South Louisiana before moving to Houston. I've been coming to East Texas all my life as my dad and relatives are from East Texas. My mother's side comes from the Hill Country, so we're plain old Texas folk!

I'm an Aggie, Class of 1993 with a degree in agriculture. I also graduated from Mississippi State University in 1996 with a masters degree in Geoscience with emphasis in broadcast meteorology.

I've loved watching the weather since a little boy in Louisiana where I made storm shelters out of blankets and TV trays. In high school, I tracked hurricanes and attended weather seminars very early on Saturday mornings much to the dislike of my parents, who drove me before my driving days. I can also remember getting up in the middle of the night to see if it'd snowed, since snow is a rare sight on the Gulf Coast!

My motivation comes from my faith in Christ, as everything else in life flows out of that relationship. I'm blessed to be a part of the Green Acres Baptist Church family.

I enjoy many things like exercising, outdoor activities, watching football, praise/worship music, country music and having a good time whether at work or wherever!

Other things I enjoy include reading, collecting books about weather, earth science and geography. Fishing, ham radio and shortwave radio listening are other interests.

I also enjoy meeting people. I speak to schools and businesses about the weather and participate in various East Texas community activities. If you'd like me to speak, be a part of an event, answer a weather question or just want to stop by and chat over a cup of coffee, please feel free to call or email me at the station. My e-mail address is thornton@nbc56.com

Thanks for watching KETK 56 and waking up with Bob, Melissa and myself. If you haven't done so yet, give us a try!