Lauren Linahan

MeteorologistBirmingham, Alabama Lauren Linahan joined the WBRC First Alert Weather Team in November 2021 as the new Weekend Evening Meteorologist, replacing Wes Wyatt after he was promoted to Chief Meteorologist. She comes to Birmingham from WTVM, Gray Television’s sister station in Columbus, Georgia. Lauren served as the morning meteorologist for more than three years, forecasting every weekday for the Chattahoochee Valley, which includes west Georgia and east Alabama. She loved providing sunshine, laughs, and a little caffeine boost early in the morning to help people get out the door and get their day started. While in Columbus, she covered Hurricane Michael and the deadly March 3, 2019 tornado outbreak, two of the most transformative moments of her career. Though Lauren comes to Alabama from her home state of Georgia, this is not her first stop in the Yellowhammer state. Lauren’s first on-air job was as a meteorologist and reporter at WTVY, Gray Television’s sister station in Dothan, Alabama. One of Lauren’s favorite aspects of working in southeast Alabama was traveling to north Florida for the landfall of Hurricane Hermine, as well as covering stories focused on environmental and animal advocacy. Lauren grew up in Valdosta, Georgia AKA Winnersville USA and went to college in her hometown. Though she started off school with the intentions of majoring in theatre, she ended up pursuing her lifelong passion for weather and conquering her fear of math by graduating from Valdosta State University with a B.S. in Environmental Geosciences and a B.A. in French in 2012. She also completed Mississippi State’s Broadcast Meteorology Program in 2017. Lauren earned her National Weather Association Seal of Approval. She is an active member of the American Meteorological Society and serves on their Board for Early Career Professionals and completed the organization’s Early Career Leadership Academy. Apart from professional accolades, Lauren won Best News Personality two years in a row in the Columbus Ledger Enquirer’s Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition to meteorology (and memes, of course), Lauren uses her platform to fight the stigma on mental health. In her free time, Lauren likes to indulge in Mexican and Thai cuisine (and any local food), go to the theatre, spend time with her plants (#PlantMom), and explore the great outdoors. But her favorite past-time is a chill night in with her toothless rescue cat, Ophelia. Lauren is stoked to be back in Sweet Home Alabama, and as a Harry Potter nerd (Slytherin House represent!), could not be more excited about serving the "Magic City!" First Alert Weather: Dangerous heat possible later this week Updated: Jun. 26, 2023 at 9:13 PM CDT | Slightly drier air will continue to filter in this evening thanks to a weak cold front moving across the state. The weak cold front will help to keep a breeze around overnight with westerly winds at 5-10 mph. First Alert Weather: Cranking up the heat for Mother’s Day Weekend Updated: May. 12, 2023 at 10:46 PM CDT | We are looking at isolated showers this morning, but scattered showers and storms could develop again this afternoon and evening thanks to some daytime heating and leftover outflow boundaries from dissipating storms yesterday and this morning. First Alert Weather: Summertime vibes in the forecast Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 9:27 PM CDT | All is quiet on First Alert AccuTrack Satellite and Radar across Central Alabama tonight; however, we are keeping an eye on a nearby cluster of storms approaching Tennessee from Missouri that could eventually move south into Alabama overnight into early Tuesday morning.