February is Black History Month. In this post, we spotlight the exceptional career of one of our African American community members: Lelan Statom.
Statom is an award-winning meteorologist with almost 40 years of experience in news media. At NewsChannel 5 in Nashville he is senior meteorologist and cohost of the popular long-running lifestyle show Talk of the Town. In May he will celebrate 33 years at the station, and soon he will take on one of his most exciting roles yet—becoming a grandfather.
Can you tell us a few highlights from your career?
I have been truly blessed during my time in television news. While I don’t necessarily want to call them highlights, I have covered several big weather events over the last 35 years. The mission is to help provide crucial and potentially lifesaving information.
I was at WCYB-TV in Bristol, Virginia, for the so-called “Storm of the Century” in 1993. At WTVF-TV in Nashville, I helped cover the 1998 and 2020 tornadoes that hit the city and nearby communities. I was on the air during the 2010 floods and most recently for the ice storm that hit the region in late January.
I have received several fantastic honors. In 2019, I was named the National Broadcaster of the Year by the National Weather Association. I have received nine regional Emmy awards while at NewsChannel 5 Nashville.
Over the last couple of years I have been recognized by my alma mater and hometown.
Dyersburg City Schools inducted me into the Hall of Honor in 2023. That same year I was inducted into the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Hall of Honor for all of the school visits I have made over my career. In 2020, my college, the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, bestowed upon me the highest award for an alumnus, the Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
I am proud of the work I have done with my colleagues at NewsChannel 5. We have done some great work over the years. I am most proud of being able to balance work and home with my crazy hours. I’ve been on the morning show for over 25 years. I married my wife, Yolanda, the year I came to WTVF in 1993. We have two adult children, and my wife and I are months away from joining the grandparent club.
Have things changed for Black meteorologists or scientists over the years? What still needs to change?
The number of Black meteorologists has grown greatly over the past 10–15 years. I grew up watching Memphis television and don’t recall seeing any Black weatherpersons during my childhood. The city was over 40% African American when I was in high school.
Are there other Black meteorologists/atmospheric scientists who have particularly influenced or inspired you?
I don’t know if it was Alan Sealls, current AMS president, or Bryan Busby with KMBC in Kansas City, but someone once remarked there was a time you could put all of the Black meteorologists in a hotel room for a conference. That has definitely changed. Black scientists are being given more opportunities.
There are areas that still need improvements. The last number I heard was only 2% of meteorologists are Black. We’ve grown in numbers but still lag far behind. In my market, there have only been 5 Black weather anchors during my 30+ years here. Two of those meteorologists just arrived within the last couple of years. The number of chief meteorologists also continues to be too low.
Before I decided to concentrate on meteorology, I wanted to be a news anchor. I was inspired by Max Robinson, the first Black person to anchor a nightly network evening newscast.
My love for weather dates back to middle school. I was also inspired by Spencer Christian, who was the weather anchor for Good Morning America in the 80s and 90s. I also liked Steve Poole, who often filled in for Christian during his time with KOMO in Seattle. They showed a small-town Black child that African Americans can do this job and do it very well.
