Nor’Easter Nick on Resilience, Reinvention, and the Future of Digital Weather
For more than a decade, “Nor’Easter” Nick Pittman has been a trusted voice for weather in southern New Jersey. But behind the forecasts is a story of hardship, grit, and transformation. From a childhood shaped by fear of severe storms and family instability to becoming the youngest on-air weather forecaster in the country at 17, Pittman has built a career defined by resilience and innovation. Now the founder and CEO of NorCast Media Group, he shares the personal journey behind his new book, Rain Date: Unpredictable Lessons from My Life Forecasting the Weather—and why its message reaches far beyond meteorology.
Why did you write this book?
This marks my 17th year working professionally in meteorology, and my path has been anything but traditional.
My passion began at age four during the Blizzard of ’96. Growing up in Brigantine, New Jersey, just north of Atlantic City, I was mesmerized by towering snowdrifts and glued to the television watching coverage from broadcasters like Jim Cantore and Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz. I wanted to be just like them.
At the same time, I was terrified of thunderstorms. When storms rolled across the bay, I hid under my bed, convinced severe weather meant catastrophe. Ironically, today I’m the meteorologist urging viewers to stay home while I head straight toward the strongest part of the storm. The power of nature still fascinates me.
If you had asked me in 2006 where I’d end up, I would have said 6 ABC in Philadelphia. Instead, I built my own digital weather and media company—something I never imagined at the time. The media landscape was changing, and I changed with it.
I wrote this book to show that no matter what you’re facing, your circumstances do not define your future. Through hard work and determination, obstacles can become opportunities. I hope it inspires the next generation of meteorologists—and anyone chasing a dream.
Your early life included significant personal challenges. How did that shape you?
When I was 10, my grandmother—who raised me—was diagnosed with dementia. I had been given up by my parents as a toddler, so she was my entire world. When her health declined, I became her caregiver in secret, afraid that if anyone knew, I would be placed in foster care.
By 2006, her condition worsened, and we lost our home. I moved back in with my parents, where I faced difficult living conditions and financial hardship. I began working at 14 to help survive.
Weather became my escape—and ultimately, my salvation. During one of the darkest periods of my life, a new broadcast program launched at my high school. Comcast had built a state-of-the-art studio. I immediately immersed myself in forecasting for the morning news.
At 17, I was hired by WMGM-TV (NBC40), becoming the youngest on-air weather forecaster in the country at the time. That opportunity changed everything.
How did NorCast Media Group begin?
After a decade in local television, including the closure of two stations, I faced a choice: return to retail management, move to a new market, or create something entirely new.
In 2019, I chose the third option.
With strong community recognition and about 40,000 Facebook followers at the time, I approached former advertisers and proposed a digital-first weather platform. Many agreed to support it. That foundation allowed me to launch NorCast Media Group.
When COVID-19 hit, I feared the business wouldn’t survive. Instead, demand surged. Within three months, we expanded from 5 advertisers to 25 and scaled rapidly.
Seven years later, NorCast includes four divisions: Broadcast Weather, Social Media Marketing, Video Production, and Weather Consulting. We also acquired a local print magazine to expand into publishing. Today, we employ 24 people—12 of them meteorologists—and reach hundreds of thousands across digital platforms. My former news director from TV40 now serves as our general manager—a true full-circle moment.
We were the first in the country to successfully execute this independent, digital-first weather model. Now, meteorologists in larger markets are reaching out, recognizing that traditional television news is no longer as sustainable as it once was.
This spring, we’ll welcome Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz as our climate expert, expanding our educational content and reinforcing our commitment to accurate, nonsensationalized reporting.
Who is the book for?
Initially, I wrote it with middle and high school students in mind—especially those facing adversity. But I quickly realized the message is universal.
Each chapter opens with a weather forecast and closes with an entry from the weather journal I kept as a child. Weather becomes a metaphor for life: storms pass, seasons change, and resilience matters.
Adults face the same fears and uncertainties as kids do. The lessons apply to anyone navigating rough weather, literal or figurative.
What obstacles did you face while writing?
Professionally, I often felt underestimated because of my age. Breaking into the industry at 17 was unusual, and I had to prove myself constantly.
Personally, I live with ADHD. I can multitask endlessly but finishing long-term projects can be challenging. I began writing the book during my honeymoon in 2019, paused during the pandemic, and finally committed to finishing it in 2024.
I’m glad I waited. The second half of the book—about entrepreneurship and building my company—would have been very different had I finished it earlier.
What did you learn through the process?
Writing this book was therapeutic. I’m not someone who easily talks about emotions, but putting these experiences on paper forced me to revisit moments I hadn’t confronted in years.
It felt like lifting a weight off my shoulders. Sharing the story publicly brought closure and clarity.
What impact do you hope this work will have?
In large markets, meteorologists can sometimes feel distant from their audiences. I strive for transparency and authenticity. Trust is built through connection.
I want readers to see that meteorologists—and leaders—are human. We face struggles. We adapt. We grow.
Beyond forecasting accuracy, I hope I’m ultimately measured by the impact I’ve had on people’s lives.
Through our nonprofit, The NorEasterNick Rainy Day Project, we’ve provided more than 3,000 local families with holiday meal support. Growing up with financial hardship left a lasting impression. Success means little if you don’t give back.
What’s next?
I’m collaborating with independent meteorologists nationwide to launch the Digital Weather Network—a coalition of trusted, nonsensationalized weather voices in every state.
Personally, my focus remains on growing NorCast in New Jersey and expanding responsibly beyond the Philadelphia market—without ever losing sight of what matters most: accuracy, integrity, and service to the community.
Author Biography
“Nor’Easter” Nick Pittman is the president, CEO, and founder of NorCast Media Group. A South Jersey native, he became the nation’s youngest on-air weather forecaster at age 17 when he joined WMGM-TV. After a decade in local television, he launched NorCast in 2019, pioneering a digital-first weather model.
Today, NorCast operates across broadcast, consulting, production, marketing, and publishing divisions and is the most-followed weather source in New Jersey. Nick is also the founder of The NorEasterNick Rainy Day Project, which has raised more than $100,000 to support families in need.
Nick resides in Gloucester County, New Jersey, with his husband, Brandon, and their three dogs.
