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Charlie & Debbie

Legendary North Carolina Meteorologist Retires

Author Charlie & Debbie

You talk about a hell of a run?  On Wednesday night, Steve Udelson hung up his weather forecasting helmet with WSOC-TV, Channel 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He’d been with the station for 27 years.  Nearly three decades of meteorology in the Queen City, that’s quite the accomplishment.

In my years in the broadcasting business, I’ve been fortunate enough to be around a lot of TV weather forecasters.  There are a couple of things they all have in common.  First, they are all weather geeks.  To a one, they all get weirdly giddy at the notion of weather changes of any kind.  They are like that nerdy kid in chemistry class than mouths the word, “cool,” at every experiment.  Two, and this is the big one, they are all really committed to the people of the communities they serve.

The best TV weather people are not unlike (to me) doctors, clergy and first responders in that they feel called to use their knowledge to help others.  The reason why they are so “geeky” when it comes to weather is that they sincerely want to inform people of changes in the weather to help in their lives.  In other words, people like Steve Udelson aren’t just fascinated and excited by a coming hurricane, but they are obsessed with “getting it right” so that people have all the information they need to stay safe from harm.  Most of the time, this inherent community service stretches beyond the weather forecasting.  Steve Udelson is no exception.  You cannot mention his name without mentioning, “Steve’s Coats For Kids” annual campaign.

For twenty years, Steve has spearheaded a drive to provide kids with warm coats for the cold winter months.  In that time, he has helped more than a quarter million boys and girls.  That’s a wow. 250,000 children who never had to face the harshness of winter cold because Steve Udelson cares.  That’s quite the legacy.

On Wednesday night, Steve Udelson delivered his final weather forecast on WSOC after 27 years.  Job well done on all fronts.  Udelson is succeeded by a longtime co-worker.  John Ahrens is a certified meteorologist who has been with the station since 2006.

He’s got some big boots or in this case, jackets to fill.

North & South Carolina Are Some of the Rainiest States in the U.S.

As I sit here watching the rain pour down, it’s not shocking to see this list now. Some states just, unfortunately, get more rain than others all year long. Today, the weather was so gloomy that I looked at the weather app, and seems we’ll be having some rainy weather for quite some time. Why? It’s summer and we would much rather the warm weather and some sun so we can enjoy the outside. But, guess that’s the downfall of living somewhere that deals with a lot of rainfall per year.

A-Z Animals actually named 10 of the rainiest states in the U.S. Of course, both the Carolinas made the top 10. Can you guess where we fell on the list? Both states are certainly in the top 10, but we’re not exactly number one which I guess is the positive side of things. But, as we sit here and enjoy this rainy week, might as well see how much rain the Carolinas get compared to some other spots. Check out a few below and if you would like to see the full list of 10, click here.

  • South Carolina

    Well, let’s start things off right in South Carolina. South Carolina made the bottom of the top 10 coming in as the tenth rainiest state in the U.S. The state receives nearly 48 inches of rainfall a year. The rainiest month in the state is August, but they average about 3,9 inches of rain per month. If you were wondering what the driest part of the state is then you should head to McColl, South Carolina.

  • North Carolina

    Now, we’re looking into the other half of the Carolinas and seeing what North Carolina has going on when it comes to rain. North Carolina averages roughly 49.3 inches of rain per year with their wettest month being August just like in South Carolina. Each month, the state receives about 4 inches per month. The wettest location in the state is Lake Toxaway, but the driest part of the state is Asheville. Which is great since it’s one of our most popular destinations. Right now, I am sure we’re wishing it was Charlotte though. 

  • Arkansas

    Did you know Arkansas is the eighth rainiest state in the country. Which I never really would think of Arkansas when I think of rain happening. Arkansas has an annual rainfall of about 49.6 inches of rain per year with their wettest month being May. Slightly different from the Carolinas. Each month, Arkansas sees about 4 inches of rain per month. What’s crazy is that the wettest area of the state is Big Fork and sees about 62.65 inches of rainfall per year.

  • Georgia

    Of course, Georgia is making the list. If it’s one thing that the south is clearly good for, it’s some rainfall. Georgia’s climate changes quite often from tropical to continental. Georgia sees an average of 50.1 inches of rainfall per year. Their wettest month is July, so I guess Georgia is about to get a little bit crazier in the next few weeks.

  • Tennessee

    In Tennessee, they’re pretty similar to Georgia with their rainfall. Tennessee sees about an average of 51.6 inches of rainfall per year. Their rainiest month is July, just like Georgia. But, the wettest spot in the state, Mount Leconte, receives about 81.28 inches of rainfall per year. That’s insane! Seems like these southern states surely enjoy a good bit of rainfall. 

Charlie Nance is the Afternoon Drive co-host (along with his wife) of "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The couple have been with the radio station since 2006. Charlie has won the prestigious CMA (Country Music Association) Award for Radio Personality of the Year and has been a finalist for the Country Radio Hall of Fame four times. Prior to his time in Charlotte, Charlie (along with Debbie) spent more than a decade hosting successful morning radio shows in Greenville, SC; Augusta, Ga; and Birmingham, Al. As a content creator for Country 1037, Charlie writes about dream lottery windfalls, sports, restaurants and bars, and travel experiences in North and South Carolina.

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