Fox Weather
Fox Weather is an American free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) weather service owned by Fox Corporation through its Fox News Media division, launched on October 25, 2021, to deliver 24/7 weather forecasts, severe weather analysis, and meteorological reporting without political commentary.[1][2][3] The channel operates from a dedicated studio in New York City and emphasizes hyper-local predictions, radar mapping, and live storm tracking, positioning itself as a direct competitor to established services like The Weather Channel amid rising demand for specialized streaming content.[4][5] Programming features a rotating team of on-air meteorologists, including early hires such as Jason Frazer, Britta Merwin, and Craig Herrera, with recent additions like veteran storm specialist Mike Seidel in 2024 and Bayne Froney in 2025, who contribute to segments on global weather patterns and emergency response.[3][6][7] Weekend blocks have been simulcast on Fox Business Network since December 2021, expanding its reach to traditional cable audiences while maintaining a focus on data-driven updates over narrative-driven environmental debates.[8] As Fox News Media's eighth digital platform under CEO Suzanne Scott, it leverages the parent company's infrastructure for broad distribution via apps, smart TVs, and online platforms, achieving notable viewership during major events like hurricanes despite limited linear cable carriage.[1][4]History
Launch and Founding
Fox Weather was established by Fox News Media, a division of Fox Corporation, as a 24/7 ad-supported streaming weather service aimed at providing comprehensive weather coverage. The initiative originated as the brainchild of Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, who oversaw two years of strategic planning and development prior to its rollout.[9] On May 20, 2021, Fox Weather announced its initial leadership team, comprising six executives to guide operations, including Sharri Berg as president, who had previously served on the founding team for the Fox News Channel's 1996 launch. The service's official debut was scheduled and announced on October 6, 2021, with the Fox Weather app becoming available for download the following day, October 24.[10][11][12] Fox Weather launched on October 25, 2021, marking the eighth streaming platform under Fox News Media. The inaugural broadcast featured Fox Weather Sunrise, hosted by Jason Frazer and Britta Merwin, initiating continuous weather programming accessible via streaming and over-the-air digital channels.[1][13][14]Expansion and Key Milestones
Following its launch on October 25, 2021, Fox Weather rapidly expanded its over-the-air presence by initiating broadcasts as a digital subchannel on three Fox-owned television stations on February 14, 2022, with intentions to roll out to the remaining 15 owned-and-operated stations. By August 2023, the service had secured distribution agreements with numerous platforms, including Samsung TV Plus—adding availability on channel 1010 for compatible smart TVs and devices—and Cox Contour TV's Expanded Basic package in select markets such as Las Vegas, Cleveland, and Phoenix, thereby reaching an additional 1.7 million subscribers through the Cox deal alone. Further expansions included integrations with Dish and Sling Freestream in November 2023, Pluto TV starting August 1, 2024, and DirecTV in September 2024, building on earlier partnerships like Verizon Fios, The Roku Channel, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Fire TV Channels, and others established since inception. Audience metrics demonstrated significant growth in the service's early years; by October 2022, one year post-launch, overall viewership had increased 700% from debut levels, with the companion mobile app surpassing 2 million downloads across Apple and Google Play stores. During Hurricane Ian's landfall in September 2022, Fox Weather logged over 313 million viewing minutes in one week, including 9 million on its YouTube simulcast, marking a 40% audience surge compared to pre-storm baselines and highlighting enhanced live event capabilities via deployed Starlink terminals and storm-chasing vehicles. By its three-year mark in October 2024, the channel reported exponential year-over-year increases in both viewership and revenue, defying initial industry skepticism about viability in a fragmented free-streaming weather market, with further double-digit gains across key performance indicators following a brand refresh in August 2025. These developments underscored Fox Weather's strategic emphasis on broadening accessibility amid rising demand for ad-supported, mobile-first weather content.Operations
Facilities and Technology
Fox Weather's primary broadcast facilities are located in Studio W, situated on the 14th floor of the News Corporation headquarters in New York City, where operations commenced on October 25, 2021.[15][16] The studio features a dedicated set under a structure referred to as the "sky dome," incorporating a traditional anchor desk alongside advanced visual elements designed for weather presentation, including immersive graphics and mapping interfaces.[15] In February 2022, Fox Weather expanded with the opening of a bureau in Orlando, Florida, housed at the WOFL television station facilities.[17][18] This site, designated as the Fox Weather Center, includes a state-of-the-art production studio optimized for tropical storm coverage, with integrated access to local Doppler radar systems and support for on-site field reporting teams.[17][19] Technologically, Fox Weather employs proprietary interactive tools, notably within its mobile app launched alongside the network, which utilizes videogame-derived rendering for Doppler radar visualization.[20] This enables users to toggle between 2D and 3D storm maps, facilitating navigation through severe weather events via high-resolution national and local perspectives.[21][22] On-air presentations incorporate customized weather graphics and radar overlays, emphasizing real-time data integration from multiple sources to support forecasting and event tracking.[15]Staff and Leadership
Sharri Berg serves as President of Fox Weather, a role she has held since the channel's announcement in 2021, reporting to Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott.[23][1] Berg, who joined Fox News Channel at its 1996 launch, also oversees operations drawing on the broader Fox News Media resources, including over 75 meteorologists.[24] The core executive team, established in May 2021 and based in New York, reports directly to Berg and handles programming, digital strategy, operations, and development.[24] Key members include David Clark as Senior Vice President and Head of Programming, with prior experience in Fox News weekend programming since 2007; Steve Baron as Senior Vice President of Digital Product and Strategy, a former chief strategy officer at the Local Media Association; Mike McClain as Senior Vice President and General Manager, also managing Fox stations in Orlando; Dianne Doctor as Vice President of Programming Development; Tim Gaughan as Vice President of News Operations, with prior stints at CBS News and Fox; and Deante Parker as Director and Head of Video Operations and Audience Development.[24] In September 2024, Jason Hermes joined as Vice President of Advertising Sales and Partnerships, bringing experience from The Weather Channel.[25] Fox Weather's on-air staff features a team of meteorologists and anchors providing round-the-clock coverage, supplemented by correspondents for live event reporting.[26] Notable personnel include anchors and meteorologists such as Stephen Morgan, Jason Frazer, Britta Merwin, Craig Herrera, Brigit Mahoney, and Nick Kosir, signed in June 2021 to lead core programming.[27] Bryan Norcross serves as hurricane specialist since March 2022, leveraging decades of tropical weather expertise.[28] Recent additions encompass veteran meteorologist Mike Seidel in August 2024 after 30 years at The Weather Channel, and Ari Sarsalari from The Weather Channel app.[6][29] The team utilizes Fox News Media's established talent pool alongside specialized hires for comprehensive weather forecasting.[24]Programming
Daily Format and Content
Fox Weather maintains a 24/7 schedule of live and original programming centered on meteorologist-led forecasts, radar monitoring, and weather analysis, with content drawn from national models, satellite data, and on-the-ground reporting. Weekday broadcasts emphasize structured blocks hosted by rotating members of America's Weather Team, providing hourly updates, regional breakdowns, and alerts for severe conditions such as storms or temperature extremes.[30][31] Morning programming opens with Fox Weather First from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. ET, delivering the initial national overview, including overnight recaps, commute impacts, and early severe weather risks, anchored by meteorologists using interactive maps and live feeds.[32] This transitions to Weather Command from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET, where hosts operate from a dedicated command center, offering extended discussions on atmospheric dynamics, model comparisons, and emerging patterns like jet stream shifts or moisture influx.[32][33] Afternoon segments include America's Weather Center from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET, focusing on midday updates with emphasis on agricultural impacts, urban heat, and recreational forecasts, followed by Fox Weather Now from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET for real-time tracking of convective activity and evening precursors.[32] Evenings feature Fox Weather Live from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, incorporating viewer queries, expert interviews, and prime-time alerts, before shifting to overnight cycles with looped radar and automated bulletins.[34] Weekend formats adjust for lighter viewer patterns but retain core elements, starting with Weather Command from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. ET and Fox Weather First Weekend from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET, extending into live blocks like Fox Weather Live Weekend for prolonged coverage of weekend hazards such as coastal swells or fire weather.[31] Non-peak hours across all days integrate digital tools for localized data, ensuring continuous availability via app and stream, with content prioritizing empirical observations over predictive hype.[20]Live Event Coverage
Fox Weather delivers continuous live coverage of major meteorological events, including hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, severe thunderstorms, and extreme winter storms, utilizing on-site correspondents, satellite imagery, and radar integration for real-time updates.[30] The network maintains a dedicated 24/7 live stream from its America's Weather Center, enabling viewers to access uninterrupted reporting during developing threats.[30] This approach emphasizes ground-level footage and expert commentary to convey immediate risks, such as wind speeds, flooding potential, and evacuation needs, often incorporating drone shots and mobile reporting units deployed to impact zones.[35] During hurricane seasons, Fox Weather operates as "Hurricane HQ," with specialists like Bryan Norcross providing in-depth tracking of storm paths, intensity forecasts, and landfall projections based on National Hurricane Center data.[36] Coverage includes pre-event preparation guides, live watches as systems intensify, and post-landfall assessments of damage, as seen in the October 2025 reporting on Hurricane Melissa, where updates highlighted its rapid intensification and hurricane warnings for Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.[37] Correspondents, such as Robert Ray, emphasize field reporting to document real-time impacts for informing first responders and officials, including visuals of flooded areas and structural damage during events like tropical storms and coastal surges.[35] For severe continental weather, live segments capture tornado chases, flash flooding, and blizzard conditions, with meteorologists analyzing National Weather Service alerts and radar loops on air.[38] Notable examples include viral live moments from 2024 outbreaks, such as Midwest tornado paths and Southeastern storm lines, where anchors narrated evolving threats with overlaid graphics for wind gusts exceeding 70 mph and hail sizes.[39] The network's coverage extends to multi-day events, like prolonged heavy rain episodes leading to regional floods, integrating viewer-submitted footage with professional verification to enhance situational awareness.[40] This format prioritizes actionable safety information, such as shelter-in-place advisories, over speculative commentary.[41]Special Features and Documentaries
Fox Weather produces a range of documentary specials under its "Fox Weather Reports" banner, consisting of hour-long programs featuring first-person storytelling on major weather events, meteorological phenomena, and environmental topics.[42] These specials emphasize on-the-ground reporting and expert analysis from Fox Weather meteorologists, often marking anniversaries of significant storms or exploring ongoing climate impacts.[42] One prominent example is the four-part series "Hurricane HQ: Katrina's Wrath 20 Years Later," which premiered on August 25, 2025, with episodes airing nightly at 8:30 p.m. ET through August 28.[43] The documentary chronicles Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005, its devastation across the Gulf Coast—resulting in over 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damages—and subsequent recovery efforts, including levee fortifications in New Orleans.[43] It features contributions from hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross, correspondent Robert Ray, and archival footage, highlighting forecasting challenges and policy responses without attributing events to broader ideological narratives.[43] Annual retrospectives like "Weather Uncovered" review standout events from the prior year; the 2023 edition examined anomalies such as Canadian wildfire smoke blanketing Manhattan and rare atmospheric phenomena like St. Elmo's Fire, while the 2024 installment covered impactful storms and extremes through on-location footage and meteorological breakdowns.[44][45] Similarly, "Eyes in the Storm," aired September 16, 2024, showcased storm chaser Mark Sudduth's network of fixed cameras capturing hurricane interiors, providing raw data on wind speeds exceeding 150 mph in events like Hurricane Ian (2022).[46] Other specials include "Into the Storm," which honors first responders' roles in disaster recovery through interviews with meteorologists Janice Dean and Britta Merwin, focusing on personal accounts from post-storm operations.[47] "Nature Rx," broadcast August 4, 2022, explores nature's therapeutic effects on mental health amid weather-related trauma, led by Merwin with evidence from survivor testimonies and basic physiological studies on outdoor exposure.[48] Episodes within "Fox Weather Reports," such as "Brandy's Adventures" from April 18, 2024, delve into regional ecosystems vulnerable to weather shifts, like South Florida's wetlands, using fieldwork to illustrate flood dynamics and biodiversity resilience.[49] These productions prioritize empirical storm data and eyewitness verification over speculative modeling, drawing from National Hurricane Center records and on-site measurements for accuracy.[42]Distribution
Availability and Platforms
Fox Weather is available to viewers through a range of traditional pay-TV providers, live TV streaming services, and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms. Major cable and satellite distributors include DirecTV (channel 363), Dish Network (channel 222), Spectrum (channel 217), Verizon Fios (channels 113 SD and 613 HD), Xfinity X1, Cox, Optimum (channels varying by region, such as 193 in NY/CT/NJ), and Astound Broadband.[50][51] Distribution agreements with these providers have grown since the channel's October 2021 launch, with notable expansions to Verizon Fios in major markets including Washington, D.C., and New York in September 2022, and to DirecTV in September 2024.[51][52] Live TV streaming services carrying Fox Weather encompass Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV, allowing access via subscription packages that include the channel.[50] For free viewing options, the 24/7 stream is offered on FAST platforms such as Pluto TV (added August 2024), The Roku Channel, Tubi, Samsung TV Plus (channel 1130), Vizio WatchFree+ (channel 110), LG Channels (channel 148), Xumo, Plex, Prime Video, and TCLtv+, among others compatible with devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (tvOS), Android TV, and Google TV.[50][53] These platforms enable ad-supported access without additional fees beyond device or app requirements.[50] The service is also integrated into Fox Corporation's ecosystem, streaming via websites, mobile apps, and over-the-top (OTT) apps of Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Nation, and all Fox owned-and-operated television stations nationwide.[50] Dedicated apps include the FOX Weather app (available on iOS and Android for forecasts, live streams, and videos) and the FOX LOCAL app (for localized news and weather integration with national FOX Weather coverage).[54][55] A live stream is accessible directly on foxweather.com/live, with supplementary content on the official YouTube channel.[30][56] Channel numbers and availability may vary by location and provider package.[50]Affiliates and Partnerships
Fox Weather is distributed over-the-air as a digital subchannel on Fox-owned and operated television stations in major markets, with initial rollout to select stations in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco in February 2022, followed by expansion to additional Fox O&O diginet channels across 17 markets.[57][58] These multicast affiliations provide free access to the channel via antenna in those areas, often on subchannel positions such as 5.3 in New York on WNYW or equivalent slots in other markets, enabling local integration with Fox station programming during severe weather events.[59] In addition to broadcast affiliates, Fox Weather has formed distribution partnerships with numerous free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms and services since its October 2021 launch. Key expansions include availability on The Roku Channel and fuboTV in 2022, Samsung TV Plus and Verizon Fios TV in subsequent years, Pluto TV in August 2024, DirecTV in September 2024, and VIZIO WatchFree+ as part of a broader Fox Corporation agreement.[51][60][53] Other platforms like DISH Network (channel 222, added November 2023) and Sling Freestream further broaden reach to cord-cutters.[61][52] Beyond distribution, Fox Weather maintains operational partnerships for enhanced coverage and technology. In October 2021, it signed an exclusive agreement with Weatherstem, granting access to nearly 600 meteorological news-gathering instruments nationwide for real-time data integration.[62] More recently, in October 2025, T-Mobile became the preferred communications provider, equipping field reporters with SuperMobile business plans to support livestreaming and real-time updates during storm coverage via combined cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellite connectivity.[63] These alliances prioritize reliable data sourcing and mobile infrastructure to bolster on-location reporting accuracy.Reception and Performance
Viewership Metrics
Fox Weather, launched on October 25, 2021, operates primarily as a streaming-first service available via Fox News apps, smart TVs, and over-the-air in select markets, limiting traditional Nielsen cable household ratings compared to competitors like The Weather Channel.[64] As a result, its viewership metrics emphasize streaming minutes, website traffic, and event-driven spikes rather than consistent daily or quarterly averages, with Nielsen data often capturing simulcasts on Fox News or targeted linear feeds.[64] During major weather events, Fox Weather has demonstrated competitive performance. For Hurricane Helene's landfall on September 26, 2024, the channel averaged 696,000 total viewers from midnight to 5 a.m. ET on September 27, surpassing The Weather Channel's 610,000 viewers in the same window, bolstered by a simulcast on Fox News.[65] Similarly, for Hurricane Milton on October 9, 2024, Fox Weather recorded 994.8 million streaming minutes, contributing to a 662% year-over-year increase in October streaming view time.[64] The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse coverage, simulcast on Fox News, drew 2.1 million total viewers and 210,000 adults 25-54, with standalone streaming view time up 414% year-over-year.[64] In contrast, The Weather Channel's annual average viewership hovered around 126,000 total viewers in 2024, with event peaks like the eclipse at 464,000 total viewers and 77,000 adults 25-54.[64][66] Fox Weather's metrics reflect growth from an active 2024 hurricane season, where nine of its top ten streaming days tied to Helene and Milton, alongside a 167% year-over-year rise in website page views.[64] No comprehensive 2025 Nielsen averages for Fox Weather are publicly detailed as of October, though its event-driven model continues to leverage Fox ecosystem integration for surges during severe weather.[64]| Event | Date | Fox Weather Viewers/Metrics | Comparison (Weather Channel) | Source (Nielsen unless noted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | Sep 26-27, 2024 | 696,000 (midnight-5 a.m. ET) | 610,000 (same period) | [65] |
| Hurricane Milton | Oct 9, 2024 | 994.8M streaming minutes (Adobe Analytics) | Top 5 cable (A25-54 peak) | [64] |
| Solar Eclipse | Apr 8, 2024 | 2.1M total (simulcast); +414% YoY streaming | 464,000 total; 77,000 A25-54 | [64] |