She’s back! Meteorologist Kelly Bates returns to ABC 6 tonight
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A name we know and trust returns to the Southern New England airwaves Saturday night at 6 P.M. and 11 P.M.
Two-time Emmy nominated meteorologist Kelly Bates joined the ABC 6 StormTrackers team back in May as weekend meteorologist. Viewers will see her forecasts during the 6 P.M. and 11 P.M. newscasts on Saturdays, as well as the 6:30 P.M. and 11 P.M. newscast on Sundays. Weekdays will feature her science reporting segment “Scientifically Speaking.”
“We are thrilled to have Kelly join the WLNE family and are looking forward to bringing her familiar face back into the homes of Southern New Englanders,” said WLNE General Manager Alex Wolf.
A native New Englander, Kelly grew up in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, and is a proud Shamrock, graduating from Bishop Feehan High School.
Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Television Broadcast Communications with a minor in Meteorology from Lyndon State College (now Northern Vermont University). She holds seals of approval in broadcast meteorology from both the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.
Kelly started her career in New Hampshire in 1996 at WMUR as a staff meteorologist and science reporter. After four years there, she went to Atlanta, Georgia, to create educational weather content for Weather Plus, a 24-hour weather and traffic television station broadcasting in the Netherlands.
In 2000, Kelly came back home to New England as the weekend night meteorologist here at ABC 6! Kelly has been forecasting for Southern New England ever since.
“Southern New Englanders are a pretty particular bunch. So, in creating a newsroom that best fits the needs of our viewers, I have intentionally stuck close to home. Kelly is one of us,” said ABC 6 News Director Allison Gaito.
“Kelly is a pro viewers know and trust and that’s why I am excited to welcome her back to the ABC 6 StormTrackers team,” said Gaito.
She has been voted best female meteorologist of Rhode Island by the readers of Rhode Island Monthly for the past nine years. Her followers enjoy learning about the whys of weather in addition to the forecast, in addition to the numerous pictures of her four cats.
In her limited free time, Kelly enjoys hiking, scrapbooking, and annoying her adult children with things they evidently already know.
Kelly is a long-time member of the National Weather Association as well as the American Meteorological Society. Her favorite thing about her job is visiting schools across Southern New England to talk about the weather.
