Meteorologist Ben Gelber forecasts weather for NBC 4 each weekend at 6 and 11 p.m., and is a science and environmental reporter three days each week.
He has additionally served as meteorologist for the half-hour weekend edition of The 10 O'Clock News broadcast on WWHO for several years until September 1997. Ben joined NBC 4 in 1980.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University and a Master's degree in Meteorology from Northern Illinois University. Ben was awarded the American Meteorological Society's Seal of Approval in 1981. He was also inducted in the East Stroudsburg (Pa.) High School Meritorious Hall of Fame in 2004.
The seal is only awarded to those forecasters who exhibit a significant knowledge of meteorology and the ability to present weather-related information in a clear, consise manner.
Ben received the Emmy for Best Weather Anchor in 2007, and received nominations in 1997 and 2003. Ben and Storm Team 4 received second place in the Ohio Associated Press Awards for Outstanding Weather Operation in May 1997 and first place in 2000. Another accomplishment is gaining an honorable mention for the AP's Best Regularly Scheduled Weathercast in 2003.
Ben said the most memorable stories he has covered were the blizzard of April 1987, his AWS WeatherSchool visits and his Football Friday Nite guest appearances.
Ben has taught classes in meteorology at The Ohio State University and regularly serves as a guest lecturer in area schools.
Ben serves as a consultant providing research for legal cases, utility and motion picture companies.
Ben has published a book entitled, "Pocono Weather: The Poconos, Eastern Pennsylvania and Northwestern New Jersey" and its revised edition in 1998, as well as poetry and science articles in various magazines and newspapers. In July 2002, Ben published a new book, called "Pennsylvania Weather."
Another article published by Ben include one on the hurricane floods of 1955 in Weatherwise magazine, a national weather publication, that appeared in the July-August 2005 edition.
He said that if he weren't in the television industry, he would be teaching, writing and doing research. Ben regularly visits Central Ohio schools to give weather presentations, including NBC 4's Neighborhood WeatherNet school program.
Ben's first jobs were flipping burgers and working as a social director at a nursing home.
Ben and his wife, Michelle, reside in Hilliard, Ohio, with their three sons.
Ben volunteers for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America and Easter Seals.
Favorites:
Food: Pizza
Movies: "Groundhog Day," "Young Frankenstein," "Fiddler On The Roof"
Books: "Perfect Storm," "Thunder in the Heartland,"World According To Garp"
Music: Moonlight Sonata, classical, early rock 'n' roll, Eighties, and a handful of musicals
Hobbies: Creative writing, piano, weather histories
Sports: Tennis, baseball, football
Travel destination: Northeaster mountains and Atlantic coast
Ohio/Central Ohio place: Ohio Caverns
NBC show: "Friends," "ER," "Law and Order"
