About Me
Hello, my name is Ross Ellet. I am a Television Meteorologist living and working in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. I have a wonderful wife Sara and two twin boys Bryce and Simon that just started Kindergarten this past fall. I am a very blessed man that gets to forecast the weather during my day job and photograph the raw beauty of nature on my off days. I love photographing nature in all its forms, but nothing gets me as excited as photographing a brilliant lightning storm or dazzling show of the northern lights.
Home Life
I met my wife Sara while working at a small town grocery store where we grew up in Albion, IN. Sara is not only my wife, but best friend which makes life that much sweeter. We are also the proud parents of twin boys and 2 dogs named Oliver and Zoe.
Career
It seems difficult to pinpoint exactly when my career started because in some fashion or another I have always been active when it comes to weather and alerting the public. At the early age of 5, I refused to leave for Kindergarten before watching the noon weather on TV...then I would try and compete with the local Meteorologists by making my own prediction. At that time my forecasts had very little accuracy but my competitive nature and passion was already evolving. At the age of 12 I won multiple awards for weather presentations given at the county and state fair. Three years later I became a weather spotter for WPTA in Fort Wayne, the National Weather Service, and the local news paper for my home town. At the age of 19 I became a volunteer at WLFI in West Lafayette, IN while attending Purdue University.
One weekend in October of 2005, I got my first chance to be on air. The weekend was a success and a few weeks later I was filling in for every weekend. Along with working weekends I also did some storm chasing for the station during the week all while finishing up my degree at Purdue. In early June of 2007 I accepted a Morning Meteorologist position at WOAY in Oak Hill, West Virginia. Just 3 months later I became one the youngest Chief Meteorologists in the country after I was promoted. A short time later I was awarded the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation from the American Meteorology Society. In November of 2008 I started a new adventure in tornado alley. I accepted a Weekend Meteorologist position at KHBS/KHOG (40/29 in Fort Smith/Rogers, AR). I have enjoyed my time in Arkansas, but it is time to get back to my roots in the Midwest. In April, I will join the Ohio News Network's team of Meteorologists. I am looking forward to the next chapter!
Hobbies
I have three big hobbies, traveling, weather and photography...and it seems these hobbies often mold themselves into one big trip :)
Sara and I have taken trips to the Northeast, the Great Plains, out West, to the deep south and even up north in Canada and Alaska. We love nature and traveling to see different sides of it. Sara and I have been known to drive to Upper Michigan or fly to Alaska in the middle of Winter or to the dessert Southwest during the dog days of summer. Extreme weather may keep most people away during those times, but those are the times that can be the most spectacular. Either way, I believe every location has its beauty and it is all worth seeing.
Of course weather is another passion of mine. My favorite types of weather are extreme weather, thunderstorms, and snow. I love lake-effect weather from snow to a sea breeze, and I love the local weather patterns that occur in and around the Great Lakes. Forecasting the weather is a challenge, but a fun experience through and through. This is my passion in life other than God and my wife.
Outside of my family and career I probably spend the most time photographing nature. My favorite type of photography is shooting the aurora borealis and lightning photography. I also like other types of night and nature photography. I have found it to be a rewarding goal to capture the great beauty of God on a single photograph where everybody can enjoy the sight. When I am not doing any of the above, I am often out running. I have completed a couple half marathons and finished my first full marathon during the spring of 2011.