The 10 Best Fictional Weather Forecasters

Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) in "To Die For" (1995)

Credit must be given where it's due: Suzanne Stone's ambition knows no bounds. As WWEN's lowly weather forecaster, she dreams of climbing her way up the TV-news ladder to become nightly news anchor, even if it's over her husband's dead body (quite literally). Stone opts to use her womanly wiles instead of relying on talent, making a fine anti-feminist argument for achieving one's (network news) dreams.

Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in "Groundhog Day" (1993)

When you start developing a rivalry with a weather-predicting "rat" named Punxsutawney Phil, you're probably taking your job too seriously. Pittsburgh meteorologist Phil Connors is forced to relive his least favorite assignment (and day) of the year over and over again. Connors' reports decline rapidly, but still, you have to admire a man who tells it like it is: "Out in California, they're going to have some warm weather tomorrow, gang wars and some very overpriced real estate." Now that's a weather forecaster you can trust.

Ollie Williams (Phil LaMarr) on "Family Guy" (2001–present)

"Blaccu-Weather" forecaster Ollie Williams may have the shortest weather segments on TV, but that doesn't mean they’re not effective. In a world of long-winded (get it?) weather forecasters, Williams' staccato-style forecasting is a gust of cool, welcome air. His unconventional observations -- from "Space weather!" and "It's raining sideways!" to "Everybody looks like ants!" -- just make viewers wish he was brave enough to veer off the teleprompter every once in a while.

Samantha "Sam" Sparks (Anna Faris) in "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" (2009)

When aspiring weather forecaster Sam Sparks sets out from New York to Swallow Falls, she hopes to find her big break. But the self-proclaimed "weather-obsessed" girl who dreams of receiving a Doppler radar for her birthday doesn't get to tell the world what's on the weather horizon. Instead, she ends up telling them what's for dinner. Luckily, she gets the on-air attention she needs when the pasta pouring down whips into a deadly storm of spaghetti that threatens to bury the small town. Or, as Sparks would say, "You may have seen a meteor shower, but I bet you've never seen a shower 'meatier' than this."

Tom Brandston (Chevy Chase) in "Snow Day" (2000)

Ah, snow days, those days when the weather forecaster offers seriously important information! Tom Brandston has a gig at a news station with perpetually low ratings. He's forced to costume himself in ridiculous outfits to pump up viewership, and he winds up jealous of a rival forecaster who attracts viewers with charisma alone. It all suggests that personality, not accurate precipitation predictions, matters most to viewers. Al Roker's popularity suddenly makes so much sense, doesn't it?

David Spritz (Nicolas Cage) in "The Weather Man" (2005)

Weather forecasters catch a lot of slack. It's a matter of odds, really. There are only so many spot-on predictions you can make before you mistakenly tell someone to expect sun and their barbecue is hit with a monsoon. Then people get angry. In "The Weather Man," citizens toss milkshakes and McNuggets at Chicago weather forecaster David Spritz. A lesser man would be moved to retire, but the underappreciated forecaster attempts to make the move to the greener (well, grayer) pastures of New York City. You have to admire that kind of courage in the face of flying McNuggets.

Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) in "L.A. Story" (1991)

He may be an expert at making witty proclamations about Los Angeles' perpetually clear skies ("We've got sun, earth and atmosphere, and when you've got that, you've got weather!") but the meteorologist can't glean any fresh insight into his inclement love life. Instead, he resorts to turning his on-air segments into impromptu comedy routines, and takes life advice from a freeway sign. How can you not love a weather forecaster like that?

Sylvia Miller (Tricia O'Kelley) in "Weather Girl" (2009)

Self-proclaimed "sassy weather girl" Slyvia Miller takes her attitude a little too far when she has an on-air temper tantrum and accuses her anchor boyfriend (Mark Harmon) of cheating on her. That leaves her short a boyfriend and a job. To say she faces a career cold front would be an understatement. But hey, maybe she’ll find better success in broadcasting as a radio personality.