Jennifer Stanonis: Buffalo’s Storm Whisperer Who Turns Chaos into Clarity

From the sunny San Francisco Bay Area to the heart of Buffalo, NY’s legendary snowstorms, meteorologist Jennifer Stanonis has forged a career defined by scientific rigor and a deep connection to her community. As a key member of WGRZ-TV’s “Storm Team 2,” she’s not just reporting the weather; she’s interpreting nature’s most extreme moods for a city where the forecast is a matter of daily survival.

Known for her Emmy-winning coverage and the highest professional weather seal in television, Stanonis has earned the trust of Western New Yorkers by delivering clarity amidst chaos—from the historic Christmas Blizzard of 2022 to the region’s record-breaking tornado events.

The California Roots of a Storm Chaser

Jennifer Stanonis was born on April 12, 1982, in Northern California. She grew up in Northern California’s Bay Area and Sacramento, where earthquakes rattled more than snowflakes. Her dad, a scientist, fueled her curiosity—think backyard experiments turning rain puddles into mini labs.

“He’d point at a storm cloud and say, ‘That’s just physics having a party,'” Jennifer once shared in a Buffalo Rising interview. That playful nudge? It lit the fuse for a lifelong love affair with the skies.

High school broadcasts were her first stage. Picture a teenaged Jennifer, mic in hand, narrating pep rallies with the flair of a future anchor. She carried that energy to San Francisco State University, juggling classes with gigs at the local NBC affiliate (KNTV).

In a whirlwind three years, she snagged a broadcasting degree, topped her class, and stepped up to deliver the commencement speech—a mic-drop moment that whispered, “This girl’s going places.”

But Jennifer craved depth. Meteorology called, and she answered with a second degree from SUNY Brockport: calculus-based, honors-track, class valedictorian. There, she didn’t just study storms; she built community.

In 2011, she founded Brockport’s chapter of the National Weather Association and a meteorology club, rallying peers around radar maps like it was a book club for thunderheads. These weren’t checkboxes—they were her blueprint for blending science with storytelling.

Transitioning east felt like leaping into a whirlwind, but it honed the empathy that defines her on-air vibe. As one colleague noted, “Jennifer doesn’t just predict rain; she prepares hearts for it.”

Wyoming Winds: Where Rookie Meets Reality

Fresh out of college, Jennifer packed for Casper, Wyoming—population 50,000, drama infinite. At KCWY-TV, the NBC affiliate, she dove into full-time TV: mornings blending news bites with weather warnings.

It was sink-or-swim territory. Deadly EF-3 and EF-4 tornadoes twisted through the plains; she’d chase the funnel clouds, then pivot to forest fires scorching the horizon or blizzards burying highways.

One standout? Covering the Space Shuttle Discovery launch from Kennedy Space Center in July 2005. Amid the roar of engines and the weight of history, Jennifer reported live, her voice steady against the countdown. “It was surreal—human ingenuity blasting off while I gripped the mic like a lifeline,” she reflected later. That assignment? Pure versatility, proving she could forecast stars, literal and figurative.

Wyoming tested her grit. Severe cold snaps froze mics mid-sentence; wind gusts turned field reports into hair-whipping epics. Yet, these trials forged her CBM seal, awarded for blending broadcast polish with hardcore science. By 2005, Buffalo beckoned—a market notorious for its “competitive” weather (read: unrelenting). Jennifer arrived not as a newbie, but a storm-seasoned pro.

Queen City Queen: Thriving in Buffalo’s Tempest

Buffalo didn’t welcome with open arms; it hurled a “Surprise Snowstorm” in October 2006, blanketing the city in freak autumn white. Jennifer, then at WKBW-TV (ABC affiliate), was there—boots deep in drifts, updating viewers on blackouts and buried cars. “It was chaos, but that’s Buffalo: tough, unyielding, and oddly beautiful,” she quipped in a 2020 chat.

She stuck around till 2012, mastering lake-effect lore, then jumped to WGRZ-TV as weekend meteorologist. By June that year, she was Storm Team 2’s secret weapon—field-reporting “Snowvember” 2014’s seven-foot dumps or the 2022 Christmas Blizzard’s holiday heartbreak. Her shifts? Studio savvy meets street-level scoops, like dodging hail during Hamburg tornado chases.

Fast-forward to 2023: After a 2019 family sabbatical (more on that soon), she reclaimed the weekday 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. slots. Now, she’s tracking everything from July 2024’s record-shattering New York tornado outbreak— including Buffalo’s downtown twister—to the aurora glow of that epic solar storm. Hurricanes? She maps their remnants’ floods and spins. In a city where weather isn’t small talk, Jennifer’s forecasts feel like lifelines.

Compared to peers like Al Roker (national polish) or local legends like Kevin O’Connell (data dives), Jennifer shines in empathy—her reads aren’t robotic; they’re relational. “Weather’s personal here,” she says. “It closes schools, cancels flights, but also bonds us over shovels and stories.”

Navigating Extreme Weather: Career Milestones

Stanonis’s professional journey quickly led her into high-stakes environments, shaping her into the trusted voice she is today.

The Wyoming Trial by Fire

Her first full-time television role took her East to KCWY (NBC) in Casper, Wyoming. This market provided an immediate and intense apprenticeship. She covered both news and weather, gaining firsthand experience with a diverse array of dramatic events:

• Strong, deadly tornadoes

• Severe cold weather outbreaks

• Large forest fires

• Significant wind and snow events

One notable assignment showcased her versatility as a journalist: covering the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery at the Kennedy Space Center.

The Forecaster Who Stays on the Air

The list of major weather events Stanonis has covered reads like a history book of Western New York’s most memorable storms. She anchors the weekday evening newscasts (5 p.m. and 6 p.m.), but her most vital work often happens during extended, unscripted coverage.

Heart of the Home: Motherhood, Marriage, and Meteor Magic

Despite her Northern California roots, Jennifer Stanonis has firmly planted her family’s roots in Western New York. She is married to Walter E. “Ted” Constantine III, a Buffalo native and a science teacher who works with dyslexic boys in Massachusetts.

The couple married on May 26, 2012, and have three children: twin boys and a daughter. Their family life is a testament to the appreciation of nature, often featuring outdoor adventures like camping with their two puppies in their camper. This love for Buffalo’s four distinct seasons—even the famously harsh ones—shows a genuine embrace of her chosen home.

Ted’s philanthropic roots (family ties to medical research) inspire their giving-back ethos. Weekends? Camper quests in the Adirondacks, two puppies bounding ahead. At 5’6″ and fit from field chases, Jennifer embodies “active mom”—trading heels for hiking boots without missing a beat.

Motherhood tested her in 2019: She paused WGRZ duties to savor the chaos, channeling energy into Willy and Lilly’s Adventures with Weather. This pint-sized tome turns thunder into teachable fun, starring furry friends decoding drizzles. “Writing it felt like bottling bedtime magic,” she says. Now, she totes copies to school visits, igniting “oohs” from wide-eyed third-graders. It’s her quiet rebellion against “just the weather lady”—a nod to societal roles, where women juggle spotlights and sippy cups.

Net worth whispers hover $500K–$1M (from 20+ years’ salary, book royalties), but Jennifer’s wealth? In those family firepits, where forecasts fade into fairy tales.

Legacy Builder: Awards, Allies, and Aspirations

Jennifer’s trophy case gleams: That 2014 New York Emmy for weather wizardry, plus Associated Press kudos for severe-storm saves. The CBM? It’s her PhD in credibility. But her real ripple? Community currents. School talks aren’t gigs; they’re gospel, planting seeds in kids who might one day chase her chair.

At WGRZ, she’s the glue in Storm Team 2—bouncing banter with Chief Meteorologist Patrick Hammer on wind whirls or swapping eclipse tips with reporter Claudine Ewing. Her style? Polished palettes (think tailored blazers in blizzard blues) that scream “pro yet approachable.” Social savvy seals it: @JenStanonis on X for bite-sized blasts, Instagram reels blending radar with puppy play.

Looking ahead? With climate quirks ramping up, Jennifer predicts more hybrid roles—VR storm sims, maybe? “I’d love to mentor a new gen of diverse forecasters,” she muses. Her impact? Measurable in safer streets and starry-eyed students.

Beyond the Forecast: Author and Educator

In 2019, Stanonis made the difficult but rewarding decision to take a break from her demanding television schedule to focus on her growing family. This personal time led to a significant professional pivot: becoming a published author.

Her children’s educational book, Willy and Lilly’s Adventures with Weather, was inspired by her three young children and her desire to teach them about the science behind the elements. The book, which won a Moonbeam Award in 2020, is now a core part of her community outreach. She frequently visits schools to share her book, using its simple, fun narrative to introduce young minds to meteorology and hopefully inspire the next generation of scientists.

Jennifer returned to WGRZ-TV in April 2023, rejoining the team full-time as the weekday evening meteorologist, balancing her on-air duties with her ongoing commitment to community education.

Sources

• Official WGRZ Bio: wgrz.com/article/about-us/team-bios/jennifer-stanonis – Core career and personal details.

• Buffalo Rising Interview (2020): buffalorising.com/2020/01/former-channel-2-meteorologist-jennifer-stanonis-pens-willy-lillys-adventure-with-weather – Quotes on family and book.

• NY Emmys 2025 PDF: nyemmys.org/files/1640 – Recent award recognition.

• Jennifer’s Site: jenniferstanonis.com – Education and achievements.

WGRZ-TV Colleagues Spotlight

Jennifer thrives in a squad of storytellers:

• Patrick Hammer: Chief Meteorologist, master of lake-effect labyrinths.

• Heather Waldman: Forecasting force, now alumni but eternally awesome.

• Michael Wooten: Anchor extraordinaire, news navigator.

• Claudine Ewing: Community pulse-taker, reporter with heart.

• Maryalice Demler: Emmy-anchor vet, journalism juggernaut.

• Melissa Holmes: Morning magic-maker, co-anchor charm.

• Kate Welshofer: Creative chronicler, anchor with edge.