10/24/2026
🎉 ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, SOUTHERN TENNESSEE WEATHER CAME TO LIFE. What started as a dream of providing accurate, dependable, and truly LOCAL weather coverage has grown into something far bigger than I ever could have imagined. And looking back on everything we’ve accomplished in just 12 short months, I couldn’t be more grateful.
Over 50,000 followers across our platforms. More than 10,000 STN Weather App downloads. Over 25 MILLION views. And a growing weather community. All in just ONE year!
Here’s something I want to put into perspective. Many people who start their own weather companies do so after spending 20 or 30 years in the television industry, building connections and establishing their careers.
Not me. I came into this straight out of college with my meteorology degree. At just 23 years old, I took a chance on myself and built Southern Tennessee Weather from the ground up. No decades of television experience. No major broadcasting corporation backing me. Just a passion for meteorology, a vision for what local weather coverage COULD be, and a whole lot of determination.
Has it been easy? Absolutely NOT. There have been sleepless nights, early mornings, setbacks, and plenty of lessons learned. But I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.
Over the past year, we’ve covered everything from severe thunderstorms and winter weather to dangerous heat and tropical systems. But Southern Tennessee Weather has NEVER been just about the weather. It’s about the PEOPLE and COMMUNITIES we serve.
To our followers, subscribers, business partners, radio stations, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, and EVERYONE who has believed in me and supported this company, THANK YOU. Whether you’ve been here since day one or just discovered us last week, you’ve helped make this dream a reality.
Now, there’s something else I want to share. Throughout this journey, I’ve had countless people tell me, “I can’t wait to see you on TV one day!” And while I appreciate that more than you know, I think it’s time we start looking at things a little differently.
For decades, television was considered the ultimate destination for broadcast meteorologists. But times are changing, and they’re changing FAST. People aren’t waiting around for the evening news anymore. They’re checking their phones, watching live streams, and turning to trusted local sources for information whenever they need it.
So instead of saying, “I can’t wait to see you on TV one day,” maybe the new phrase should be, “I can’t wait to see how you turn this industry upside down.” Because that’s EXACTLY what I intend to do.
I didn’t build Southern Tennessee Weather to follow the traditional path. I built it because I believe there’s a BETTER way to serve our communities, and people are starting to take notice.
The television industry has dominated local weather coverage for decades, but the future of meteorology isn’t confined to a television studio or a scheduled newscast. It’s DIGITAL. It’s ACCESSIBLE. It’s LOCAL. It’s FREE. And we’re building it right here in Southern Middle Tennessee.
We’re only ONE year into this journey, and I genuinely believe the best is still ahead of us. There are bigger goals to chase, new ideas to bring to life, and so much more I want to accomplish. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in a 23-year-old kid with a dream and giving him the opportunity to turn that dream into something REAL.
ONE YEAR DOWN. WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. And if you think we’ve accomplished a lot in our first year, just wait until you see what’s NEXT.
❤️ Happy 1st Anniversary, Southern Tennessee Weather!
— Elijah Kirby
Founder & Managing Meteorologist
Southern Tennessee Weather
