Movers & Shakers – Anthony Taylor
March 3rd, 2020.
A date that changed everything.
The way the people of Cookeville think about weather shifted forever in the early hours of that terrible morning.
A new fear was injected in the community; we lost 19 neighbors and with them went the false security that “this can’t happen here.”
A new sense of vigilance now falls on Cookeville when warnings and watches loom, and thankfully, we have an advocate to keep us informed, aware, and safe, Anthony Taylor.
The founder of Upper Cumberland Weather, Anthony Taylor is a graduate of MTSU with a degree in Broadcast Journalism whose love for the Upper Cumberland kept him from pursuing on-air work at neighboring metropolitan city news stations.
“I have always loved the weather,” said the Smith County born and raised weather man. “I remember being fascinated by local meteorologists in 1st grade and that passion has never left me.”
But finding work in meteorology can be scarce. In 2017, a lightbulb went off for Anthony. There was no direct weather coverage specifically for the Upper Cumberland region. He obtained UpperCumberlandWeather.com and began building what is now the go-to source for live weather coverage.
Today, Anthony’s Upper Cumberland Weather Facebook page is a lifeline and source of comfort for thousands throughout the region. He has grown the page from 4,000 in 2017 to more than 40,000 loyal followers who count on him to stay weather aware.
What started with an iPhone, has grown into a large-scale, in-home weather studio with more than five computers monitoring weather radars and an ability to live-stream right into viewers YouTube channels and Facebook pages.
Although Anthony still has a full-time job, Cookeville and surrounding area citizens know him only as their primary source for information to handle nature’s worst.
Anthony’s wife Brooke is consistently by his side assisting during severe weather live feeds, and the pair are expecting their first child, Hallie Blair Taylor this summer.
While we’ll never forget what happened that terrible night, thanks to Anthony Taylor we can face what Mother Nature sends with knowledge and hope.
– by Chelsea Dartez, photo by Cris Stroud, styled by Seth Overton
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