CBS 42 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Ashley Gann joined the CBS 42 Storm Team during the spring of 2015. You can watch her each morning on the CBS 42 Morning News with Art Franklin until May 28, 2018, when she will join the CBS 42 News at 5, 6 and 10 on weekdays in her new role as CBS 42 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist.
Ashley graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. She went to the Mississippi State where she received her Master’s degree in Geosciences, concentrating in both broadcast and operational Meteorology. During her time at Mississippi State Ashley worked as research assistant to the state’s Climatologist and her research spanned from topics like: “Economic impacts weather has on industry” to “Dissecting the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale as it relates to coastal damage.”
Ashley’s love for weather started when she was very young, right here in Birmingham. You may recall the Discovery Place (the precursor to the McWane Center). This is where Ashley had her first try at being a meteorologist, at the ripe age of 5 years old. From there, her fascination with weather began. Ashley spent her childhood years in Fort Worth, Texas where she had many up-close encounters with extreme weather, from hail storms to tornadoes. Ashley is Storm Spotter Certified by the National Weather Service and has taken her training out the great plains and across the south-east as a storm chaser. She stresses that this was done safely, for the purposes of education and with the highest respect for mother nature.
Most recently, Ashley was Chief Meteorologist for Alabama News Network (CBS & ABC affiliates) in Montgomery, Alabama. Prior to her role as chief, she delivered the weather at 11Alive (WXIA) in Atlanta, CBS 8 (WAKA) in Montgomery, and WTOK in Meridian, Mississippi. She also sharpened her forecasting skills at KLKN Lincoln, Nebraska and WSAV out of Savannah, GA.
Ashley’s most memorable on-air moment can be summed up in one date “April 27th” when Ashley and her weather team provided non-stop coverage of tornado coverage for central and south Alabama. This event changed the lives of Alabamians and how they respond to severe weather. It is Ashley’s goal to continue to educate the public on severe weather, threats, and how they can make life-saving decisions. Please email Ashley at ashley.gann@cbs42.com if you would ever like her to speak to your group, class, or organization.
In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking with her husband and playing with two “weather babies.” Football is a must during the fall and sweet tea & sunshine make everything better. Ashley was an active member of the Boys and Girls Club of the River Region, involved with Montgomery’s Young Professional group, EMERGE, and a board member for the Lighthouse Counseling Center. She is excited about getting plugged into Birmingham and serving in the community.
