Meteorologist in the making: 'Jake the Weather Kid' delights Grande Prairie residents with daily updates

In a news cycle dominated by COVID-19 and economic uncertainty, Jake McKnight's daily weather updates in Grande Prairie provide a breath of fresh air.

Ten-year-old Jake, who calls himself "Jake the Weather Kid," has been running a weather show online throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every day, Jake looks up the weather forecast for the Grande Prairie region on the Weather Network and his mother helps him write it down.

Giant maps donated by the Geographic Information Systems department of the City of Grande Prairie help the aspiring meteorologist show viewers where there are risks of thunderstorms and rain.

Jake, the eldest of three brothers, told CBC's Radio Active his interest in weather increased after cast members from the reality TV show Tornado Hunters visited his previous school in Saskatchewan.

Ever since, his mother said, he has loved learning about storms and reading weather-related books.

Jake's updates extend beyond the daily forecast. He shares locations for local food trucks and will be hosting a food drive for the Grande Prairie Food Bank at Muskoseepi Park next week.

"It's been crazy to see the support that everyone has given him," said his mother Wanda McKnight.

Many people are reaching out to the family to offer donations and gift boxes for the food-drive event.

Jake said he hopes to work in local radio one day, as well as continue sampling dishes from food trucks and playing video games.

He has already inspired at least one person to follow in his footsteps.

"His little brother is four and he's always like, 'I want to tell the weather! I want to be a weather kid!'" his mother said.