If you can do the weather, you can do anything, says NBC6 meteorologist John Gerard, who taught 12 students last semester about the ebb and flow of television weathercasting. “We don’t use a script, and there’s a lot of ad-libbing. You have to explain an inexact science in the most personable, credible way possible.”

Most students in the class are marine science or communication majors. They learned the science of interpreting data and making accurate predictions, and they learned the art of finding the right words to convey that data to the audience. “A lot of what I teach is relevant whether you want to be a reporter or a stand-up comedian; it’s all facts on how to communicate better,” Gerard says.

In every class, Gerard emphasized the importance of having a clear message in each weathercast. He also helped prepare them for unforeseen distractions, some of which he orchestrated. He once covertly arranged for a student in class to stand up, drop his book, and say, “I can’t take it anymore,” before storming out of the room—all during another student’s presentation. Gerard was pleasantly surprised when the “on-air” student continued, relatively unfazed, with her weathercast. For the final exam, each student conducted a two-minute on-camera weathercast, complete with attention to hair, make-up, and wardrobe.