Jay Wynne, a former BBC Weather presenter, passed away in June at the age of 56 after battling a long-term illness, his brother confirmed to BBC News.
Wynne joined BBC Weather in October 2000 and became a familiar face as a regular forecaster on BBC News at Ten.
In a heartfelt tribute, his brother, Matthew, stated, “Jay possessed a remarkable gift for gentle clarity, making his forecasts for even the most complex weather systems feel accessible and engaging.”
Matthew Wynne further added, “A passionate skier, golfer, and musician, Jay relished travelling to indulge in his sporting pursuits.”
“We will deeply miss his wisdom, generosity, and dry sense of humor,” he concluded.
Liz Howell, former Head of BBC Weather, conveyed her condolences to Wynne’s family and friends, adding, “I am profoundly saddened by this news.”
“Jay pioneered greater diversity within weather forecasting and was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with. He possessed a distinctive style of presenting the weather narrative, which resonated deeply with audiences.”
Several of Wynne’s colleagues have also shared tributes. BBC weather presenter Simon King posted on X: “Such a lovely bloke and brilliant broadcaster. Always a joy to be on shift with him and his wicked sense of humour. Good memories”.
Sarah Keith-Lucas also posted regarding the “sad news,” writing: “Jay was a huge part of our weather team for so many years and will be hugely missed”.
These sentiments were echoed by another colleague, Matt Taylor, who stated that the news had “hit us all hard” on the weather team.
“Jay was a great broadcaster, talented musician, enthusiastic golfer, and a good friend,” he added.
Wynne’s fascination with meteorology began during his studies in Environmental Geography at the University of Aberdeen, which led him to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Meteorology at the University of Reading.
In a 2011 interview with the Radio Times, he shared that he would often remain awake until sunrise after working overnight to ensure the accuracy of his weather reports.
“I have been known to drive around after night shifts, waiting for the sun to come up,” he said.
“At night, it’s difficult to tell what kind of cloud there is on satellite pictures, so I like to see if I was right. More often than not, I am.”
Prior to his career in weather forecasting, he initially studied Civil Engineering at university but left the program after two years.
He subsequently worked as a technician on a North Sea offshore oil rig for three years before returning to university to study Environmental Geography.
As part of his environmental research, he had the opportunity to travel extensively, exploring South-East Asia.
Wynne also worked as an English teacher in Fukuoka, Japan, before pursuing his master’s degree.
His Met Office training encompassed a six-month secondment at RAF Northolt and lasted a total of 14 months.
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