Rain, snow, sleet or hail, Chase Russell is ready to tell his fellow students at Cranston High School East what the weather is and how to be prepared for it.

Every morning, Russell, a senior, steps into the main office to give the day’s forecast over the school’s public-address system. It’s the highlight of his day – and just about everybody else’s.

“Weather is important,” says the soft-spoken Russell, a self-admitted weather bug since his middle school years. “If people don’t know the weather, they won’t know how to dress for their day – they might be too hot or too cold.”

And even though he says he enjoys every day at school, the best day ever came last week when he was surprised by a visit from his television idol – WPRI meteorologist T.J. Del Santo.

After an initial handshake, the two sat in the high school library and chatted like old friends and like two, well, professional weather forecasters.

They compared notes on weather trends, such as last summer’s droughts, and their favorite weather events. Del Santo likes thunderstorms while Russell likes observing the power of hurricanes. For personal comfort, both like warm, sunny days – if it’s not too hot and the humidity stays in check.

Russell had prepared a list of questions and statistics to run by Del Santo, asking him if he remembered a particularly frigid day in February 2023 when the temperature dropped below zero.  

“You’re blowing me away, Chase,” Del Santo said at one point when he had to resort to checking his records to confirm Russell’s weather memory. “A lot of meteorologists don’t know as much as you do.”

Russell said he checks the weather on various websites several times a day just to make sure he stays current. And although it’s his passion, he told Del Santo that he’s also interested in the work he does as an intern in the state Attorney General’s Office.

Both agreed that there is a public-service side to weather broadcasting. It helps people prepare for their day and makes sure that they are comfortable, they said. Del Santos brought Russell a swag bag from the television station and the school provided double-stuffed Oreo cookies in case the two wanted to snack while conversing.

Since he is graduating in May, and since weather is important, Russell told Del Santo that he has prepared a PowerPoint presentation to train his successor – whoever it might be.

Always polite, Russell ends his 7:30 a.m. forecasts by wishing everyone a “great day,” and when he walks the halls, it is obvious that his fellow students appreciate him. “Hey Chase,” many call out, some raising their hands to give him a high five, while others ask him what they can expect weather-wise for the rest of the day.

“Everybody knows him,” said librarian Heidi Blais, who arranged for Del Santo’s visit. “He is dear to our hearts – teachers and students alike.”

Cranston East Principal Thomas Barbieri couldn’t agree more. “Students like Chase make be proud to be principal,” he said.

“It was definitely a great day,” Russell said before he headed back to class. “I will remember today for the rest of my life.”