Family Communications, Inc., producers
of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” She
also worked closely with the woman she
was named after, Kweilin Nassar, a TV
talent in Pittsburgh, as well as on nationally
syndicated Doo Wop revival shows
featuring generations of vocal groups and
singers from as early as the 1950s.
With the encouragement of one of
her mentors at the station, Kweilyn
studied for and received her Certificate
of Meteorology from Mississippi State
University. Returning again to Pittsburgh
she worked as a freelance meteorologist
with the city’s CBS-TV affiliate for about
six months before moving on to Greenville
where she stayed for several years prior to
her arrival in New Orleans.
“There’s no such thing as boring weather,
especially not here” Kweilyn said. “We go
from crazy hot to cold and from gusty to
relaxed. It’s constantly changing. I love the
heat. Being from up north I appreciate the
change and I never complain about it.”
However, despite her love for the city’s
hot weather Kweilyn is adamant about
warning her viewers about its hazards,
especially leaving young children and
pets in cars or outdoors for long periods
of time. She also cautions people about
relying too heavily on weather apps on cell
phones and other hand-held devices and
she urges viewers
to pay close attention
to advisories
about potentially
threatening tropical
disturbances
churning up in the
Gulf of Mexico.
“I find it frustrating
that some
people don’t react
like they should
respond in terms
of preparation,” she
said. “With as many
tropical systems
and impacts as
we’ve had here,
people can still
be seemingly
COVER STORY
complacent. They try to compare one
(storm) system to the last one and you
just can’t do that.”
When told that many people here, especially
those who lived through the most
severe hurricanes, may, at times, accuse
weather reporters of “crying wolf,” Kweilyn
reacted very strongly. “That’s not what we
do,” she emphasized. “We don’t cry wolf.
Any information we disseminate is based
on our scientific knowledge, analysis, and
supporting data. And, we also work closely
with federal agencies. We tell our viewers,
‘This is the potential. This is what
we could see happening’ and, of course,
we hope that it doesn’t happen, but we
have to be prepared for this potential just
in case.”
Kweilyn lavished praise on her colleague
and mentor at Channel 6, veteran meteorologist
Margaret Orr. “In our daily
interactions I just enjoy listening to her
and sharing stories,” she said. “She’s seen
and been through a lot here and she’s
helped the city get through a lot too.”
In her spare time - especially after
putting in an 11-hour day that began at
2:00 in the morning -Kweilyn enjoys a
brisk workout out in the gym. In years
past she competed in fitness competitions
and, several times, finished among the top
five in her division. She doesn’t compete
anymore but she is still fiercely dedicated
to staying in shape.
“Working out helps me maintain peace
and find balance and release stress,”
Kweilyn said. She also enjoys the outdoors
- especially the beach - and she loves
to dance.
Kweilyn also takes an active role in the
community, tutoring elementary school
children with reading and other programs.
She enjoys teaching public speaking/
communications and professional development
to high school students, giving
them encouragement to pursue productive
goals.
“I believe that kids deserve opportunities
to be great,” she said. “I think that too
often adults forget that there were other
adults who helped them get to where they
are and so we have to be patient with
these kids. They deserve opportunities
and to be given chances. That’s what I
like to do and what I’d like to do more of.”
During her off-time, Kweilyn makes
frequent visits with her family members,
most of whom are still in the Pittsburgh
area. These include her father, a retired
steelworker; her mother, a retired healthcare
worker; and her older brother who is
also a former steelworker. She also grew
up a Steelers fan but, like most transplants,
she has also adopted the Saints
as one of her favorite NFL teams.
So, the big question for Kweilyn is, does
she plan to stay here in New Orleans or
does she, like so many other TV news
personalities before her, use the city’s
media as a stepping stone on the path to
a larger, more lucrative market? While not
stating a definitive “Yes or No” she was
quick to reply, “Right now I don’t see past
New Orleans.”
Concluding on an upbeat note, she
added, “I’m prepared to do whatever work
God has for me here for as long as I can
and continue on the path that He has laid
out for me. We all look to do great things;
to be impactful and work with people to
build great communities, so that’s what
I’ll continue to do.”
You can see Kweilyn Murphy weekdays
on WDSU News This Morning from 4:30-
7:00 a.m., as well as on “cut-ins” during
“The Today Show” until 9:00 a.m. She
is also on WDSU News at Noon and on
24-hour call during extreme weather emergencies.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF WDSU TV
PHOTO BY: JUSTEN WILLIAMS 343/ MEDIA
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