See Weather Reporter Hit By A Flying Tree
Weatherman Jim Cantore was struck by a tree while covering Hurricane Ian that is battering Florida
This article is more than 2 years old
A weather reporter was brought to his knees while covering hurricane conditions in Florida on Wednesday, according to Deadline. In a video posted to Twitter by a man named Scott Gustin, meteorologist Jim Cantore was at ground zero to document the arrival of Hurricane Ian when an oversized tree branch tumbled across the street and struck him in his legs causing him to fall to the ground. Cantore was reporting live on the storm from Punta Gorda, which is about 20 miles away across Charlotte Harbor when the incident took place.
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Myers, Florida on September 28th, and the Category 4 storm has battered coastal communities in the southwest portion of the state. With winds of 150 mph, Ian ties for the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to hit the United States mainland. The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore was just one weather reporter out of many bringing live updates from inside the storm that’s left one million Florida residents without power.
Being a weather reporter is obviously not without its risks, and Jim Cantore is no stranger to being caught up in life-threatening situations. On January 28th, 2014, the meteorologist was reporting live from the College of Charleston in South Carolina when he was charged by a student. Cantore noticed the student charging him, kneed him in the groin, and continued with his coverage as if nothing happened.
On October 10th, 2018, during coverage of Hurricane Michael’s landfall in Panama City Beach, Florida, Cantore’s reflexes were put to the test. The weather reporter was forced to quickly dodge a flying piece of lumber. The meteorologist managed to avoid being hit, unlike the recent incident that took place while he was reporting on Hurricane Ian.
Jim Cantore would make a great addition to the Final Destination franchise, considering he’s likely cheated death on more than one occasion. The well-known weather reporter has mentioned in the past that he ventures into extreme weather conditions to educate people about the dangers associated with different types of storms.
But even Cantore is smart enough to know when it’s time to get out of harm’s way, as he shifted his live coverage of Hurricane Ian to a parking garage after being pummeled by the rogue tree branch.
Cantore has been extremely fortunate to have walked away from multiple life-threatening situations, as other weather reporters haven’t been as lucky. In May 2018, WYFF-TV anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist, Aaron Smelzer, were covering Subtropical Storm Alberto in Greenville, South Carolina. The two men were killed after an enormous tree smashed their truck.
Although two people in Cuba have been killed in the wake of Hurricane Ian, one due to a collapsed wall and another due to a collapsed roof, no fatalities have been reported in the United States as a result of the storm. The biggest hazard inland communities face from the Category 4 hurricane is massive flooding, which could be a disaster in itself. If you’re a weather reporter bringing us live coverage from inside the storm, know that we’re all grateful and praying for you’re safety!
