Gail McGrane
Encyclopedia
Gail McGrane is the senior weather forecaster for BBC Scotland
. Born in Dingwall, Ross-shire, McGrane attended Dingwall Academy
before moving to Glasgow to attend the University of Strathclyde
. She took a job at the Met Office
in 1999 and began presenting breakfast weather reports in 2000, before moving to Reporting Scotland
in early 2009. She has appeared as a weather consultant on several BBC Scotland productions.
. She moved to Glasgow
, where she received an honours degree in geography
and an MSc
in environmental studies
from the University of Strathclyde
. She studied for one year at the University of Iowa
in the United States
, as part of her third-year studies.
She decided on a career as a forecaster during her studies, in particular due to an experience in Iowa where she had to escape from a tornado
in her car. She recalls being mocked for her decision by a lecturer.
in 1999, with Bill Giles
as her mentor. Following her training at the Met Office College in Reading as a forecaster, she moved to the BBC Television Centre
as a broadcast assistant, then moved to BBC Scotland
as a weather girl
at the end of 2000.
McGrane spent nine years as the #2 forecaster for BBC Scotland, spending much of her time working on the breakfast shift covering regular radio slots Good Morning Scotland
, and Breakfast TV, where her job required her to get up at 3 AM.
She covered the Weather on Reporting Scotland once or twice a week, but became Lead weather presenter on Reporting Scotland
in late December 2009, following the departure of Heather Reid
, following the latter's decision to leave for a role at Learning and Teaching Scotland
after fifteen years of presenting.
and previously appeared on The Beechgrove Garden
as a forecaster.
(CHAS), raising in a gala ball.
She is a regular visitor to the United States
, in particular Chicago
, where she had her first direct experience of a tornado.
She is an avid fan of football club Ross County
, having frequently stayed with her grandparents in a house adjacent to the club's ground Victoria Park
as a child.
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
. Born in Dingwall, Ross-shire, McGrane attended Dingwall Academy
Dingwall Academy
Dingwall Academy is the largest secondary school in the Highlands of Scotland, with an enrollment of 1005 pupils as of November 2006. The Academy is situated in the centre of Dingwall and brings in pupils from Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Strathpeffer and the surrounding area.Dingwall...
before moving to Glasgow to attend the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She took a job at the Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
in 1999 and began presenting breakfast weather reports in 2000, before moving to Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland is BBC Scotland's national television news programme. The programme first aired on 1 April 1968, with three main presenters - the most famous being Mary Marquis...
in early 2009. She has appeared as a weather consultant on several BBC Scotland productions.
Early life and education
McGrane was born in Dingwall, Ross-shire in 1975 and educated at Dingwall AcademyDingwall Academy
Dingwall Academy is the largest secondary school in the Highlands of Scotland, with an enrollment of 1005 pupils as of November 2006. The Academy is situated in the centre of Dingwall and brings in pupils from Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Strathpeffer and the surrounding area.Dingwall...
. She moved to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, where she received an honours degree in geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in environmental studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
from the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She studied for one year at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as part of her third-year studies.
She decided on a career as a forecaster during her studies, in particular due to an experience in Iowa where she had to escape from a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in her car. She recalls being mocked for her decision by a lecturer.
Weather career
McGrane joined the Met OfficeMet Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
in 1999, with Bill Giles
Bill Giles
William George Giles OBE is a former British weather forecaster and television presenter.-Early life:...
as her mentor. Following her training at the Met Office College in Reading as a forecaster, she moved to the BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
as a broadcast assistant, then moved to BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
as a weather girl
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
at the end of 2000.
McGrane spent nine years as the #2 forecaster for BBC Scotland, spending much of her time working on the breakfast shift covering regular radio slots Good Morning Scotland
Good Morning Scotland
Good Morning Scotland is a Scottish breakfast radio news programme. It is broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland weekdays from 06:00 to 08:45. Established in 1973, it is the longest-running radio show broadcast from Scotland and remains one of the most popular....
, and Breakfast TV, where her job required her to get up at 3 AM.
She covered the Weather on Reporting Scotland once or twice a week, but became Lead weather presenter on Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland is BBC Scotland's national television news programme. The programme first aired on 1 April 1968, with three main presenters - the most famous being Mary Marquis...
in late December 2009, following the departure of Heather Reid
Heather Reid
Heather Reid OBE CPhys FinstP is a Scottish meteorologist and former television weather presenter for BBC Scotland. She was formerly employed by the UK Met Office, starting in 1993....
, following the latter's decision to leave for a role at Learning and Teaching Scotland
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Learning and Teaching Scotland is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, formed by the merger of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum and the Scottish Council for Educational Technology...
after fifteen years of presenting.
Other broadcasting
McGrane presents on LandwardLandward
Landward is a long-running television programme focusing on agricultural and rural issues, produced and broadcast by BBC Scotland. Until 2007, it aired on Sunday mornings in Scotland, replacing the similar show Countryfile which aired elsewhere in the UK; however in 2007 Landward moved to a regular...
and previously appeared on The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden is a television programme broadcast on BBC Two Scotland since 1978, but since 10 April 2007 now broadcast on BBC One Scotland. It is a gardening programme. The original plot of land used was the small area of garden attached to the BBC studios in Aberdeen, located in the...
as a forecaster.
Personal life
McGrane lives in Glasgow with her husband Jon, an accountant. Her mother still lives in Dingwall. Together with her husband, McGrane has been a volunteer speaker for the Children's Hospice Association ScotlandChildren's Hospice Association Scotland
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland is a Scottish charity that provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions...
(CHAS), raising in a gala ball.
She is a regular visitor to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in particular Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where she had her first direct experience of a tornado.
She is an avid fan of football club Ross County
Ross County F.C.
Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...
, having frequently stayed with her grandparents in a house adjacent to the club's ground Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Dingwall
Victoria Park is a football stadium situated in the town of Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland. It is the home stadium of Ross County F.C. who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. It is the most northerly ground in the Scottish Football League.There are two stands; the West ...
as a child.