Tanner Cero switches on a modest lamp that might go unnoticed by most but provides the perfect glow for the green screen behind him in his bedroom. The 15-year-old is dressed and ready to kick off his broadcast.
“You might be surprised,” says the 10th grader from Middle River just before starting his livestream. “Even the tiniest source of light makes a big difference.”
Tanner Matthew Cero serves as the chief forecaster for TMC Weather, his personal weather service named after his initials. From his unassuming bedroom “studio,” this Chesapeake High School student delivers daily weather reports to a growing audience. TMC’s Facebook page boasts around 12,000 followers, while Foot’s Forecast, a weather page originally created by Perry Hall Middle School science teacher Richard Foot, is now managed by Tanner and has over 100,000 followers.
Among Tanner’s admirers are local figures like Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, students from the Catholic High School of Baltimore, and numerous enthusiastic commenters. He also appreciates guidance from local meteorologists such as Tony Pann, Justin Berk, and Justin Chambers. However, Tanner insists that his journey into weather forecasting wasn’t driven by a thirst for fame; it has deeply personal roots.
“I grew up terrified of storms,” he confesses. “I disliked them, so I thought if I understood the science behind them, I could help people overcome their fears while also serving my community.”
While Tanner usually records morning forecast videos in advance, severe weather conditions compel him to wake up early. He recalled rising at 2:30 a.m. during January’s snowstorms to prepare a timely video by 5 a.m. for early morning commuters.
He crafts his own daily forecasts, utilizing data from multiple sources, including local private weather stations, the National Weather Service, and his personal weather instruments. The forecasting process is far more time-consuming than shooting the videos, which he can complete in under 10 minutes.
Emphasizing often-overlooked local areas like Middle River is essential to Tanner’s mission.
“He does an excellent job, I must say,” praised Councilman Marks, who often consults Tanner during summer storms and significant weather events. Tanner’s localized approach to forecasting eastern Baltimore County offers insights that city or national forecasts often miss, he noted.
A newfound passion sparked by boredom
Tanner’s journey into weather forecasting began during the pandemic.
“When COVID hit and we were out of school, I found myself really bored,” he explained.
Initially starting in his basement with Zoom virtual backgrounds for graphics, Tanner has since elevated his production quality. He has been educating himself through YouTube tutorials and books about both meteorology and video production. Furthermore, media production and journalism classes at Baltimore County Public Schools have equipped him with skills in camera setup and Adobe Premiere Pro editing.
With only a learner’s permit to drive, the aspiring storm chaser has invested his earnings from summer lawn mowing jobs into essential weather equipment like anemometers and a comprehensive audiovisual setup, complete with a video switcher and high-quality clicker, thanks also to the support of his parents.
Despite his professional endeavors, Tanner remains grounded as a teenager. While TMC isn’t all about creating TikTok dance videos, his friends enjoy joking around with him during forecasts, especially when he humorously referenced a high of 67 degrees. (For those who may not know, “6-7” has become an inside joke among Generation Alpha.)
As he approaches his 16th birthday in December, Tanner is excited about the prospect of chasing storms and broadcasting live once he obtains his full driver’s license.
‘Now, many people look to me’
Tanner’s mother, Diana Cero, shared with The Baltimore Sun that she was initially doubtful about his ambitious dream to launch his own weather service.
“At first, I thought … he might be dreaming big,” she admitted. “I supported him, but I wasn’t sure how far he could take it.”
Nevertheless, Tanner is determined and sees his goals through to the end. His mother fondly remembers when he was too young to join the Boy Scouts, yet he aspired so much to lead his brother’s troop that they affectionately gave him a fake uniform and dubbed him “commissioner.”
Even as he looks forward to attending college and joining other broadcast meteorology students at Penn State, Tanner envisions himself helping his classmates with their equipment: “I can also be their … advantage.”
“I realized I wanted to pursue weather since the fifth grade,” Tanner reflected, noting how hard he has worked to make that aspiration a reality.
The personal touch in his weather presentations and the genuine concern for local communities have become distinguishing traits of TMC Weather.
“Weather apps are here to stay, so that will always be part of the competition,” he acknowledged. “But if you ask someone, ‘Do you know Tanner?’ they will likely say they know the weatherman. The competition dwindles when you think about it,” he continued.
“These days, many people turn to me for their weather updates.”
