Rachael Jay is a StormTracker meteorologist at NBC Connecticut.
She is recognized by the American Meteorological Society as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist.
Rachael is passionate about making weather and science understandable, relatable, and fun.
Prior to joining NBC Connecticut, Rachael worked at HMTV6 in Hagerstown, Maryland, KWWL in Waterloo, Iowa, and WVEC in Norfolk, Virginia. She covered major weather events including Hurricane Dorian’s landfall in North Carolina.
A Maryland native, Rachael is a graduate of Penn State where she also received a minor in Spanish. In her spare time, she loves studying different languages.
Her parents are from Trinidad and Jamaica, so she is seeking out the best Caribbean restaurant in the state!
The Latest
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Severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Connecticut
A line of strong storms is moving through Connecticut Wednesday evening. The late evening storms briefly posed a severe threat in southern areas of the state. A severe thunderstorm warning is in place for lower Fairfield and southern New Haven counties through 11:15 pm for the risk of strong, damaging winds. More showers and thunderstorms could develop into Wednesday night….
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Rain possible during fireworks on Fourth of July evening
Scattered rain remains in the forecast into the evening on the Fourth of July. We may have some areas with rain around fireworks time Thursday evening. Another chance for rain/storms is possible Friday and Saturday. A few more towns may get into the 90s toward the weekend.
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How to prep for hurricane season in Connecticut
June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season in the Atlantic. The season appears to be starting quietly but it likely won’t last long. Forecasters at several U.S. universities and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are calling for an above-average season for the Atlantic basin. The 2023 season ended in the top five years for named storms, according…
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National Safe Boating Week tips
May 18 to 24, 2024 is National Safe Boating Week. That is fitting as we head into Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial start to summer. Many are looking forward to hitting the waterways, especially with warmer temperatures this week giving a tease of summer. However, water temperatures in mid-to-late-May for Long Island Sound are still only in the 50s….
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‘Zombie' fires partially to blame for spring Canadian wildfires
The 2023 Canadian wildfire season was the most destructive on record. In fact, there were still fires burning on New Year’s Eve. Some fires from 2023 persisted into the new year – those are called “zombie fires.” A zombie fire is one that continues to burn underground, continuing to smolder through the winter, and re-emerges in the spring. Warming temperatures…
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World Lupus Day
May 10 is World Lupus Day. This is the day to spotlight the autoimmune disease, share stories of those fighting lupus and bring more attention to the condition, which is not widely known about. Alicia Scott, Northeast Development Manager of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) details the symptoms that she and other “lupus warriors” deal with: chronic fatigue, fevers,…
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Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks this weekend
Sky gazers, get ready! The peak of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower comes the first weekend of May. On the night of the 4th into the 5th, up to 50 meteors per hour can be seen under optimal conditions – away from light pollution and after your eyes have adjusted to the darkness. Meteors in this particular shower are produced…
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Why hurricane season could be busier than normal this year
Hurricane season will officially begin on June 1 in the Atlantic and May 15 in the eastern Pacific. Looking back, 2023 was a slightly above average season with 20 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. And this year looks like it could be busier, too. A number of universities and other organizations released their Atlantic hurricane season forecasts…
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Warm start to the year causes allergy season to start sooner
Tis the sneezin’! Weather plays a big role in allergy season, but it’s not the only player that makes this time of year tough for those with allergies. Allergy season is picking up and we are feeling it here across Connecticut. Natalie Marquez Rivera and her daughter’s allergies have been getting more active lately. “My daughter also, too, her...
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Scattered showers and thunderstorms to end weekend, warming trend this week
Our StormTracker meteorologists are tracking a fast moving system that brings a round of showers and thunderstorms as we wind down the weekend. While widespread rain is not expected, a few heavier downpours or stronger storms moved through during the afternoon. Some storms dropped small hail.A couple of areas of moderate to possibly heavy rain are still possible late...
