Matt DiLoreto is a meteorologist at NBC5, where he delivers the forecast to viewers across Vermont and northern New York. His passion and expertise in the field are evident in each broadcast, and The Mercury was happy to interview him to gain insight into his job as a meteorologist.
Q: What inspired you to become a meteorologist?
A: My dad played a huge role in inspiring my meteorology career. He never pursued the career himself, but was always an enthusiast. He showed me things like how to check radar for incoming storms at a very young age, and he would take me to the beach, or on hikes in the mountains and describe the different weather conditions from place to place. It got me looking up at the sky, fascinated by the processes going on up there. Anytime there was bad weather going on outside, we wanted to be there!
Q: What is the most challenging part of making an accurate forecast?
A: The most challenging part of making a forecast is trying to communicate different weather conditions over the market area we cover. Often times, people will hear one word (thunderstorms, snow, wind, etc) and automatically think it applies everywhere. As we know, weather can be highly variable from state to state, and even within the same town at times. Communicating that to people in a way they can understand easily is the most important part of forecasting any type of weather.
Q: How do you utilize technology to predict the weather?
A: There are many different ways to use technology for forecasting, but the most important are weather balloons which take a temperature, wind, and humidity profile of the entire atmosphere. That data is ingested into giant computers which use equations to forecast the movement of air going forward. That is basically what a computer model is. It’s not just about what’s happening at the ground, but up above is arguably even more important.
Q: What is the most memorable weather event you have covered?
A: The most memorable event I’ve covered was the July 2023 flooding that inundated many towns, including the capital city of Montpelier. We knew a couple days before that there would be devastating flooding, but watching it happen in real time gives you such a feeling of dread, while also getting an appreciation for the power of Mother Nature. It lets you know that she is in control, and you merely have to adapt and adjust to the storms she brings.
Watching communities come together to clean up and aid each other in any way they can makes you appreciate the resiliency of humans among the atmospheric fury.
Q: What weather trends are you seeing in our region?
A: Weather trends most notable in our region have been an increase in nighttime low temperatures, especially during winter months. Average winter temperatures in the Burlington area have increased about 7 degrees since 1970.
We have also seen a higher number of heavy rain events, most notably, higher amounts of rain in shorter amounts of time. We had flooding in July three years in a row, (2023-2025) and a major flood in the Mad River valley in December 2023.
Q: What is your favorite type of weather to experience?
A: My favorite type of weather to experience is a good thunderstorm. The relaxation I feel with the sound of thunder and heavy rain hitting the roof cannot be replicated by much else.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a meteorologist?
A: My advice for any future meteorologists would be do NOT get discouraged in the process.
The major is very math-heavy. So many college students fail a test or two, or don’t get the grades they were hoping for, and they think somehow they aren’t smart enough to get through it. Even if math isn’t your strong suit (it certainly wasn’t mine, I had to re-take a handful of classes), you CAN get through it and still do what you love.
