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Pat has been in broadcasting for 29 years. Originally from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, Pat began as a weathercaster at KQTV in St. Joseph, Missouri. Then he moved to Baton Rouge before relocating to WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Since his 1981 return to Baton Rouge as WBRZ’s Chief Forecaster, Pat has accepted many responsibilities. He is the President of Pat Shingleton Productions and has produced, distributed, and syndicated various shows, such as We Play Baton Rouge, The Fifth Quarter, and Hotline After Dark. Since 1992 he has tracked Santa Claus’ location on Christmas Eve with other weathercasters from around the country in his syndicated project, “Santa Tracks.”
Pat is a member of various professional organizations, such as the American Meteorological Society, the National Weather Association and the National Association of Television Program Executives. He has been recognized by the Louisiana Associated Press for his weather presentations, and he was selected the best in the state in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
In conjunction with his position as a weathercaster for WBRZ, Pat is involved in many community activities. He is a chairperson for several programs, including “Pat’s Coats for Kids.” He developed the concept for the St. Vincent De Paul Society’s “Community Pharmacy,” creating “Fill a Prescription for the Needy.” He originated The St. Patrick’s Day Parade, “The Wearin’ of the Green,” in 1986, and he continues to be the St. Patrick’s Day Parade coordinator.
Pat has been instrumental in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthwhile causes such as the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, Our Lady of Mercy’s “Campaign for Tomorrow,” The Diocese of Baton Rouge’s “Preparing for the New Millennium” and Catholic High School’s “Second Century of Excellence.” He’s the co-host of the Children’s Miracle Network’s telecast, benefiting the Children’s Hospital. In 2003, Pat received the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation’s Volunteer Activist Award. In 2005, the Society of Fundraising Professionals honored him as their “Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser.”.
Pat has been a member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church since 1980, assisting in numerous positions for the Church and school. He is currently a Eucharistic Minister, Lector, and Commentator for the Church.
Pat has a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is married to Mabyn Kean Shingleton and has two children, Michael and Katie.
Equinox comes from the Latin words “aequus,” meaning equal, and “nox,” meaning night. It’s that moment when the center of the sun is directly above the equator, around March 20 and Sept. 23.
A recent study published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology indicates climate change and warmer temperatures are threatening the quality of beer.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a release March 8 targeting areas where the flood threat is expected this spring. It looks like the Midwest, Eastern Seaboard and sections of the South will experience the worst episodes.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, as the plants and trees are budding on schedule. I received an e-mail from Don and Wanda Rogers and the possibility of another frost compromising their new tender plants. It’s not unusual to get another freeze after today.
Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle have finalized alternative fuel sources. Over the past few years, renovations included an underground network that extracts heat from the Earth’s natural warmth.
Beware the Ides of March. On this date in 1988, a record high and a record low were logged on the same day in Astoria, Ore.
I’m repeating this article confident you advanced all time-pieces as we’re now on daylight saving time.
This morning, Ireland comes to Baton Rouge with visitors and a taste of summertime. I have had the pleasure of visiting Ireland three times, in late March, August and September, offering a unique weather mixture.
Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of Baton Rouge’s “St. Patrick’s Day Parade, The Wearin’ of the Green.”
Public consensus suggests people expect pollution levels to be slightly lower away from the main body of traffic. Recent research notes a difference. The University of Leeds reports pollution hotspots accumulate on the sheltered side of the street in relation to the wind’s direction at roof level.
Italian violin makers in the 17th and 18th centuries made instruments known for their superior quality. Those crafted by Antonio Stradivari may be the most sought-after violins of all time. Stradivari lived in Cremona, Italy, from 1644 to 1737, an era now called the Little Ice Age. It is also known as the Maunder Minimum due to reduced solar activity.
Lunchtime Monday found us outside the Baton Rouge Clinic with a jambalaya lunch and proceeds to help our Fill-A-Prescription-For-The-Needy campaign.
We’re preparing for the 25th anniversary of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This weekend we also prepare for a time change. In 12 days spring springs and as mentioned in a previous column, the reminders come to us in different forms. Be careful in the backyard as a bale of pine straw may awaken a hibernating snake or field mouse.
Numerous news outlets reported on a variety of ships trapped in ice in the Baltic Sea beginning Thursday. Most of the large passenger ferries and cargo ships have been released from the ice off Sweden, and the cause of the thick ice is due to colder-than-average temperatures and gale-force winds.
We’re finally getting warmer, dry weather with some early-March weather items. On this date in 1954, Florida received its greatest snowfall when 4 inches whitened Milton and 2 inches covered Pensacola over a 24-hour period.
On Wednesday, three waves struck the Louis Majesty, a Cypriot-owned cruise ship carrying 1,350 passengers and 580 crew members. Louis Cruise Lines said the 33-foot waves blasted through glass windshields in the forward section, killing two passengers. The ship had experienced rogue waves.
Continuing our column from Wednesday, the water level of Lake Mead in Colorado has receded since 1936. At lower levels, a high-water mark or white bathtub ring has been chronicled in photos, caused by mineral deposits on submerged surfaces.
Lake Mead is on the border of Nevada and Arizona. As noted in a previous column, in 1865, Mormon settlers founded the town of St. Thomas. By 1867, it had 500 residents and in the 1910s, it was a growing frontier town.
The “meteorological” winter season includes December, January and February. The “season” will be remembered as one of the most unusual. In addition to our snow events in all three months, wet and cold weather made some headlines.
Welcome to March, which has had a couple of significant weather events. March 1, 1910, saw the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. Two trains with carriage cars were stalled on a snowbound grade leading to Steven’s Pass in Washington.
The famous St. Bernards are considered the original, avalanche-rescue dogs, but golden retrievers are now choppered into the Colorado wilderness for rescue efforts.
Japan was saved from the Mongols of Kublai Khan by a typhoon that shattered the Mongol invasion fleet. The typhoon was named “Kamikaze” after the god of wind in Shinto.
The news, sports and weather teams of WBRZ-TV are taking the show on the road to Alex Box Stadium this season and tonight’s game looks like a rain-out.
One of the Pink Panther movies finds Inspector Clouseau disguised as a dentist summoned by an unsuspecting and villainous Chief Inspector Dreyfus to extract a bad tooth. An accidental release of laughing gas puts both characters into hysterics, possibly one of the best-humorous scenes in movie history.
A small-craft advisory will be issued for the coast today. Imagine a fishing camp in below-zero weather, exposed to the elements and you can’t see what you’re trying to catch. As noted in a previous column, on Lake Mille Lacs in northern Minnesota, anglers drag their fully-equipped, 4-ton houses onto the lake.
Maldives is an archipelago nation of 1,200 islands 500 miles southwest of India. The Republic of Maldives averages 5 feet above sea level; scientific projections of climate change could make it the new Atlantis. Scientists expect climate warming will cause sea-level rise from a 6 inches to 3 feet by the end of the century.
Some readers could argue that Baton Rouge was an icebox this winter.
We enjoyed being live at Alex Box Stadium on Friday night for the season opener. The game time temperature was 52 under mostly clear skies. Baseball today will have partly clear skies and a first-pitch temperature of 66.
I have filed numerous columns on global warming and weather changes, from tree frogs, with skin affected by too much sunlight, to depleted ice sheets in Greenland.
In 1971, engineer Herbert Saffir and hurricane expert Dr. Robert Simpson collaborated to create a five-point scale for damage potential from a hurricane.
