When you’re a TV meteorologist, your job is to bring viewers the weather as it happens, good or bad. That’s how they make their paychecks.
But when the “big game”, whatever it is, is happening, whenever weather news breaks, TV weathercasters quickly learn they wind up becoming less popular than the visiting team when they break into sports programming (or any big TV program event) on their station.
WSB TV weekend meteorologist Ashley Kramlich faced this 2020s media reality last night when she had to notify viewers of the long-awaited Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide game on ABC of a tornado warning that was issued for Butts and Jasper counties southeast of Atlanta, Georgia, within the WSB viewing area.
The warning happened at 9:12 pm, just as the game was going into halftime, with Alabama completing a drive that would temporarily put them ahead of the Dawgs. The station “double boxed” the game in progress, with Kramlich pointing out the tornado on the station’s Doppler radar. The game’s box was nearly half of the screen, with Kramlich’s barely a quarter. Kramlich stayed on the air for the duration of the warning until 9:30 pm, apologizing for the interruption while pointing out the fast-moving cell on the radar.
But many viewers were having none of it despite the double boxing and Kramlich’s apologies. Angry viewers took to social media, berating Kramlich for broadcasting the warning during the game. Some criticized her delivery of the warnings, posting that she repeatedly explained information and that the situation was too remote and non-circumstantial (because it was in outlying Atlanta counties) for breaking into the game. Many fans presumably were already irate, seeing the Tide heading into the endzone before halftime, taking the lead in the game on half a screen while Kramlich was on a smaller one warning about a pesky tornado.
Wanna piss off the entire state of Georgia?
Do this during the UGA game for 20 minutes. https://t.co/8MBcEVF4Vf
— Matt 🚍🚲🚇🏘️ (@mattfromcobb) October 11, 2026
Some of the posts directed at Kramlich, who’s been with WSB since 2023, were personal and not worth reposting here. A few comments landed on WSB chief met Brad Nitz‘s X account (Nitz was on vacation for his daughter’s wedding).
It should be noted that the game also aired on ESPN and on the network’s app.
TV weathercasters often get an earful (and/or social media) from viewers when they interrupt sports and other highly rated programming for weather alerts (WANF’s Ella Dorsey, who received death threats for interrupting the Masters golf coverage in 2019, and other weathercasters have a story to tell about this as well), but their job requires it. And not just the obvious life-and-death implications of severe weather, but legally as well. The Federal Communications Commission rules specifically state that TV stations that provide news and information must break into programming for tornado warnings from the National Weather Service and other weather occurrences when lives and property are at risk in their home market, regardless of where it is in that market or what type of programming is being interrupted. They must also stay on the air for the duration of the tornado warning, as Kramlich did. For weathercasters and the stations they work for, breaking into programming, any programming, for severe weather coverage isn’t a choice; it’s an obligation.
Kamlich addressed the issue on Facebook with a poster acknowledging the crucial situation with both the storm and the game, posting in response: “Haha thank you!! Didn’t want to cut in but had no choice!”
The storms Kramlich was covering during the game were the tail end of the weakening ex-Hurricane Isaias, which brought rain and wind to metro Atlanta and even threatened for a time the Georgia vs. Alabama game. It forced ESPN’s morning College Football GameDay show indoors and caused Alabama University officials to implement rules for tailgating and other activities for the game. Four people were killed in the southeast as a result of the storm.
With Georgia entering the severe weather season (ice and snow storms, tornadoes) and the year’s biggest sports season about to kick into high gear, this likely won’t be the last time breaking weather and hot sports events collide on live TV, with weathercasters becoming targets for armchair or keyboard critics for doing their jobs.
The Bulldogs won that game against the Tide, 20-17. They are now undefeated, at 5-0.
Update: Kramlich addressed the issue on air Sunday. (10/12/26)
Note: The National Weather Service has not yet confirmed a tornado actually touched down in Jasper and Butts County last night. They must investigate this particular incident, plus at least two other tornadoes reported in Northeast Georgia Saturday.
Photo credit: NatureNomad/Pixelbay.
