A new day is dawning for newspaper readers in Atlantic Canada.
Cindy Day, one of Canada’s top meteorologists, is joining the SaltWire Network team.
The Guardian and The Journal Pioneer are members of the SaltWire Network and Day’s forecasts will be featured in P.E.I.’s provincial newspaper as well as online starting in mid-February.
Until recently, Day had been with CTV Atlantic for the past 10 years.
5 fast facts about Cindy Day
1. Left Ottawa airport in 1988 as its meteorologist to join radio station CFRA
2. Operated her own 1-900 weather line where people paid $1.99 for weather statements
3. Spent nine years with Global Television and 10 years with CTV Atlantic
4. She’s a published author, having sold more than 64,000 copies of “Grandma Says’’
5. From her studio in Halifax, Day will produce videos allowing her to hone in on geographical areas across Prince Edward Island in her new role with The Guardian and The Journal Pioneer as part of the SaltWire Network.
“It was time for a change,’’ Day told The Guardian on Monday. “I’d been thinking about it for a long time. My contract was up for renewal and through the summer and early fall I sat back and thought where I wanted to spend the last few years of my working career. I just felt there was something different out there that I wanted to get involved with.’’
When she reached out to the people at the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, another SaltWire Network paper, and SaltWire itself she knew she had found the next chapter in her storied career.
“It was very exciting because they are launching new platforms and excited about bringing news and weather to people in a modern, exciting way. I thought it would be great to be a part of that on the ground level.’’
Day said it’s a little early to be overly specific about what readers of The Guardian, The Journal Pioneer and the other newspapers will see, but it will include user-friendly weather maps and not just some numbers on a big map of Atlantic Canada.
“You can have a look at your region a little more specifically, such as the snow squalls or the humidex or the heavy rainfalls or the snow fall totals, specifically for you instead of looking at a big picture and wondering what that means for me.’’
It will also include some weather trivia and, much to Day’s delight, her weather blog. Some days, she will focus on the synopsis of the weather while other topics will feature weather lore or an explanation of pancake ice.
“It will run the gamut. It will be something that is scientific and weather (related) and, hopefully, will reach out and make the reader say, ‘I didn’t know that’. It will add value to the weather page.’’
Mark Lever, president and CEO of the SaltWire Network, said through conversations inside and outside the organization that it became clear there was nothing more essential to people living in the region than being armed with accurate, up-to-the-minute weather forecasts.
“For so many Atlantic Canadians, Cindy has been their trusted source; a friend they rely on to help them plan their day,’’ Lever said. “We’re very excited to have her join the team.’’
Day said she remains passionate about doing specific weather forecasts, ones that appeal to fishermen for the lobster fishing season or farmers during harvest.
She’s also thrilled to know that the SaltWire Network intends on helping Day stay connected to the community.
“That was the one thing I loved about my job at CTV, was getting out into the schools and talking with the children, making them realize that they walk and breathe science every day outside the classroom in nature.
“SaltWire is very excited about me going into different communities that have newspapers and going into the schools. That was one of the key points. I think it’s really important that people stop and look up into the sky and get to feel nature a little bit.’’
