Chris Fawkes

Chris Fawkes

Chris was born in Stockport and lived nearby in Marple where he studied at the local comprehensive school and college.

In 1996 he moved across the Pennines to study BSc Geography at Sheffield University where he gained a 2.1 Hons degree.

A break from study was then called for, so Chris took a year out to travel around the world.

Highlights of the trip were white water rafting down the Kalikandaki in Nepal and scuba diving just off Ko Tao in Thailand.

They also include seeing the millennium fireworks display in Sydney and doing a tandem freefall parachute jump over Wanaka in the Alps of New Zealand. What a year!

Chris joined the BBC Weather Centre in May 2001 as a Broadcast Assistant and completed training to present TV and radio bulletins.

He provided holiday and sickness cover for presenters in many of the BBC regions and then completed a short spell of broadcasting at the BBC Weather Centre for BBC Four and interactive services.

Chris completed his forecaster qualifications and gained further forecasting experience with Met Office stations at Larkhill and Odiham, the latter of which included some weather briefings to the RAF crews involved in aiding the survivors of the Pakistan Earthquake of 2005.

Chris is a very keen swimmer and regularly trains and races. In one of his races he won a bronze medal at the Great British Masters Championships for the 25 to 30 year age group 100m freestyle.

Chris is also a keen skier. He looks forward to wintertime when he monitors weather patterns across the Alps from November right through the season to see where the best snow conditions will be.

He also enjoys power kiting when the winds permit, and body surfing on the waves in Cornwall.