Stories - February 6, 2023
Always take the weather with you – Clem Blake
It can be a conversation starter or a saviour, but for Clem Blake it is a thrill-seeking experience, a passion and a vocation.
Of course, we are talking about the weather, and Clem knows his stuff.
In fact, with more than 7300 followers on his Mallee Weather Watch social page, Clem is the go-to man when it comes to forecasts and more importantly, when atmospheric changes are taking place and the region is facing a severe weather risk – his media presence keeps people informed in real-time.
Clem, who is legally blind, is a trusted source of information across the Mallee. He presents a weekly weather wrap on local ABC and his social pages – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – are widely used as a source of information to enjoy the wonderful weather photos and videos that we all take an interest in.
His weather station has been awarded its fifth gold award five years running for providing over 350 days of consistent weather observations to Weather Observations Website (WOW) – a joint venture between the Bureau Of Meteorology in Australia and the Met Office In the United Kingdom.
“I am an official storm spotter for the Bureau of Metrology in north-west Victoria and we have a strong following on social media which I love putting up videos and photos of weather conditions across the region. They can be spectacular,”
Clement Blake
His home has all the equipment to be across the slightest of weather changes, with the data it produces uploaded to a number of platforms for analysis and dissemination.
He has called Ouyen in Victoria home for the past 20 years, saying he fell in love with the area after a visit from Melbourne. With about 10 per cent vision, Clem can make out the wonderful contrasts of the Mallee region.
His goals in 2023 include picking up part-time work – he is a dab at all things social media, and his skills around mapping are outstanding, particularly producing weather maps and he has been a technical producer for several radio stations.
“I’m also looking to run some sheep, it has always been a goal of mine. I love helping on farms so I am sure to be at a few sheep sales,” Clem said.
One of his biggest achievements is capturing the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights).
“I went on a chase with my support and we got it, it is amazing the lighting we get in our region. I put updates on the Facebook site so that people know when there is a possibility of seeing the aurora in the west.”
Clem’s Facebook page is Mallee Weather Watch | Facebook.
If you have questions about whether or opportunities for Clem, you can contact him through the Facebook page or messenger.
The WOW weather site can be accessed at: www.bom.gov.au/wow-support
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