Lauren Kreidler joined the WINK weather team in June 2023. A Florida native, she was born and raised in West Palm Beach. Lauren's fascination with the weather stems from her childhood experiences during Hurricane Frances and Jeanne, which impacted South Florida when she was five years old. After volunteering with her family at a hurricane shelter and returning to find her house severely damaged, she was deeply inspired by the storms' effects on local communities.

In middle school, Lauren began shadowing meteorologists at her local West Palm Beach news station, where her love for broadcast meteorology and television news grew even stronger. Before joining the WINK team, she worked behind the scenes at WPTV while pursuing her college education online.

In her free time, Lauren enjoys shopping at Target, walking her (crazy!) goldendoodle named Breezy, and creating content on mental health advocacy and weather for her social media platforms, Weather with Lauren.

Excited to forecast the weather in sunny Southwest Florida, Lauren hopes to inspire the next generation to pursue their passions and to (storm) chase after their dreams.

Severe Weather Awareness Week: Lightning Safety

Florida Severe Weather Awareness Week is observed from February 5th to February 9th to increase awareness of severe weather hazards. Our WINK Weather Authority team will be highlighting a specific weather event each day throughout the week. Today’s focus is on lightning safety.