Getting to know… Lew Turner

For someone who forecasts the weather for a living, Lew Turner is less than predictable. Take, for instance, his response when we asked where he would like to have his photo and interview take place: “I plan to wear a tuxedo…so maybe somewhere that’s a stark contrast to that.”

Okay, how about a nail salon? On a recent Wednesday morning, we met up with the First Coast News meteorologist at Unique Nail in San Marco. The 29-year-old recently signed a five-year contract to stay at FCN and is preparing for the birth of his first son. We figured he was due for a relaxing pedicure. Here is some of what we learned while his toes were soaking.

• He’s been talking to cameras since eighth grade. “My Spanish teacher asked us to write a 3,000-word essay. I asked if I could make a short video on Spanish culture instead. I did a cooking show where I made churros, and I played it in class. I did my video the night before and got an A on it.”

• Though he’s a self-described “TV nerd” now, his high school years included plenty of time rocking out in a garage. He was a drummer in a band called Elephant’s Gerald. (Elephant’s Gerald = Ella Fitzgerald… get it?) “We were terrible.”

• While shooting a teacher of the week segment for a station in South Carolina, the school’s principal insisted that recently

single Lew meet Andrea, a teacher on his staff. “He said, ‘I’ve got the perfect thing for you to win her over,’ and he hands me One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. We went on our first date that weekend, and we’ve been together ever since.”

• Deciding on a name for Lew and Andrea’s first child hasn’t been easy. “I wanted to name the boy Holland Oates Turner. Andrea asked if I was serious and if I was, I needed to leave.”

• Lew is a devoted fan of the USC Game-cocks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, and the Jacksonville Suns. “I think it’s the most fun sport in town.”

• Covering the Olympics in London earlier this year changed the way he thinks about his work. “When I’m 99 years old and talking to my great-grandkids, I’m going to tell them that I got to cover the Olympics. That’s pretty amazing.”

• He picked up the tuxedo for $400 during his junior year of college. “I was president of my fraternity in college, and I found that you get more respect from a group of dudes when you’re wearing a power suit. So I said, forget the power suit, I’m going to come into meetings wearing a tux. They were more or less stopping to make fun of me. But nonetheless, they stopped and listened.”