2016: A year of firsts for WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth

So, it dawned on me Monday night that this will be the last night that I will step foot in WRAL this year. I am really looking forward to a good break and some time with my family, but I have found myself reflecting back on what has truly been an incredible year for me in my career. Two huge firsts for me:

The first “first” was Hurricane Matthew. Wow. What a heart-breaking storm that was.

While I have covered numerous hurricanes from the comfort of TV studio walls, never have I been sent to the coast to cover a hurricane. Feeling those winds and seeing the crazy surf of the ocean is something I will never forget. Being the weather geek that I am, I slept only a few hours during the couple of days that I was there. I didn’t want to miss anything. I hope 2017 is a better year for all of those who were impacted by Matthew.

The second “first” was the launch of GOES-R, now GOES-16. Going to Kennedy Space Center and NASA and getting the VIP treatment was something that still gives me chills when I think about it. Watching the launch was very emotional for me as I wanted to be an astronaut as a little girl. It’s still hard for me to put into words just how amazing it was to be so close to the launch. What a glorious sight to see!

I never could have done any of this if it weren’t for my amazing employer. So, thank you WRAL. Thank you for always achieving to be the best. Thank you for allowing me to go on these journeys. I will be forever grateful.

I know that 2017 has a lot to offer (images from GOES-16 for one thing), but I’m not sure how on earth it can live up to 2016…