# Mark Willard

Mark Willard is a content producer at weather.com.  
**Hometown:** Atlanta, GA  
**Educational Background:**  
B.A. in Mass Media Arts from the University of Georgia  
M.B.A. from Georgia Institute of Technology

## Featured

**High winds topple gas station canopy in Ohio**  
Strong storms with high winds knocked down a gas station canopy in Ohio, narrowly missing people trying to ride out the storm in their vehicles.  
[Video Player33s watch](/content/2026/08/14/news/trending/video/ohio-storms-blow-gas-station-canopy-overhigh-winds-topple-gas-station-canopy-in/index.html)

**Rare ‘gigantic jet’ lightning shoots up over Puerto Rico**  
A red flash lit up the sky over Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, in a rare form of upward lightning called a "gigantic jet." Gigantic jets shoot from the tops of thunderstorms high into the upper atmosphere, sometimes reaching all the way to the ionosphere 50 miles overhead. While this flash appeared red, gigantic jets can also appear white or blue. Watch as videographer Frankie Lucena catches the fleeting phenomenon.  
[Video Player19s watch](/content/2026/08/14/news/trending/video/puerto-rico-gigantic-jet-lightning-rare/index.html)

**A lot can happen when a tropical wave crosses the Atlantic**  
Tropical waves are the disorganized groups of thunderstorms that move westward off the coast of Africa and sometimes become monster hurricanes. They bring flooding in their paths, regardless of whether they ever become a named storm. Meteorologist Rob Shackelford breaks down these storms.  
[Video Player45s watch](/content/2026/08/14/storms/hurricane/video/tropical-waves-hurricane-rain-flood-africa/index.html)

## About Mark

_Mark Willard is a content producer at weather.com._

## What I Do

Content Producer

## How I Got To The Weather Company

I have 10-plus years of experience in the media, sports and entertainment industry, serving as an editor, producer and product manager for companies such as 160over90, Turner Sports, Raycom Media and Cox Media Group. I've built digital and content strategies, revamped creative processes, produced award-winning television shows, and driven audience engagement and revenue for organizations. After working on The Weather Channel’s hit television show, Weather Gone Viral, I jumped at the opportunity to join the content team at The Weather Company.  
When not strapped to a computer and coffee IV, I enjoy 5 a.m. workouts, staying active, eating what some might consider an excessive amount of eggs, using (stealing) my wife’s expensive face moisturizers, and spending quality time with my wife and two sons.

## What I Love About Working for The Weather Company

The passion and creativity my teammates bring on a daily basis are contagious and fuel those early-morning shifts!

## Favorite Weather Areas

Climate Change

## Favorite Core Weather Memory

Driving dangerously close to the tornado that struck downtown Atlanta in 2008.

## Favorite Weather Condition

Cold and clear skies after a snowstorm. The perfect "bluebird" conditions for skiing!