Lauren Casey, credits author Seymour Simon for inspiring her passion for weather as his children's weather books helped birth a young weather enthusiast.

Lauren followed her passion for weather to Rutgers University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology.

While at Rutgers, Lauren was introduced to broadcast meteorology through an internship at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and honed her operational forecasting skills with an internship at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, NJ.

Lauren comes to Southwest Florida from Macon, GA where she began her broadcast career as the Morning Meteorologist for WMGT-TV.

Lauren is a member of the American Meteorological Society and has served as a volunteer at the society's annual conference.

In addition to weather, Lauren harbors a passion for the great outdoors. She recently backpacked to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and has trekked through National Parks of the West including Zion, Arches, the Grand Tetons, and Yosemite.

When not weather watching or trail blazing, this Jersey girl enjoys reading, beach-going on Sanibel Island, and hanging out with her dog Edgar.