Justin Liles
"If you love the weather then living in the Northland is like being a kid in a candy shop!" says Meteorologist Justin Liles. "The Northland is the mecca of diverse weather," he adds. That's the enthusiasm Justin brings to WDIO/WIRT.
Justin Liles got his weather calling at a very young age while watching Kermit the Frog give weather reports on Sesame Street. He figured if a frog could do it, so could he. Justin's roots lie in Ogilvie, a little town southwest of Duluth. Justin graduated college in 2002 with his Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from St. Cloud State University. His love for weather sparked some research on snowflakes which received a couple of awards! Justin has his seal from the American Meteorological Society and is a member of the National Weather Association.
Justin joined the WDIO/WIRT weather staff in the spring of 2005. Prior to working at WDIO he spent time working as the weekend Meteorologist at KCAU in Sioux City, Iowa. During that time, Justin chased many severe storms including ones that produced tornados. Justin says, "Chasing tornado's is fascinating and is essential in keeping people safe." Justin later moved on to Aberdeen, SD where he did some work at the National Weather Service.
Justin calls the Northland home and enjoys being involved in the community. He is involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Duluth. He also spends many hours visiting with kids at area Northland schools and talking about weather. If you are interested in a visit from Justin you can contact him at jliles@wdio.com. Justin also says that if you have any questions, feel free to contact him.
Besides Justin's love for weather, he is a huge sports fan. All his favorite sports teams are from the Midwest, except for one: the New York Giants. Some things he likes to do besides observing weather are reading, going to the gym, eating, and doing anything outdoors such as golfing, hunting, fishing and camping. Above all, Justin's favorite thing to do is spend time with his son Devon.
