Laura Velasquez, Meteorologist

E-mail Laura Velasquez

Laura Velasquez handles weekend weather duties for Storm Team 8. A 2008 graduate of Central Michigan University, Laura earned a degree in meteorology, graduating magna cum laude. She also minored in math and geographic information sciences.

Laura is a member of the American Meteorological Society and earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) certification, the highest designation offered by the society.

She joined Storm Team 8 in August 2007, and began working on-air in September. Laura wanted to become a meteorologist since elementary school, and is thrilled to be working in her hometown of Grand Rapids -- working for the station she grew up watching.

While in college, she did the weather for News Central 34 at CMU, one of the largest campus-run TV stations in the state. Laura prepared and delivered weather forecasts several times each week, broadcasting to Mount Pleasant and the surrounding areas.

When she's not covering weather, Laura is often running and staying active. She ran the Chicago Marathon in 2011. She also enjoys swimming, golfing, softball, traveling the region and rollerblading.

Family and friends are staples to Laura, and when it's time to relax, she is happy with a good book and home-cooked meal.