Jay Wynne, a familiar face on BBC weather broadcasts, died in June at the age of 56 after a long-term illness, his brother confirmed to BBC News.
Wynne joined BBC Weather in October 2000 and was a regular forecaster on BBC News at Ten. "Jay had a gift for gentle clarity, making his forecasts for sometimes complex weather systems feel accessible and engaging," his brother Matthew Wynne said in a tribute. Matthew added that his brother was "a keen skier, golfer and musician" who enjoyed travelling to pursue his sporting interests and that the family will miss his "wisdom, generosity and dry sense of humour."
Wynne's interest in meteorology began while he was studying Environmental Geography at the University of Aberdeen, which led him to complete a master's degree in Applied Meteorology at the University of Reading. He trained with the Met Office in a programme that included a six-month secondment at RAF Northolt and lasted 14 months in total.
Before turning to weather forecasting, Wynne initially studied Civil Engineering but left the course after two years. He subsequently worked for three years as a technician on a North Sea offshore oil rig and later taught English in Fukuoka, Japan. As part of his environmental research, Wynne travelled widely in South-East Asia, experiences that informed his later work and reporting.
Wynne spoke about the attention to detail he brought to forecasts in a 2011 interview with Radio Times, saying he would sometimes stay up until sunrise after night shifts to check his assessments. "I have been known to drive around after night shifts, waiting for the sun to come up," he said, noting the difficulty of identifying cloud types on satellite images at night and his preference to verify forecasts in daylight.
During his two decades with the BBC, Wynne became known for making complex weather systems understandable to viewers, combining technical knowledge with a measured on-screen manner. Colleagues and viewers often praised his clear delivery and calm presence during broadcasts.
Wynne's brother provided the confirmation and tribute to BBC News; no further details about funeral arrangements or immediate family beyond the tribute were released in the statement. The broadcaster and meteorological community are likely to remember Wynne for his commitment to accuracy and for bringing meteorology to a wide television audience.
Wynne's death follows a career that combined scientific training with broadcasting, travel and varied work experience. His path from engineering studies and offshore work to environmental geography, international travel, classroom teaching and formal meteorological training reflected a varied professional life that culminated in more than two decades informing the public about Britain’s weather.