Trailblazing Meteorologist June Bacon-Bercey Broke Barriers

First Black woman to earn a meteorology degree and become a TV weather forecaster

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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June Bacon-Bercey made history as the first Black woman to earn a degree in meteorology from UCLA in 1954, and later became the first degree-holding female TV meteorologist in the U.S. She also was the first woman and first Black person to earn the American Meteorological Society's Seal of Approval.

Why it matters

Bacon-Bercey's pioneering career paved the way for greater diversity and representation in the historically white and male-dominated field of meteorology. Her efforts to inspire women and people of color to pursue careers in weather science had a lasting impact.

The details

After working for the government at the National Weather Service and Atomic Energy Commission, Bacon-Bercey took night classes in journalism and joined WGR-TV in Buffalo, New York in the 1970s, becoming the first degree-holding female TV meteorologist. She later returned to the public sector at NOAA, where she helped create a program at Jackson State University to encourage underrepresented groups to consider meteorology careers. Bacon-Bercey also established a scholarship fund and was a founding board member of the AMS Board on Women and Minorities.

  • Bacon-Bercey earned her meteorology degree from UCLA in 1954.
  • She joined WGR-TV in Buffalo, New York in the 1970s.
  • The Atomic Energy Commission ceased operations in 1975.

The players

June Bacon-Bercey

The first Black woman to earn a degree in meteorology and become a TV weather forecaster in the United States.

American Meteorological Society (AMS)

The professional organization that awarded Bacon-Bercey its Seal of Approval, making her the first woman and first Black person to receive this honor.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The government agency where Bacon-Bercey worked as an operational meteorologist and helped create a program to inspire underrepresented groups to pursue meteorology careers.

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The takeaway

June Bacon-Bercey's groundbreaking career as the first Black woman to earn a meteorology degree and become a TV weather forecaster serves as an inspiring example of how representation and diversity can transform traditionally homogeneous fields like the sciences.