illustration of KATV meteorologist Todd Yakoubian
Illustration: Kasten Searles

The weather in Arkansas is a popular subject that most Arkansans can agree on. It’s the only subject for Arkansas native Todd Yakoubian, who’s been giving us forecasts since he arrived at KATV, Channel 7, as a meteorologist in 2005. 

You’ve been updating us on how long it’s been since Little Rock has seen a 100-degree day. How much of an anomaly is the relatively mild summer of 2021?

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With plenty of summer still to go, 100 degrees is still on the table. However, if we make it through this entire summer without reaching 100, it will be the first time we’ve had three consecutive summers without doing so since 1948, 1949 and 1950. Pretty rare! If we make it through Aug. 4 without reaching 100, it will be the fifth-longest number of consecutive days below 100 degrees.

Have you ever seen a tornado in person?  

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Yes. The first time was chasing in south-central Oklahoma in late April 1996. That same storm eventually put down a tornado and destroyed downtown Van Buren. I also witnessed the April 3, 2008, tornado in Leawood as I was driving on I-630 near Barrow Road.   

You write dad jokes and tweet them out occasionally. Could you leave us with one?

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When I was 6 years old, I wanted to be a meteorologist, but I often thought about working in a mirror factory. However, I could not see myself working there.

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