The saga of the former favorite meteorologist of Nashville, Paul Heggen, is well documented on this website. It was the hottest story of the summer of 2017 (at least for us….and presumably for Paul, too). Quite frankly, we here at SoBros Network are still pissed about it. But, the vision for this piece was a lighthearted one, so we’ll leave that anger and resentment buried deep inside of us for now. Healthy individuals, we are.
It may seem hard to believe, but we still, two years later, field questions about Paul. I still receive e-mail notifications from people pleading to bring him back to Nashville, as if the SoBros Network is some almighty puppet master in town – pulling the strings for all of the media entities in town.
So, a week or so ago, he came up in conversation again, and the light bulb went off. Why don’t we catch up with Paul? The people of Nashville are longing to hear from the man.
Paul was generous enough to lend me some time – we catch up on life in Raleigh, what he misses about Nashville, Texas A&M football, and of course, Dagny.
Catching up with Paul Heggen
SK: We’re approaching a year and a half since you left Nashville for Raleigh. Just give us a bit of insight – what’s life like for you right now?
PH: Good overall! Getting out to a lot of schools now to “talk science,” which makes me happy. We love the house we bought, and my wife has settled into a really good situation work-wise.
SK: Weather-wise, how does Raleigh stack up to some of the other markets you’ve lived in? Have you covered any significant weather events in your time there? If so, how do they stack up to other markets?
PH: Not as much action in terms of severe thunderstorms, certainly not as much tornadic activity. But we’ve had two major snow storms, a hurricane (Florence) and a tropical storm (Michael) in my fifteen months here. Which is kind of crazy.
SK: How’s Dagny? Is she still the superstar she was in Nashville?
PH: We’re working on it. She made her TV debut in late November, so she’s only had a few months to take over central North Carolina. We’ve had good feedback so far, of course…
SK: What’s one thing you didn’t realize you’d miss about Nashville that you do now?
PH: The golf courses! Well-kept, not-too-expensive municipal golf courses. I still get out to tear up some grass and say bad words, though.
And we miss Fletchers Pizza. (But we KNEW we’d miss that.)
SK: Does Raleigh appreciate the signature Heggen sarcasm? Do you let it fly?
PH: I certainly hope so! I try to not overdo it, but sarcasm is my default mode.
SK: What about the signature Paul Heggen sex appeal? Have you developed a similar contingent of diehard female followers? Can you please tell the Nashville branch to stop contacting us? We don’t know your every move.
PH: I…um…well…as long as my wife thinks I’m presentable, that’s all I can ask.
SK: Have you let Raleigh know that you one-take the #instacasts? That’s not really a good question, but I feel like we have to work it in here so the people know. That’s impressive.
PH: After doing 150 minutes of live television, I’d BETTER be able to nail 20-25 seconds in one take.
SK: What’s the sports scene like in Raleigh? Plenty to do? Which teams make the headlines out there?
PH: Really good! ACC basketball is a religion, of course…March Madness isn’t a euphemism around here. There are three minor league baseball teams, including the Durham Bulls. And the Carolina Hurricanes are in the NHL playoff hunt for the first time in a while! We went to the Preds-Canes game in January – nothing quite compares to the Bridgestone Arena vibe, but the Canes’ success is feeding some excitement.
SK: Likewise, how about the night life? I’ve always heard Raleigh is a fun, underrated southern city.
PH: I get up at 2:00am, so I have no idea. There’s a good outdoor concert venue downtown, which is fun in the summer…plenty of festivals throughout the year as well. And any area with three major universities is going to have a pretty good nightlife. But 43 ain’t 23, you know? (Editor’s Note: Paul, I hear ya, buddy.)
SK: Give us your top five restaurants in Raleigh.
PH: I’m going a little off-script here and giving you our favorite brunch spots. That’s the meal we eat out most often…
- Clouds Brewing
- Simple Twist
- Jones Café
- Oak City Café
- Acme Food & Beverage Company
SK: What’s your take on Jimbo Fisher’s first year at Texas A&M? As a Tide fan, I can tell you…I’m a little on edge about it.
PH: I feel good about it in hindsight. We gave Clemson their toughest game of the season (Editor’s Note: thanks for rubbing that one in, Paul), and that LSU game was ridiculous. Should’ve beaten Auburn and Mississippi State. But for his first year at the school, bringing a young QB into his system…let’s just say I have hope for the 2019 season. (The schedule is BRUTAL though.)
SK: What’s it going to take for the Minnesota Twins to get back to the postseason?
PH: Decent starting pitching, competent relief pitching (didn’t have that last year!), and the young position players need to progress. It would be nice if Byron Buxton could put it all together, because he could be special. And we’ll hope that Miguel Sano doesn’t eat his way out of the lineup.
SK: Finally, I’ll give you the floor for any parting thoughts.
PH: I continue to be flattered, sometimes overwhelmed, by the “miss you in Tennessee” messages I get on social media. I’m lucky to have spent close to a decade there…lucky to have landed in another great place here in North Carolina…lucky that I get to nerd out about weather every day…lucky that my wife puts up with it! We’ll see where the ride takes us from here.
Be sure to follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulHeggenWX.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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