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Doug Heady is a veteran broadcast meteorologist best known for his work as the chief meteorologist at KOAM-TV in Joplin, Missouri, a role he has held since 2002. Featured prominently in Netflix’s The Twister: Caught in the Storm, Heady recounts the events surrounding the catastrophic EF5 tornado that struck Joplin on May 22, 2011.
He was on air delivering real-time coverage as the storm hit, and the experience left a lasting mark on his career and personal life. As per an American Meteorological Society interview, Heady started working in TV stations at just 18 years old, working his way up through local stations before settling in Joplin.
Doug Heady currently resides in Joplin, Missouri, where he continues his role at KOAM while maintaining an active presence on social media and YouTube, sharing daily forecasts and weather insights.
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According to KOAM News Now, 2025, he also holds certifications from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association and remains a widely recognized figure in regional meteorology.
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After completing his degree, Doug Heady joined KSHB NBC before becoming KOAM News Now’s chief meteorologist in 2002
Doug Heady began working in television weather reporting at the age of 18, starting as a backup at a local cable station in Lawrence, Kansas. While completing his Bachelor of Science from the University of Kansas in 2002, he steadily climbed the ranks.
He later joined KSHB NBC in Kansas City, where he initially worked weekend shifts before being promoted to a morning position.
Later, he accepted a role at KOAM-TV in Joplin, Missouri, where he has served as chief meteorologist ever since. According to KOAM News Now, 2025, Heady was also the youngest person to be certified by the American Meteorological Society at the time, and he received certification from the National Weather Association in 2003.
Doug Heady lives in Joplin with his family
Doug Heady is currently based in Joplin, Missouri, where he lives with his wife, Leslie Qualls Heady, and their children. He remains active in his role at KOAM-TV/FOX 14, where he produces forecasts, delivers weather updates across multiple newscasts, and manages digital content for the station’s app and website.
As per the American Meteorological Society interview, his workday typically begins with checking weather models, followed by preparing detailed graphics and participating in the 5, 6, 9, and 10 PM newscasts. After returning home around 11:30 PM, Heady often spends additional time updating his blog and social media channels. Doug Heady stated,
"I am a worker, so not everyone's schedule is like mine. I usually start around noon with a look at the models at home. I will get to work around 2:30 pm and start to forecast. Once I have my forecast done, I will start to build all of my graphics for the shows. I do a 5, 6, hour-long 9, then a 10 newscast"
Doug Heady gained national recognition for his coverage of the May 22, 2011 EF5 tornado that devastated Joplin. In Netflix’s The Twister: Caught in the Storm, he appears as one of the key figures offering firsthand accounts of the events leading up to and during the storm.
According to The Direct (March 21, 2025), Heady was already in the station by 3 PM that day, tracking severe weather patterns with increasing concern. As atmospheric indicators such as high instability and strong wind shear became more evident, he took to the air, urging residents to take immediate shelter and follow safety protocols.
The documentary also introduces 13-year-old Chad Crilley, a young aspiring meteorologist from San Diego who had reached out to Doug Heady expressing his interest in weather reporting. Heady had invited Crilley to observe operations at KOAM, but due to worsening conditions, the visit was called off.
As per Decider (March 19, 2025), Heady continued to report from the studio even after the tornado knocked out the channel’s signal. When the skies cleared, the extent of the damage left him overwhelmed.
Doug Heady has stated in interviews that the mental toll of covering catastrophic weather events is significant. As mentioned in the American Meteorological Society, Heady acknowledged the lasting psychological effects of witnessing so much devastation, explaining that “dealing with huge weather events that take life” can have serious emotional consequences.
In addition to his long-standing career, Heady has written for multiple media outlets, including the Houston Business Journal, Sacramento Business Journal, and KFJX-TV. He holds the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist credential, which replaced the original AMS system.
Despite early aspirations of working at the national level, Heady has expressed contentment with his role in Joplin, noting that the connection he feels to the community and his work brings a strong sense of fulfillment.
Doug Heady continues to share frequent weather updates across platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook and is regarded as one of the most recognizable meteorologists in the Midwest.
His story and his role during the Joplin disaster serve as a focal point in The Twister: Caught in the Storm, a documentary that captures the human experience behind the statistics of one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
The Twister: Caught in the Storm is available to watch on Netflix.
