Staff
Owner and Chief Meteorologist
Tony Schumacher
Tony Schumacher has lived and worked in Wisconsin his entire life. He developed a sharp interest in the weather as a young child on his family’s dairy farm near Dorchester, Wisconsin. Watching how the weather greatly impacted their crops and livestock left a deep impression on him. He has covered every possible type of Midwest weather situation, many times over, in his 30-year weather forecasting career.
Tony received his B.S. Degree in atmospheric science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He began his career in 1993 as a staff meteorologist for Great Lakes Weather Service and WSAW-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin. He quickly moved up to become chief meteorologist at WSAW. Tony earned the distinguished American Meteorology Society Seal of Approval for TV weather in 1995. Moving on to the Green Bay area, Tony worked for WFRV-TV from 1997 to 1999, which gave him additional experience in dealing with the effects of the Great Lakes on weather patterns.
In March 1999, he returned to Wausau to be chief meteorologist at WAOW-TV and pursue a purchase of Great Lakes Weather Service. He also obtained official certification for doppler radar interpretation in the early 2000s. From 2007 to 2023, Tony was a staff meteorologist at WAOW. Over the years Tony has written dozens of weather columns for the regional magazine, Silent Sports. He has provided many weather articles and forecasts for various newspapers in Wisconsin as well. Tony received the Wausau Area’s favorite meteorologist award 8 years in a row by the City Pages Newspaper reader’s survey.
Tony continues to enhance his skills and knowledge by attending as many National Weather Service seminars and training sessions as possible on a wide variety of topics as well as tapping into resources through the American Meteorological Society. Through many speaking engagements and articles, he strives to educate the public regarding climate change and other important weather topics. Tony enjoys gardening, growing trees, playing trumpet, music, movies, sports, hunting, and taking care of his pets. Tony cherishes the time he spends with his wife of 25 years, Kathy, and visiting their two children Douglas, and Elaine. He is active in his church and also volunteers in the local 4-H program. Tony has enjoyed getting to know the clients of Great Lakes Weather Service over the years and looks forward to helping them well into the future!
Staff Meteorologist and Technical Director
Douglas Schumacher
Douglas Schumacher joined the GLWS team in May of 2020. However, this is far from his first experience with the company. Douglas’s interest in meteorology was largely developed as he grew up in the shadow of his father’s forecasting company in north-central Wisconsin and filled in for occasional shifts throughout high school and college. Douglas graduated with a B.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and a certificate in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the spring of 2020. His previous job experiences in weather come from an internship at WAOW-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin, and a summer research position on flash droughts at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies in Madison, Wisconsin. Some of his research work in college included a comprehensive synoptic case study of the western Wisconsin blizzard and windstorm of February 2014, and a senior thesis on the application of modern machine learning techniques to improve flash drought forecasting. Douglas is also employed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center. There he is part a team that provides software support for the National Weather Service’s geostationary and polar weather satellite systems. In addition to his meteorological knowledge, Douglas brings a wealth of experience in computer programming and information technology to the company, which he has used to upgrade the company’s website and develop forecasting workflow improvements. Douglas looks forward to serving the clients of Great Lakes Weather Service using the latest scientific and technological methods.
Staff Meteorologist
Brittney Merlot
Brittney Merlot joined Great Lakes Weather Service in August of 2023. She got her weather calling at the very young age of 5, when her family was in an F5 tornado that completely ripped the house from the foundation in Illinois. After growing up scared of thunderstorms, she began taking Meteorology classes at the College of DuPage. There she studied tornadogenesis and faced her fears by traveling all across the country chasing tornadoes and helping get warnings out, to save the lives of people in the path of destruction. After completing her Associates Degree in Science, Brittney transferred to Northern Illinois University to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Meteorology. While there she was the Chief Meteorologist for the college TV station and interned at WGN-TV News in Chicago with Tom Skilling, where she became skilled at forecasting snow storms, lake effect and Midwest severe weather.
Upon graduation, she began working as a midday Meteorologist in Rockford, IL at CBS WIFR-TV. It wasn’t long until she found her way to Duluth, MN at KQDS-TV Fox 21 News as a Morning Meteorologist. While there, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Applied Meteorology through an online distance program at Mississippi State University. She also became an expert at forecasting microclimates, lake effect snow events, extreme temperatures, severe storms and tornadoes. After 6 years, she made a switch to WDIO-TV ABC News in Duluth, MN but was quickly offered a more prominent position in Green Bay, WI. Where she worked for the Official Packers Station on NBC 26 News WGBA-TV as their morning Meteorologist for two years. Now, she currently works as the Chief Meteorologist for Civic Media and does radio forecasts statewide for Wisconsin. She is also the Bureau Chief and anchor at WXCO News Bull Falls Radio in Wausau, WI.
Brittney is extremely passionate and energetic, her face lights up when she is asked about the weather. You can find her outside in any harsh weather too (she truly enjoys it). Making snow angels, tracking and chasing storms, battling the bitter cold and enjoying the bountiful water activities that Wisconsin offers in the summer. You can find her kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, ATVing, mountain biking, hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, ice fishing and getting into just about anything as long as it’s outside and in the elements of the weather. She also loves photography and videography, so please send her your pictures, weather updates and more to BrittneyGLWS@gmail.com.
“I commonly refer to myself as the female version of ‘Jim Cantore’ from The Weather Channel.” – Brittney Merlot
Staff Meteorologist
Nick Grunseth
Nick Grunseth joined the Great Lakes Weather Service team in April 2024. He is excited to connect with clients, get to know them, and support them with their weather and climate needs. Like most meteorologists, Nick’s love of tracking weather began at a young age. A severe thunderstorm with intense lightning hit his hometown, and the siren blared. Nick was scared, and he vowed that he would learn about how weather “worked” so he wouldn’t have to be scared anymore. It turned into a passion. After high school, Nick attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
From 2007 to 2019, Nick worked professionally as a broadcast meteorologist. He was first the weekend meteorologist and a weekday reporter at WQOW-TV in Eau Claire, WI. Nick moved to sister station WXOW-TV in La Crosse in 2009. He was the weekday morning meteorologist until the end of 2011, when he transferred back to WQOW and continued weekday mornings there. In 2013, he was promoted to chief meteorologist. He remained at WQOW until July 2019. Over the 12 years, he made many friendships and connections within the communities he served and professionals in the weather field. He also earned the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation.
Nick stepped away from forecasting in 2019 to pursue another passion – teaching. He is a high school special education teacher, supporting students with learning disabilities and disabilities that impact focus, task initiation, and emotional/behavioral regulation. He teaches and co-teaches science and social studies courses, including Earth science, environmental science, civics, and history. His commitment is to make a positive relationship with each student and help them see their full potential, teaching essential skills along the way. Of course, if the students learn snow is in the forecast or catch wind that it could be a big storm that might produce a snow day, Nick is happy to pull up maps on a computer during lunch and break down the outlook.
The two careers merged in spring 2024. Nick was interested in getting involved with forecasting again, and coincidentally, he and Tony connected. Nick and Tony have known each other for many years, first meeting in 2006 when Nick interned at WAOW-TV in Wausau. Nick also briefly worked for Great Lakes Weather Service in the summer of 2007, before transitioning to television broadcast fulltime. Light conversation led to another meteorologist born and raised in Taylor County, Wisconsin joining the company.
When not teaching or forecasting, Nick is spending time with his family, which includes his wife Britny, his son Emmett, and his daughter Lara. He enjoys hiking, geology, and astronomy. Nick also enjoys learning about history, particularly things that are unique or unusual. He credits his mother for the instilled passion of being a lifelong learner, and his father for teaching him humility – to tell a weather story that sparks interest, though leaves the frills behind.
Feel free to reach out to Nick: nickglws@gmail.com
Staff Meteorologist
Heath Bradberg
Heath Bradberg joined the Great Lakes Weather Service team in June 2024. Heath’s passion for weather started at a young age, when he was completely enticed by the movie “Twister”. Other events in childhood also helped mold his passion for becoming a meteorologist, including going to the Minnesota State Fair and getting a chance to try weather broadcasting on a green screen a few years as well as experiencing stronger storms like derechos and a few macrobursts. His passion for wanting to know how weather events are connected drove him to attend college for weather. Graduating from St. Cloud State University in 2017, Heath earned his Bachelor of Science degree in atmospheric science and mass communication. While in college, Heath was involved with the campus TV and radio stations, becoming Chief Meteorologist during his senior year. He also did his internship for two summers at EAA in Oshkosh, Wisconsin doing the weather segments for EAA Radio. He also volunteered for the local humane society and helped with Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraiser.
After college, Heath worked at three different TV stations across the county, each with a different climate to forecast. In 2017, he went to Casper, Wyoming to work at KCWY News 13 as the weekend meteorologist, forecasting for both plains and mountains. In 2020, he landed a job at KLST in San Angelo, Texas as the morning meteorologist, dealing mostly with desert-like weather and conditions. He also worked in Eureka, California in 2023 as the chief meteorologist for Redwood News, learning ocean and fire weather. Currently, he is living back in his hometown of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
In his free time, Heath enjoys doing a lot of activities, especially outdoors. Some include running, rollerblading, archery, hiking, and kayaking to name a few. He also enjoys exploring new areas and enjoys supporting local businesses as much as possible. He also makes time to visit family and friends as well as read a bit as well. In 2022, Heath wrote and published a children’s book, titled “What is Thunder and Lightning?”, hoping to help kids understand the very basic idea of why thunderstorms can be loud and sometimes scary. He hopes the book helps calm fears for kids whenever a bigger storm comes through. He is currently working on a few more books to be released at a future date.
Feel free to contact Heath at heathglws@gmail.com for suggestions on local businesses to visit, great places to eat or have a good cup of local coffee, or any events you recommend he should attend!