08/29/2026
To my Virginia NorCast & Virginia Weather Network Community: First, thank you. Whether you’ve been here since the Virginia Weather Network days or joined yesterday, your support has helped this community grow to 100,000 followers and reach millions of people during major weather events. I’m grateful for every follow, share, comment, and message of support over the years.
As many of you are aware, this page hasn’t been quite the same over the past couple of years due to ongoing issues with Facebook’s automated systems. Our page has been repeatedly flagged for older posts, as well as for forecasts being labeled as “false information” simply because a forecast didn’t fully pan out or because it didn’t rain at a particular location. The reality is that weather forecasting is constantly evolving. A forecast can be accurate based on the information available at the time it is posted, only for conditions to change as new data comes in. Unfortunately, automated moderation doesn’t always account for the uncertainty and evolving nature of weather forecasting. When a post is flagged, our ability to publish on the page can become restricted, making it increasingly difficult to provide timely and important weather information when people need it most. These ongoing challenges have had a significant impact on the page and our ability to serve this community the way we want to.
While I have suggested starting a new page, I am trying to put that on hold for now because rebuilding would be incredibly difficult, but also exhausting. Instead, I’m working with people who understand these issues and talking directly with Facebook to find better long-term solutions to prevent these problems from continuing. Despite these challenges, my vision hasn’t changed. One of my biggest goals is to bring back some of what made Virginia Weather Network special in its early years. I would love to eventually launch a dedicated website and, if possible, bring back the weather app. I also want to expand our regional coverage, with more content focused on each region across Virginia. This could allow us to better serve different areas while creating opportunities for regional sponsors and partnerships.
A lot of people have expressed a desire to show their support and help out. We’re exploring ways people can support the page, whether through sponsors, memberships, bringing back our Patreon sponsorship, or even a simple tip jar. Of course, anything like that would always be optional, because I have no desire to put weather information behind a paywall. The goal is simply to help offset the costs of running the operation and make future projects possible.
I also want to share something more personal. For some time now, I’ve wanted to put these thoughts into words. While this has always been a Virginia weather page, I haven’t lived in Virginia for several years. Life has taken me in a different direction, and part of that journey has involved working on my mental health and personal growth. Virginia will always be home in many ways, but my life today looks different than it did years ago. Running this page has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but it has also been challenging. There have been periods when I needed to step away and focus on my own mental health. I believe it’s important to be honest about that. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and sometimes taking care of yourself has to come before helping others.
Another challenge is that this page is basically a one-man show. I do get help from time to time, but most of the time it’s just me, and it can be absolutely exhausting, especially during major winter storms. I am still actively trying to find help, but right now, it would probably have to be on a volunteer basis, which I know may not be practical for everyone. Please know that although I am not a degreed meteorologist, I will always have tremendous respect for those who have earned those credentials, and I would never diminish the value of that education. My journey has simply been different. I’ve spent years studying weather, learning from professionals, gaining experience, and continuing to improve my skills. I also believe experience matters, and I’ve dedicated countless hours over many years to learning this field and serving this community.
I have been involved in weather since the late 1990s, when my high school had a TV show and I did the weather in front of a projector. (Yes, the old days of technology!) A degree is something I would never rule out, but right now it isn’t financially practical. Before I knew that weather was truly something I wanted to do full-time, I was taking care of my grandmother in the early to mid-2000s. She was my rock and my world, and she raised me. I also had responsibilities helping care for her children, who had special needs, and that was essentially a 24/7 job.
After my grandmother passed away, I became involved with Special Olympics and was an assistant coach for several years. I became best friends with a man I helped coach who eventually became a father figure in my life because I didn’t have one at the time. I later helped take care of him as he was in and out of the hospital. Unfortunately, he never got to see 50, but I am so glad I was there for him, and I miss him every single day.
I then went on to earn degrees in graphic design and criminal justice. It wasn’t until the mid-2010s that I became involved in weather again and created Virginia Weather Network. I was still doing all of these other things behind the scenes, but I didn’t really tell anyone. I didn’t want to put my story or my burdens on other people.
Then, one of the greatest blessings in my life happened. I got the opportunity to work with NorCast Weather. I especially want to thank NorEasterNick Pittman. He believed in me when I wasn’t always sure where my own path was leading. If it weren’t for Nick, I honestly don’t know where I would be today. I’m also incredibly grateful to my bosses, Brian and Jeff, and everyone at NorCast Weather for believing in me, supporting me, and giving me opportunities to grow. They took a chance on me because of my work, passion, and experience, and I’ll never forget that. I wouldn’t rule out earning a meteorology degree in the future, and it’s something I still plan to work toward.
My faith has also carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life. There have been times when I questioned whether I should continue. The criticism, social media battles, pressure, and responsibility that come with serving such a large community can be overwhelming. Through it all, my faith in God has helped me keep moving forward, even when I couldn’t see what was ahead.
To be completely honest, there have even been times when I considered walking away from weather entirely. Many of you know how much I love to travel. Since 2022, I’ve taken more than 100 flights, and flying has helped my anxiety and mental health in ways I never expected. I’ve considered other opportunities, including potentially becoming a flight attendant, and it’s still something that interests me.
But whenever I imagined leaving weather behind, I realized how much I would miss this community. Because at the end of the day, weather is about more than forecasts. It’s about helping people prepare, educating communities, being there when it matters most, building relationships, and earning trust. It’s about serving others. That is what keeps me here.
No matter how difficult the last two years have been, I refuse to give up. There is still a lot of work to do, but I truly believe our best days are ahead. Over the next year, my goal is to continue rebuilding, bring back some of the ideas that made Virginia Weather Network special, expand what we offer, and hopefully build a team that can take this community to the next level.
Most importantly, thank you. Thanks for your support, encouragement, patience, and belief in me. There have been many days when your kind words were exactly what I needed to keep going. I may not always get every forecast right, and I may not always have all the answers. But I promise to continue learning, continue growing, and continue doing my best for this community.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
With love and gratitude always,
Denver Murray
8 PM 8.28 FRI
