Jay Wynne, former BBC weather presenter, dies aged 56

Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne joined the corporation in 2000

Former BBC Weather presenter Jay Wynne died in June at the age of 56 after a long-term illness, his brother has confirmed to BBC News.

Wynne joined BBC Weather in October 2000 and was a regular forecaster on BBC News at Ten.

"Jay had a gift for gentle clarity, making his forecasts for sometimes complex weather systems feel accessible and engaging," his brother, Matthew, said in a tribute.

"A keen skier, golfer and musician, Jay enjoyed travelling to pursue his sporting interests," Matthew Wynne added.

"We will miss his wisdom, generosity and dry sense of humour."

Liz Howell, former Head of BBC Weather sent condolences to his family and friends, and added: "I am deeply saddened to hear this news.

"Jay blazed a trail to bring greater diversity to weather forecasting and was a pleasure to work with. He had his own distinctive style of presenting the weather story which was very popular with audiences."

Checking for accuracy

Wynne's interest in how the weather works began while he was studying Environmental Geography at the University of Aberdeen, leading him to complete a master's degree in Applied Meteorology at the University of Reading.

He told the Radio Times in 2011 that he would often stay up until sunrise after working overnight, to make sure his weather reports were accurate.

"I have been known to drive around after night shifts, waiting for the sun to come up," he said.

"At night, it's difficult to tell what kind of cloud there is on satellite pictures, so I like to see if I was right. More often than not, I am."

Before deciding on his future career in weather, he studied Civil Engineering at university, dropping out two years into the course.

He then worked on a North Sea offshore oil rig for three years as a technician, before going back to university to study Environmental Geography.

As part of his environmental research, he was able to travel widely, exploring South-East Asia.

Wynne also worked as an English teacher in Fukuoka, Japan before studying for his masters degree.

His Met Office training involved a six-month secondment at RAF Northolt and lasted 14 months in total.