Ginger Zee is ABC’s chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent, best known for covering weather for various ABC News programs. She has been in the thick of most major natural disasters, from hurricanes to tornadoes, wildfires, and blizzards.
Beyond covering weather, Ginger Zee is a force of nature herself, both in her career and personal life. Below are five interesting facts about the ABC chief meteorologist:
1. She developed a passion for weather at 8
Ginger Zee is a weather nerd who discovered her passion for weather while spending a summer vacation during the 80s at Lake Michigan. Stormy weather during her vacation led to her fascination with meteorology:
“I would see thunderstorms form and just fell in love. It was like storm chasing as an eight-year-old.”
Her passion led her to pursue a degree in meteorology at Valparaiso University, graduating in 2002. She then worked as a meteorologist for Citadel Broadcasting, WEYI-NBC25, WOOD TV, WMAQ NBC, and, ultimately, ABC, where she rose to chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent.
2. She is named after a character from the Gilligan’s Island TV show
One interesting fact about Ginger Zee is her name. She is named after the character of Ginger Grant (portrayed by Tina Louise) from the 1960s television sitcom, Gilligan’s Island.
Her father, who moved to the U.S. from the Netherlands, learnt English by watching the show, and Ginger was his favorite character.
Also notable is the fact that Zuidgeest is her birth surname (full name: Ginger Renée Zuidgeest), but she uses Ginger Zee as her professional stage name.
3. She is the first female chief meteorologist for a major U.S TV network
Zee is a trailblazer when it comes to covering weather. She made history in 2013 when she became the first female chief meteorologist of a major U.S. network.
As of 2026, she still serves as chief meteorologist, in addition to being the network’s chief climate correspondent. She is also a regular presence in several ABC News programs, including Good Morning America, which she co-hosts regularly.
4. Ginger Zee is a best-selling author
Beyond her career as a meteorologist, Zee is also an accomplished author. She has written two memoirs, Natural Disaster (2017) and A Little Closer to Home (2022), which chronicle her career and her personal mental health journey.
Additionally, she has published Chasing Helicity, a STEM-focused trilogy that encourages young people to explore science and meteorology.
5. She is a Disney voice actor
In addition to being an author, Ginger Zee has also done voice roles for several Disney projects. She voices the character of Dr. Zephyr Skye in the Disney Junior animated series, Miles from Tomorrowland.
Zee has also guest-starred in the Disney Junior short series, Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, alongside her real-life sons. In the series, she voiced the character of Ginger Zee, based on herself.