Cheryl Scott is an American meteorologist and geologist best known as a weather anchor for ABC 7 Eyewitness News in Chicago, where she has delivered forecasts since December 2014.
She built her broadcasting career station by station across four markets before landing one of the most competitive meteorology roles in the country.
Who is Cheryl Scott?
Cheryl Scott is an American TV meteorologist and geologist working for ABC 7 Eyewitness News in Chicago. She holds dual credentials in geological sciences and broadcast meteorology, which gives her a deeper scientific foundation than many of her peers.
Her career spans nearly two decades of on-air work across Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Illinois. Scott rose through several NBC affiliates before joining ABC 7 in 2014.
She is also a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Her work extends beyond the broadcast booth, with a seat on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross of Illinois.
Scott has appeared on national programs including Good Morning America Weekend Edition, Jeopardy!, and the Steve Harvey show. Those appearances took her audience well beyond Chicago and gave her a national profile.
Cheryl Scott Early Life
Cheryl Scott grew up in Atco, a community within the township of Waterford in Camden County, New Jersey. Her parents raised her alongside two older brothers named Kevin and Brian, and she describes their family as close-knit.
Her mother is Marie Picciano Scott. Her father’s identity has not been publicly confirmed.
From a young age, Scott developed a strong curiosity about science, the sky, and weather patterns. That early interest guided her all the way through school and into a professional career in meteorology.
During her school years, she also excelled as a track and field runner. That athletic drive led to her recruitment by Brown University, where she competed at the Division I level while studying geological sciences.
Cheryl Scott Age / Birthday
Cheryl Scott is 41 years old as of 2026, born on January 29, 1985. Her birthday falls in late January each year.
Her zodiac sign is Aquarius, a sign often linked with independence and a strong analytical mind. Both qualities show up in her approach to science communication and weather forecasting.
Scott has been at ABC 7 Chicago since she was 29, and she remains one of the station’s most recognizable on-air personalities.
Cheryl Scott Ethnicity and Nationality
Cheryl Scott holds American nationality and grew up in New Jersey. She is of White Caucasian ethnicity and is reportedly of Scottish descent.
Her family raised her in Atco, New Jersey, a tight-knit community in Camden County. That grounded upbringing shaped the work ethic she brought to her broadcast career.
She later moved to Chicago, which she now considers home, and has built a long career serving the city’s viewers.
Cheryl Scott Height and Weight
Cheryl Scott stands 5 feet 6 inches tall, which is approximately 1.68 meters. Her on-screen presence is polished and professional, well-suited to her long run in Chicago television.
She weighs around 124 pounds, or approximately 56 kilograms. Scott has spoken about her passion for fitness, including running and outdoor activities.
Her trim athletic build reflects a lifetime of sports activity, from track and field at Brown University to marathon running in her adult years.
Cheryl Scott Education
Cheryl Scott attended Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, New Jersey, where she excelled both academically and as a track and field runner. Her athletic performance there earned her a recruitment offer from Brown University.
She enrolled at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where she competed in Division I track and field. In 2007, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences.
After Brown, Scott pursued further credentials in her chosen field. She earned her Meteorology Certification from Mississippi State University in 2010, completing it through the university’s distance learning program.
Cheryl Scott Career
Cheryl Scott started her broadcast career as an intern in 2006 at WCAU-NBC 10, an NBC-owned station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That internship gave her her first taste of live television and laid the groundwork for the jobs that followed.
Her career path moved steadily upward through four television markets over more than a decade. Each station taught her something different about forecasting, live reporting, and connecting with a local audience.
Early Career (2006-2011)
Scott’s first full-time role came in 2007, when WSEE-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania hired her as a weekend weathercaster. She also provided forecasts for a 24-hour Caribbean Weather Channel during that period, adding to her broadcast hours.
She left Erie in 2009 and joined WBIR-TV, the NBC affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee. Scott served as a weekend meteorologist there for roughly two years, building her skills in a mid-sized market.
In April 2011, her reporting took on a far greater weight. Several powerful tornadoes struck the Knoxville area, and Scott stayed on air to update viewers on the storm’s movement and provide critical safety information. Following the disaster, she volunteered her time with the Red Cross, helping the community recover.
NBC 5 Chicago and National Exposure (2011-2014)
In September 2011, Scott joined NBC 5 in Chicago as the morning and weekend meteorologist. Moving to Chicago placed her in one of the largest television markets in the United States, and she spent three years there refining her forecasting technique.
Her national profile grew during this period. She stepped in for Rob Marciano to handle weekend weather on Good Morning America Weekend Edition in July 2015, working alongside anchors including Paula Faris.
That appearance expanded her reach beyond Chicago and showed the broader ABC News ecosystem what she could do.
ABC 7 Chicago (2014-Present)
In December 2014, Scott joined ABC 7 Eyewitness News in Chicago, the city’s top-rated news station. ABC 7 News Director Jennifer Graves praised her expertise and her enthusiasm for tackling Chicago’s notoriously unpredictable weather.
She joined a team that included veteran chief meteorologist Jerry Taft alongside Tracy Butler, Mike Caplan, and Phil Schwarz. Scott quickly became a recognizable presence across the station’s various newscasts.
Her work at ABC 7 has covered everything from daily five-day forecasts to major severe weather events including polar vortex conditions and significant storm systems across the Midwest.
In July 2020, she also participated in the Chicago Public Library’s “Live From The Library” series, reading “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” to children.
As of 2026, Scott continues to serve as a lead weather anchor for the station and remains one of Chicago’s most trusted faces in broadcast meteorology.
Cheryl Scott Awards and Recognition
Scott holds the AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist seal from the American Meteorological Society. That credential is one of the most respected in the broadcast meteorology industry.
She also holds certification from the National Weather Association. Both credentials reflect her deep scientific grounding beyond what most on-air weather presenters carry.
Her community recognition includes her role on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross of Illinois. That appointment reflects her track record of service going back to her volunteer work after the 2011 Knoxville tornadoes.
- AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist seal
- National Weather Association certification
- Board of Directors, American Red Cross of Illinois
Cheryl Scott Relationship
Cheryl Scott was engaged to Dante Deiana, a DJ, music programmer, and marketing professional from Massachusetts. The two reportedly met at a charity event in Chicago and began dating in 2016.
Deiana proposed to Scott in 2018 at the summit of Haleakala volcano in Maui, Hawaii. Deiana also announced it on Instagram, describing the mountain-top proposal at sunset as a dream come true.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported on the engagement in July 2018. Scott confirmed it on her own social media accounts at the time.
Reports from 2022 onward indicate the engagement was called off. By late 2022, Scott was no longer wearing her engagement ring publicly, and neither she nor Deiana has made a formal statement about the status of their relationship.
As of 2026, Scott has not publicly confirmed a new relationship. She keeps her personal life private across her social media platforms.
Cheryl Scott Net Worth and Salary
Cheryl Scott’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026. Her wealth comes primarily from her long career in broadcast meteorology across multiple major television markets.
Salary
Scott earns an annual salary of $175,000 at ABC 7 Chicago. That places her among the higher-paid meteorologists in the Chicago television market, in line with benchmarks for experienced senior anchors in the top ten US markets.
Her earlier NBC 5 Chicago salary was reported in the $74,000 to $124,000 range, showing clear income growth as her profile and experience grew.
Additional Income
Beyond her ABC 7 salary, Scott earns through national television appearances, public speaking engagements, and brand partnerships. Her verified social media presence also supports sponsorship income.
She also contributes through community work with the American Red Cross of Illinois, a role that raises her public profile and opens further partnership opportunities.
Cheryl Scott Social Media
Cheryl Scott is active on Instagram as @cherylscottwx, where she shares weather updates, personal moments, and outdoor activity content. Her Instagram bio confirms she is a meteorologist at ABC 7 Chicago, a Brown University graduate, and a board member of the Red Cross of Illinois.
She also posts on X (formerly Twitter) at @CherylScottWX, where she shares real-time weather warnings and forecasts. That platform serves as her primary outlet for breaking weather information during severe events.
Across all platforms, she uses the handle CherylScottWX, making her easy to find and follow. She is also active on Facebook under the name Cheryl Scott ABC7, where she connects with a large Chicago-area audience.
Conclusion
Cheryl Scott combined a geology degree from Brown University with hands-on work at four television stations before reaching one of Chicago’s most prominent weather desks, covering everything from tornado relief to polar vortex events from the ABC 7 anchor chair.
Her two decades in broadcast meteorology, backed by AMS and NWA certifications and a seat on the Red Cross of Illinois board, reflect a career built on science as much as on screen presence.