28-06-2025
Sunrise's Sam Mac details exactly what a week in the life as a TV Weatherman involves
The most common questions I get asked about my job as the Sunrise Weatherman are: 'What time do you get up? How many flights do you do per year? And what's a low pressure system?'
The answers in their respective order are:
3:47am
Approximately 130
The opposite of a high pressure system
I love my job. It's unpredictable and it's live, which is a dangerously fun combination.
It's taken me around the world and introduced me to some unforgettable people.
But, my oh my is it a wild ride!
Sunrise viewers see me magically appear on their screens every morning from a different location.
They rarely get an insight to the logistics of how it all happens (probably because logistics are generally a snoozefest).
However this week was an absolute doozy, so I decided to take you behind the scenes.
I travelled more than 6000kms this week and I'm now going to break it down in excruciating detail (predominantly as evidence so I get my per diems).
Sunday
6am: Depart for airport.
9am: Fly Sydney to Auckland
4pm: Chopper Auckland to Waiheke Island
5pm: Hotel check in
Monday
Total of 22 hours in New Zealand!
5am: Live show Mudbrick Winery
10am: Car Ferry back to Auckland
12pm: Fly Auckland to Brisbane
6pm: Hotel check in
Tuesday
5am: Live show Brisbane Street Art
9am: Drive Brisbane to Hervey Bay
2pm: Car Ferry to K'gari Fraser Island
3pm: Check in to hotel
Wednesday
5am: Live Show K'gari Fraser Island
10am: Car Ferry back to Hervey Bay
11am: Drive Hervey Bay to Caloundra
3pm: Check into hotel
Thursday
5am: Live show Caloundra
10am: Drive to Sunshine Coast Airport
1pm: Fly Sunshine Coast to Sydney
4pm: Home
Friday
5am: Live show Titanic Exhibition
10am: Sleep!
10:05am: Woken up by my toddler because: 'It's time to play Daddy'.
The schedule is chaotic. It really is a blur.
Some mornings when my alarm goes off at 3:47am it can take me a good thirty seconds to remember where I am.
Often I can tell by looking at the hotel curtains - 'Ahh, Sofitel Brisbane, good to be back'.
I learned early on in this role to embrace the absurdity. Every week is a unique adventure.
This week for example, while some hosts were talking about the Iraq / Iran ceasefire, I was interviewing a chef about how to make the perfect scone.
While some hosts were talking about interest rate cuts, I was interviewing a woman from the wearable arts festival in a dress made out of 500 chip packets.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
See you next week when we do it all again.
