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Born in Blackburn, Lancashire at the start of the long, hot summer of 1976 it was perhaps inevitable that BBC weather forecaster Matt Taylor would end up working in meteorology. Shortly after turning one, Matt's family moved to Glasgow where he spent the bulk of his childhood. It was here that he first developed his interest in the weather. As many say in Scotland, "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change again!"

At 14, he swapped the changeable skies of Glasgow for those of north Leeds, where he gained 4 A-levels before heading to Cardiff University to do a degree in City and Regional Planning. Shortly after gaining his degree, Matt spent some time working for a local council in Lincolnshire before realising it wasn't for him.

In January 1998, Matt joined the Met Office to train as a weather observer. The bulk of the next three and a half years were spent working at RAF Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, but he also got to the opportunity to undertake detachments as far a field as Aberdeen and Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth.

During his time at Cranwell, Matt spent a couple of years improving his Maths and Physics through the Open University. This helped to gain him a place on the 12 month forecasting programme at the Met Office College. From there, he returned to Lincolnshire for a while to work at RAF Coningsby, before being posted to Cardiff Weather Centre.

He then spent a year and a half on the forecasting bench at Cardiff, where amongst other jobs were live broadcasts on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Southwest. These he found to be extremely enjoyable, and ultimately saw him move on to the BBC Weather Centre in January 2004.

Away from work, much of his time at present is spent getting to know his way around London, and experience the huge variety of activities on offer. He also enjoys golf, squash, football, occasionally drags himself down the gym, and is now in training for the Great North Run.

FAQ - Matt Taylor
Find out the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions to the forecasters in our team. Here we quiz Matt Taylor on your behalf...

What did you do before becoming a BBC broadcast meteorologist?
I had been working in 'weather' for the previous six years. Initially as a Met Office weather observer, then as a fully qualified weather forecaster working at Met Office Cardiff.

Why did you want to be a broadcast meteorologist?
There was never any great plan to become one, but while I was working at Cardiff I got my first taste of live radio. An opportunity then arose to be trained up to cover the local BBC TV weather presenter in their absence, and during this time, there became a vacancy for a national broadcast meteorologist at TV Centre. After some deliberation, I put in an application, got called in for an interview and screen test, and as they say - the rest is history!

Do you get nervous before a broadcast?
Oh yes! Being relatively new to TV broadcasting, the whole experience can be very nerve-wracking. At the same time though, the nerves sometimes actually help to boost your broadcast by giving you a rush in adrenaline.

Have you ever made any mistakes?
Of course - I don't think I would be human without them.

What are the good things about your job?
Being able to enthuse about a subject you are passionate about is always a great thing, and being paid to do it is even better. Working with the people I do is also a huge bonus. When you are enjoying your time in the office, it helps to lift your performance on screen.

What are the bad things about your job?
The shifts! With weather being a 24/7, 365 days of the year phenomenon, the job is the same too. The sound of the alarm clock at 3.50 on a cold winter's morning can bring tears to the eyes. The shifts can also have a huge impact on your social life, and despite having done night-shifts for over six years, they never get any easier. It's just a good job that I love the work!

When and why did you first get interested in weather?
I suppose it had to have started whilst living in Glasgow. With so much variation in the weather both day-to-day (and even hour-to-hour), I was always curious as to why the weather could be so changeable. Why the rain would always appear just in time for the walk to and from school was another question I always another important factor. Over the years, the interest continued to grow and when the mother of one of my best friends saved me a job advert to work with the Met Office, it was too big an opportunity to miss and one I have never regretted.

How do you relax when you're not working?
Having never lived in London before, at lot of my time at the moment is spent getting to know the place, discovering the vast number of eateries, drinking holes, and live music venues that this vast city has to offer. At the same time, I also enjoy escaping the city and travelling, and with friends and family across the world, there's always somewhere to stay. To release the stresses and strains of city living, I enjoy squash, golf, and football, but it has to be said, being a passionate Blackburn Rovers supporter can be anything but relaxing at times.

What job would you do if you were not a broadcast meteorologist?
With a background in town planning, I wouldn't mind being involved in urban design, but equally a job in the great outdoors away from the constraints of an office would be fantastic.

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	Born in Blackburn, Lancashire at the start of the long, hot summer of 1976 it was perhaps inevitable that BBC weather forecaster Matt Taylor would end up working in meteorology. Shortly after turning one, Matt's family moved to Glasgow where he spent the bulk of his childhood. It was here that he first developed his interest in the weather. As many say in Scotland, "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change again!" At 14, he swapped the changeable skies of Glasgow for those of north Leeds, where he gained 4 A-levels before heading to Cardiff University to do a degree in City and Regional Planning. Shortly after gaining his degree, Matt spent some time working for a local council in Lincolnshire before realising it wasn't for him. In January 1998, Matt joined the Met Office to train as a weather observer. The bulk of the next three and a half years were spent working at RAF Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, but he also got to the opportunity to undertake detachments as far a field as Aberdeen and Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth. During his time at Cranwell, Matt spent a couple of years improving his Maths and Physics through the Open University. This helped to gain him a place on the 12 month forecasting programme at the Met Office College. From there, he returned to Lincolnshire for a while to work at RAF Coningsby, before being posted to Cardiff Weather Centre. He then spent a year and a half on the forecasting bench at Cardiff, where amongst other jobs were live broadcasts on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Southwest. These he found to be extremely enjoyable, and ultimately saw him move on to the BBC Weather Centre in January 2004. Away from work, much of his time at present is spent getting to know his way around London, and experience the huge variety of activities on offer. He also enjoys golf, squash, football, occasionally drags himself down the gym, and is now in training for the Great North Run. FAQ - Matt Taylor Find out the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions to the forecasters in our team. Here we quiz Matt Taylor on your behalf... What did you do before becoming a BBC broadcast meteorologist? I had been working in 'weather' for the previous six years. Initially as a Met Office weather observer, then as a fully qualified weather forecaster working at Met Office Cardiff. Why did you want to be a broadcast meteorologist? There was never any great plan to become one, but while I was working at Cardiff I got my first taste of live radio. An opportunity then arose to be trained up to cover the local BBC TV weather presenter in their absence, and during this time, there became a vacancy for a national broadcast meteorologist at TV Centre. After some deliberation, I put in an application, got called in for an interview and screen test, and as they say - the rest is history! Do you get nervous before a broadcast? Oh yes! Being relatively new to TV broadcasting, the whole experience can be very nerve-wracking. At the same time though, the nerves sometimes actually help to boost your broadcast by giving you a rush in adrenaline. Have you ever made any mistakes? Of course - I don't think I would be human without them. What are the good things about your job? Being able to enthuse about a subject you are passionate about is always a great thing, and being paid to do it is even better. Working with the people I do is also a huge bonus. When you are enjoying your time in the office, it helps to lift your performance on screen. What are the bad things about your job? The shifts! With weather being a 24/7, 365 days of the year phenomenon, the job is the same too. The sound of the alarm clock at 3.50 on a cold winter's morning can bring tears to the eyes. The shifts can also have a huge impact on your social life, and despite having done night-shifts for over six years, they never get any easier. It's just a good job that I love the work! When and why did you first get interested in weather? I suppose it had to have started whilst living in Glasgow. With so much variation in the weather both day-to-day (and even hour-to-hour), I was always curious as to why the weather could be so changeable. Why the rain would always appear just in time for the walk to and from school was another question I always another important factor. Over the years, the interest continued to grow and when the mother of one of my best friends saved me a job advert to work with the Met Office, it was too big an opportunity to miss and one I have never regretted. How do you relax when you're not working? Having never lived in London before, at lot of my time at the moment is spent getting to know the place, discovering the vast number of eateries, drinking holes, and live music venues that this vast city has to offer. At the same time, I also enjoy escaping the city and travelling, and with friends and family across the world, there's always somewhere to stay. To release the stresses and strains of city living, I enjoy squash, golf, and football, but it has to be said, being a passionate Blackburn Rovers supporter can be anything but relaxing at times. What job would you do if you were not a broadcast meteorologist? With a background in town planning, I wouldn't mind being involved in urban design, but equally a job in the great outdoors away from the constraints of an office would be fantastic.