Kristen Currie’s day starts at 1:30 a.m. KXAN’s morning meteorologist leaves her Dripping Springs home and arrives at the downtown Austin station by 3 a.m. Ninety minutes later, she’s live on the air, sharing her forecast and updating viewers on current conditions across the 15-county viewing area.
She’s arguably Dripping Springs’ most visible resident, but Kristen isn’t obsessed with style. “If it was up to me, I’d wear a potato sack every day on TV,” she says. “Ultimately, we’re not here to be fashion icons, we’re here to keep people safe and informed."
She downplays the importance of her outfits (no patterns, no stripes, no polka dots and absolutely no green), but she is quick to acknowledge her style is a topic of conversation.
“More than half the emails are about appearance. Many are nice. Unfortunately, some viewers feel empowered by the ability to be anonymous behind the keyboard,” she says. “When you first start, it hurts a little more than it does 10 years in. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with what I’m wearing, it’s about their day and their mood.”
A Southern California native, her career has taken her from Boulder, CO, to Albuquerque, NM, to Lubbock and now Dripping Springs.
In 2020, her real estate agent suggested a house outside of her South Austin neighborhood. “‘It’s a little far, but I think you’re gonna like it,’” Kristen remembers. “On my way, I thought ‘This is way far!’ When I went through Dripping Springs, it was much slower than Austin. I loved it.”
After four and a half hours on the air, she signs off and prepares the day’s forecast with her station’s team of six meteorologists. She also preps for one of her favorite activities: visiting local schools.
“I love what I do, and I feel so blessed,” says Kristen. “I want to be able to inspire the next generation. It’s a male-dominated industry in science and meteorology. I hope to use my position as the only female on the team to inspire the next generation.”
She’s out the door at 10:30 a.m., headed home. Thanks to the overnight hours, traffic isn’t an issue. “I like to decompress on the ride. It’s just me and the wildlife at 2 a.m. on 290,” she laughs.
She’s alone in the car, but not in her neighborhood. “I have never been so lucky with my neighbors in Dripping Springs. I hit the jackpot.”
“I want to be able to inspire the next generation. It’s a male-dominated industry in science and meteorology. I hope to use my position as the only female on the team to inspire the next generation.”
