Raised in the rural area of Ranchito Las Lomas, Laredo College alumna and KGNS weather forecaster Yolanda Villarreal saw both the majesty and intimidating power of South Texas weather. One day you are waking up to an unimaginable sunrise over the region’s flora and fauna, the next the crash of thunder follows a downpour across the land.
As the sun and thunder rolled through the years, Villarreal said the weather patterns she experienced growing up led to a fascination with meteorology and ultimately played a part in her journey to become a meteorologist. Enrolled in Spring 2023, she is studying online at the Mississippi State University toward a degree with the goal of becoming a South Texas meteorologist and learning more about the intricacies of the world’s weather.
Leading up to the current stage of her educational journey, Villarreal said her time at Laredo College helped her independence come through. During these years, she spoke about her initial fear of driving, and while it didn’t stop her from taking the bus to the Ft. McIntosh or South campuses, it was time that could be better spent elsewhere.
Amid her classes and dreams of the future, she took the time at LC to reaffirm her values and build her independence into a powerful tool that helps her to this day. Ridding herself of the driving fear and graduating in 2017, she then transferred to Texas A&M International University and earned a degree in communication.
“I started with remedial courses and then moved to the basics. No matter your level or where you are at, you have to keep going,” Villarreal said. “Have faith, trust the process and in the blink of an eye there will be new opportunities.”
With a strong interest in communications, she began an internship with KGNS. There, her days revolved around shadowing experienced reporters like Marissa Rodríguez Limón, working behind the scenes with the cameras and doing general administrative work.
Day after day, she became increasingly acclimated to the fast pace of a newsroom. However, her growing ambitions had her eyeing the KGNS weather reports. Studying and learning from local weather forecasters and meteorologists, such as Richard “Heatwave” Berler, the goal was clear.
Villarreal said that once her internship was over, she returned to KGNS in hopes of being hired full time. She began as an administrative assistant and learned as much as she could about the creative, production and sales aspects of the newsroom. During this time, she would report to the office early in the morning to practice her weather forecast on the green screen before returning to the front desk. This perseverance ultimately bore fruit.
The opportunity to do both the morning and noon shows was offered, and Villarreal would soon be the weather forecaster for both English and Spanish. Building off the independence molded at LC, this success was Villarreal’s hard-earned victory that laid the foundation for her time at Mississippi State University.
Despite the 3 a.m. start times, long hours and daily grind found in newsrooms, Villarreal did not stop at work. She proudly spoke about her attendance at local career days and how she loves to inspire young minds and motivate local students to find their passion careers. As a former United South High School student, she said returning to speak about her career is a full-circle moment that could be the spark others need to take on whatever challenges come their way.
Tuning into the news early in the morning or later in the day, one can see Villarreal enjoying each moment. She said that after years of being on TV, it is a feeling she has gotten used to, but it was not perfect. She proudly admits that mistakes and stumbles were experienced along the way, but she never failed to pick herself back up.
“Being independent gives you a bit more strength,” she said. “You know you don’t need to hear from anybody else to feel assured that you are making the right decisions or doing the right thing… you need to enjoy the now.”