Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Jennifer graduated with a Bachelors of Art Degree in Political Science/International Relations at Kent State University before attending graduate school to receive a Masters of Science in Geosciences/Broadcast Meteorology degree from Mississippi State University. Her college years led her to intern at both WOIO and NewsChannel 5 in Cleveland Ohio, fill in at WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi then accept her first full-time job with WPSD in 2004.
Jennifer has spent more than twenty years forecasting and broadcasting locally and nationally. Her return to WPSD Local 6 in 2023 follows her work for a series called “Weird Earth” produced for The Weather Channel, seasons 2 and 3, as a science and weather expert. She’s been honored with 3 Mid-America Emmy nominations, several Associated Press awards for Best Meteorologist and Best Series Special/Documentary, The Glen Gerberg Weather & Climate Summit Award for Outstanding Contribution, the Red Cross Clara Barton Award for volunteerism, a proud Weather Ready Ambassador for the National Weather Service and holds the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval.
Giving back to the community where she began her career has always remained important to Jennifer while on and off camera. She has remained active in promoting storm readiness through helping community members program weather radios, donating programmed weather radios to schools in Graves/Mayfield following the Mayfield Tornado in 2021 and fundraising to purchase 500 Demdaco Giving Bears to donate to elementary aged kids who were impacted by the same tornado the following Valentines Day.
Jennifer and her husband Jeff Bidwell opened and own the Paducah Flower Company (established 2020) where she still works in her off hours from the tv station.
