STV NewsSTV’s Sean Batty hopes to inspire the next generation of weather presenters with the launch of his debut children’s book.
The Worst Christmas Weather EVER! takes readers on an adventurous ride around the world, using real-life weather events to tell an exciting and thought-provoking story.
Drawing inspiration from real-life climate events, readers will experience snowfalls in Japan, wildfires in Australia, floods in South Sudan, and even unseasonably warm December weather in the Scottish Highlands (based on the record 18.7C recorded in Achfary on December 28, 2019).
Sean decided to combine his love of both Christmas and weather to create the book after launching his Mini Met Team during lockdown.
STV News“After launching the Mini Met Team during lockdown, where children from all over the country sent me daily weather reports, I realised I wanted to inspire more young minds to get interested in weather – just like I did when I was seven years old”, he explained.
As he thought about introducing climate change to younger audiences, Sean realised that Santa Claus, the most well-travelled person in the world, would be the perfect guide.
“Santa has seen it all – the weather changes, the extremes, the challenges. He’s been on the same route for years, which means he’s witnessed the effects of climate change first-hand.
“I wanted the story to be as realistic as possible because climate change is not something that needs exaggerating. The extreme weather Santa encounters is based on real events.
“It’s not about scaring kids – it’s about educating them through fun and adventure.”
In the book, Santa’s festive journey is full of unexpected calamities: losing presents in the snow, rescuing koalas from bushfires in Australia, crash-landing in Ethiopia’s dry landscape, and even getting caught in a winter tornado over Kentucky.
But the story doesn’t end there. Santa calls upon children around the world to become Ho Ho Heroes by adopting eco-friendly actions that help protect the planet and ensure a smoother delivery for Santa in the future.
“The book is a fun way to encourage kids to think about their own environmental impact,” Sean said. “It’s all about inspiring positive change while still embracing the magic of Christmas.”
He told STV News: “I’ve been at STV for nearly 20 years, and in that time, I’ve reported on some of Scotland’s most memorable weather extremes.
“From the Beast from the East in 2018, which buried central Scotland in record-breaking snow, to July 2022’s extreme heatwave, when the Borders hit an unprecedented 35C, the weather has never been short of surprises.
“I’ll never forget December 2010, our coldest in over a century, or Cyclone Friedhelm—better known as Storm Bawbag – which whipped up winds of 165mph on the Cairn Gorm summit. Then there was Storm Frank in 2015, which devastated parts of Aberdeenshire with severe flooding.
“While Scotland’s history is rich with extremes – like the deadly storm of 1968, the brutal winter of 1962–63, and Braemar’s bone-chilling -27C in 1982 – it’s clear that our weather is becoming more volatile.
STV News“Take the past few weeks as an example: temperatures plunged to -10C in some spots last week, then soared to 15C after snowfall in Glasgow on Saturday, only to plummet again to -10C days later.
“This weekend, we’re expecting a return to 15C – a staggering 25-degree swing in just days.”
The Worst Christmas Weather EVER! is now available for purchase online at Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith, and for personalised copies, through Sean’s website seanbatty.co.uk.
In the coming weeks, Sean will be taking The Worst Christmas Weather EVER! on tour, with signings and meet-and-greet events scheduled across the country, including school visits.
- Tuesday, December 3 – Stirling, Stirling Castle Christmas Shopping Fair 6pm – 9pm
- Wednesday, December 4 – Aviemore, Macdonald Aviemore Resort
- Thursday December 5 – Edinburgh, Edinburgh Botanics
- Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 – Glasgow, Glasgow Christmas Market – George Square
- Friday, December 13 – Stirling, Blair Drummond Safari Park Christmas Spectacular
- Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 – Edinburgh, St Andrews Square, Edinburgh Christmas Market
- Friday, December 20 – Aberdeen, Aberdeen Christmas Market
- Saturday, December 21 – Aviemore, Highland, Macdonald Aviemore Resort
- Sunday, December 22 – Aberdeen, Aberdeen Christmas Market
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