Watch above: Global Edmonton’s Kevin O’Connell meets WGRZ-TV’s Kevin O’Connell
EDMONTON – What do Edmonton, Alta., and Buffalo, N.Y., have in common? Well, both metropolitan areas have just over one million residents and people in both cities have been hit with some pretty crazy winter weather over the past couple of weeks.
But did you know that both cities have weathermen named Kevin O’Connell? The jovial pair had the opportunity to chat via Skype Saturday on the Morning News.
“People mistake us all the time,” WGRZ-TV chief weather anchor Kevin O’Connell said with a laugh. “It’s finally fun to see us face to face.”
The O’Connells chatted about the recent wintry blasts both cities experienced, making jokes about the metric system used in Canada versus the imperial system used in the U.S. The pair also compared temperatures in each city, with Edmonton hitting a high of -21°C Saturday and Buffalo 10°C.
“What the heck?” asked the flabbergasted American O’Connell. “Isn’t your football team … The Eskimos? Well, I gotta think those folks know exactly how to deal with cold weather.”
“It sounds like you’re a very resilient winter city, as are we,” added Edmonton’s O’Connell.
The men went on to chat about each of their cities, with Buffalo’s O’Connell saying he’d love to visit Alberta sometime; he’s never been to the prairie province. They also talked about Niagara Falls, with both men saying the Canadian falls are a bit more impressive than the American falls.
“It might be just a hair bigger than yours,” Edmonton’s O’Connell joked.
“You have the prettier falls,” Buffalo’s O’Connell agreed. “You’re the Kodak moment, you’re the photo op.”
The men said they’ll chat again once winter is over and they can compare weather notes.
“From one winter city to another, best of luck going into this winter,” said Edmonton’s O’Connell.