Sky News Weather Channel

Sky News Weather Channel is an Australian television channel owned by Australian News Channel, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia. Launched on 1 January 1999, the channel broadcasts weather forecasts and weather-related news and analysis 24 hours a day.

Programing runs on a 15-minute loop of local, national, regional, dam level and rainfall forecasts, as well as continuous coverage of extreme weather if required & seasonal reports.

Sky News Weather Channel also runs live weekdays the Sky News Regional-produced breakfast program Sky News Breakfast from 6am to 8:30am.

Sky News Weather Channel started broadcasting on 1 January 1999 under the name "Weather 21": channel 21 on the Austar channel line-up. Weather 21 was set up by Cox Inall Communications and the meteorological firm The Weather Company and was owned by Austar. The programming was pitched to Austar's largely rural and regional audience. Initial presenters on the channel were Allan Humphries, Lyndal Davies, and meteorologist Mark Hardy, broadcasting live from 6am to 10pm daily, with the overnight programming consisting of an automated loop of forecasts, satellite, and radar, accompanied by music.

In early 2000, no longer located at 21, the name was changed to "The Weather Channel". As the hours of live presentation were extended, presenters Tracey Malmborg, Jaynie Seal, Rebecca LeTourneau and Garry Youngberry were added.

In 2003 Austar sold the channel to XYZ Networks and TWC appeared on the Foxtel network, morphing to better suit the now largely metropolitan audience. Foxtel's Digitals platform extended its distribution with an Open TV interactive weather application, Weather Active.

Major changes in 2004 included logo, graphics, programming line-up and a new version of Weather Active for Foxtel Digital.

In the middle of June 2008, the Weather Channel again had a major change with its graphics as its programming line-up grew.