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ALBANY, N.Y.—A particularly destructive jet stream severed the finger of a local on-air weather personality Wednesday during a CBS affiliate's newscast. Moments after a Channel 6 Action News broadcast, weatherman Ted Stranton and his iced right index finger were rushed to Mercy Hospital, where the pointer was reattached.

“I’ve had close brushes with angry jet streams in the past.” said Stranton. The long-time Channel 6 weathercaster admitted he never thought the stream was fierce enough to slice through bone.

Channel 6 Action News producer Melissa Lark was watching when the jet stream mercilessly severed Stranton’s finger. “It’s horrible,” said Lark. “On such short notice, where are we going to find someone else who can speak and point to a map?”

The National Weather Service advises all weathercasters to carefully navigate their gestures around jet streams, especially when the polar front and subtropical jets merge as they did Wednesday.

Rick Robertson has been doing the weather for 17 years on the Channel 2 FOX affiliate’s Totally Tragically Gruesome News at Nine. “You must pay attention,” said Robertson. “If a weathercaster loses the ability to point, he will have to find an actual job, develop a skill, or fake another talent.”

Weathercaster Susan McDaniels of Albany’s Channel 4 FirstNews Prime Newscast News at Ten said she is always cognizant to maneuver around the fast flowing atmospheric air currents. “It’s a terrible thing,” said McDaniels. “It could probably only happen to a Channel 6 personality, though.”

However, Stranton remains positive. “I’m a professional,” said the Channel 6 forecaster. “If I have to switch to my left hand, I will put in the years to develop as a left-handed weathercaster.”