Dana Winter Bio, Age, Height, Husband, Salary, Net Worth, FOX Carolina News
Dana Winter may share her name with the coldest season, but her on-air presence is pure Florida sunshine. The University-of-Florida grad went from dancing 26 hours straight at a Children’s Miracle Network marathon to anchoring the 10 o’clock news for FOX Carolina—all while chasing hurricanes, rattlesnakes, and the perfect meatball recipe.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Dana Winter |
| Profession | TV News Anchor & Reporter |
| Birth Date | ≈ 1992 (age 33 in 2025) |
| Age (2025) | 33 |
| Birth Place | Orlando–Tampa corridor, Florida, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | FOX Carolina 10 pm anchor • Gulf-Coast hurricane coverage |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian (Italian-American) |
| Zodiac Sign | n/a (public) |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) visual estimate |
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg) visual estimate |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Qualification | B.S. Telecommunication, University of Florida |
| Religion | Christianity (inferred) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Eric (husband; last name not public) |
| Children | 0 (3 rescue dogs: Rocky, Pepper, London) |
| Hobbies | Photography, video editing, Bravo reality-TV, hiking, Nintendo Switch |
| Years Active | 2014 – present |
| Net Worth (2025) | ≈ $450 k |
| Current Salary | ≈ $95 k (FOX Carolina 2025 cycle) |
Early Life & Education
Dana grew up “between the mouse and the bay”—shuttling from Orlando theme-park summers to Tampa Gulf sunsets. A middle-school “what I want to be” essay locked her on journalism; she auditioned into the Lois Cowles Harrison School for the Visual & Performing Arts, majoring in Musical Theatre and starred as Elle Woods in a high-school production of Legally Blonde—still her favorite musical. At University of Florida she joined Dance Marathon, standing 26.2 hours to raise money for Shands Children’s Hospital, and interned at WUFT-TV before graduating with a Telecommunication degree.
Career Journey
2014-2016: West Texas Starter
First on-air gig: Weekend reporter/one-man-band at KTLE-TV (Odessa). Rode in the Goodyear Blimp and survived the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup—on live TV.
2016-2018: Northwest Arkansas
KNWA-TV (Fayetteville): covered Arkansas Razorbacks, a 100-year flood, and Bikes, Blues & BBQ—the nation’s largest motorcycle rally.
2018-2023: Mobile, AL & Hurricane Alley
WKRG News 5—started as evening reporter, promoted to weekend anchor. Flew into Panama City post-Michael and rode out Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles, earning an Associated Press award for “Outstanding Storm Coverage” .
July 2023-present: FOX Carolina
Anchors the 10 pm weeknight newscast and leads investigative franchise “Know Before You Buy”. Recent 2025 segments include:
- Backyard chicken restrictions amid egg-price spikes
- Shop-local push in Hurricane-Helene-ravaged Brevard, NC
- Exclusive on Walhalla water-crisis city-council showdown .
Career Stats (Dec 2025)
- 8 hurricanes covered (cat-1 to cat-4)
- 2 AP awards (Spot News & Continuing Coverage)
- >3,000 live shots
- 1 blimp flight (still her most-viewed TikTok: 1.8 M views)
Personal Life
Dana married Eric, a cyber-security analyst, in a private 2019 ceremony on Clearwater Beach. The couple—plus rescue pups Rocky (Lab-mix), Pepper (Chihuahua) and London (Corgi)—spend weekends hiking Upstate waterfalls or speed-running Super Mario Odyssey on Switch. She still swears her Italian family’s Sunday sauce & meatballs beat any restaurant .
Awards & Achievements
- 2024 AP “Best Continuing Coverage” – Hurricane Helene impacts
- 2021 RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow** – “Breaking News” (Hurricane Laura)
- 2019 Alabama Broadcasters “Best Feature” – “Ukrainian Veterans Heal on AL Farm”
- 2018 Society of Professional Journalists “Sports Reporting” – Razorback feature
Physical Statistics
| Attribute | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg) |
| Shoe Size | 8 (US) |
| Dress Size | 4 (US) |
| Hair | Dark Brown, loose curls |
| Eyes | Hazel |
Quotes
- “If I can make a viewer laugh, cry, or call their grandma after my story, that’s a win.”
— FOX Carolina promo, 2024 - “I’ve chased Cat-4s, but nothing scares me like my mom when I forget Sunday gravy.”
— Greenville News profile, 2025 - “Yes, my last name is Winter and I’m from Florida—cue the jokes.”
— Instagram Reel, 2023
Controversies
Zero on-record scandals. Dana’s only Twitter spat (Jan 2025) involved defending Nintendo Switch as “perfect post-news-cast therapy” against PlayStation loyalists.
Favorites
| Category | Choice |
|---|---|
| Camera | Sony A7 IV (personal vlog) |
| Coffee | Cuban colada from Buddy Brew (Tampa) |
| Movie musical | Legally Blonde (can recite every lyric) |
| Hike | Rainbow Falls, Gorges State Park, NC |
| Switch game | Animal Crossing: New Horizons (1,200+ hrs) |
| Comfort food | Italian egg-rolls (family recipe) |
Salary & Net Worth 2025
FOX Carolina evening anchors scale at $85k–$100k; with overtime, paid appearances and Instagram #ad posts (dog-friendly brands), Winter’s annual income ≈ $95k. Net worth: ≈ $450k (condo in Greer, SC, 401(k), comic-book-style NFTs).
Interesting Facts
- Still owns her first press badge from UF’s WUFT—laminated in her wallet for luck.
- Can moon-walk while reporting live (proved during 2024 Greenville road-closure hit).
- Fear of snakes—yet held a 6-ft western diamondback for a ratings stunt in Texas.
- Dance-marathon record: 26.2 hrs standing; blisters the size of quarters.
- Secret talent: speed-dub voices for Rocky & Pepper TikToks (followers call it “Disney+ energy”).
Social Media Links
| Platform | Handle / URL |
|---|---|
| @DanaWinterTV | |
| TikTok | @DanaWinterTV |
| facebook.com/DanaWinterTV | |
| X (Twitter) | @DanaWinterTV |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is Dana Winter related to “Winter the dolphin” from Clearwater Marine Aquarium?
A: No relation—but she did a story on Winter’s prosthetic tail while at WKRG.
Q2: Does Dana Winter have kids?
A: No human kids—calls her three rescue dogs “fur-children”.
Q3: Where did Dana Winter go to college?
A: University of Florida (B.S. Telecommunication).
Q4: What is Dana Winter’s salary?
A: ≈ $95k at FOX Carolina (2025).
Q5: What’s her most-watched viral moment?
A: Live TikTok inside the Goodyear Blimp (1.8 M views).
Conclusion
From dancing 26 hours for sick kids to anchoring the Upstate’s prime-time news, Dana Winter proves you can be serious about journalism without taking yourself too seriously. Whether she’s debunking chicken ordinances or moon-walking through a live shot, she keeps viewers informed—and entertained.
Got a story tip? DM her; she’s probably playing Switch with one hand and editing video with the other.
