Love in the Forecast

The film begins with Leah Waddell, a 'weather girl' at a local station in Conway, struggling to be taken seriously as a real meteorologist by her boss, Chris. After being stood up for a date by a colleague named Nolan—who chooses a last-minute trip to Vegas over her—Leah declares 'The Year of Leah,' a self-imposed one-year ban on dating to focus on her degree and career. She moves into a new townhouse where she meets her neighbor, Mark, and his dog, Brody. Mark is a country boy from a dairy farm working a temporary consulting job in the city. Their relationship starts with a 'science vs. nature' debate: Leah relies on high-tech satellites and sensors, while Mark uses folk wisdom, such as observing bird flight patterns and counting cricket chirps to determine the temperature. Despite Leah's commitment to being single, she and Mark develop a close friendship. They team up to petition the city council for a community garden project featuring rain barrels and a weather station for kids. As they spend time together, Leah's parents and Mark's friend Darren notice the obvious chemistry between them. The conflict intensifies when Leah's professional forecasts occasionally fail while Mark's 'nature' predictions prove accurate. Complications arise when Mark's old high school friend, Rochelle, visits from out of town, sparking jealousy in Leah. Simultaneously, Nolan returns from Vegas and tries to win Leah back. On Leah's birthday, Mark gives her a pot of daisies, explaining they are 'nature's rain predictors' because they close their petals before a storm. However, a misunderstanding occurs when Leah sees Rochelle at Mark's place and assumes they are dating. Feeling she should stick to her original plan, Leah goes on a 'redo' date with Nolan but realizes they have nothing in common. Meanwhile, Mark decides the city isn't for him and moves back to his family farm, leaving Leah a heartfelt letter. After a successful on-air forecast where she finally combines science with the nature-based signs Mark taught her, Leah realizes she loves him. She drives to the Crawford dairy farm, confesses her feelings, and the two reconcile, agreeing that love is the one thing you can't always predict.