Derek Brockway was born on 29 October 1967 in Barry, Wales. He attended Holton Road Primary School and Barry Boys Comprehensive, then studied at Coleg Morgannwg and Reading College of Technology.

He became interested in weather as a child during the hot summer of 1976. After school, he joined the Civil Service, then the Met Office as an observer, later qualifying as a forecaster in 1995.

Brockway worked in Birmingham and London before returning to Wales in 1997. He joined BBC Wales Today as lead weather forecaster and presents forecasts on BBC radio, television and online.

He also fronts Weatherman Walking, which began as a BBC Radio Wales series before moving to BBC One Wales and BBC Two.