WILD WEATHERMAN
WILD
WEATHERMAN
Name: Sam Champion
Name
:
Sam
Champion
Hot job: TV Weatherman
Hot
job
:
TV
Weatherman
Where: ABC-TV, New York City
Where
:
ABC-TV
,
New
York
City
When you were a child, did you plan to forecast wind, rain, and snow on TV?
When
you
were
a
child
,
did
you
plan
to
forecast
wind
,
rain
,
and
snow
on
TV
?
I wanted to be a foreign journalist.
I
wanted
to
be
a
foreign
journalist
.
I took courses in weather science at Eastern Kentucky University, but I majored in broadcasting news.
I
took
courses
in
weather
science
at
Eastern
Kentucky
University
,
but
I
majored
in
broadcasting
news
.
How did you finally become a weatherman?
How
did
you
finally
become
a
weatherman
?
My first job in the early 1980s was at the local TV station in Paducah, Kentucky.
My
first
job
in
the
early
1980s
was
at
the
local
TV
station
in
Paducah
,
Kentucky
.
I did everything from turning on the lights in the morning to writing and delivering morning news.
I
did
everything
from
turning
on
the
lights
in
the
morning
to
writing
and
delivering
morning
news
.
I put together weather forecasts, and became interested in them.
I
put
together
weather
forecasts
,
and
became
interested
in
them
.
Back then, how did you forecast weather?
Back
then
,
how
did
you
forecast
weather
?
Independent companies collected computer information that showed, for example, how a single weather system might split into snow or snow mixed with rain.
Independent
companies
collected
computer
information
that
showed
,
for
example
,
how
a
single
weather
system
might
split
into
snow
or
snow
mixed
with
rain
.
The information was often opposite and the job of a weatherman was to study the information and make the best educated guess about the storm.
The
information
was
often
opposite
and
the
job
of
a
weatherman
was
to
study
the
information
and
make
the
best
educated
guess
about
the
storm
.
Has weather forecasting changed much with new technology?
Has
weather
forecasting
changed
much
with
new
technology
?
Advanced computers, satellites, and Doppler radar (sound waves used to track storms) have made forecasting more exact.
Advanced
computers
,
satellites
,
and
Doppler
radar
(
sound
waves
used
to
track
storms
)
have
made
forecasting
more
exact
.
But we still know very little about how weather is shaped.
But
we
still
know
very
little
about
how
weather
is
shaped
.
So far, we just have theories.
So
far
,
we
just
have
theories
.
Any advice for children who'd like to become weather scientists?
Any
advice
for
children
who
'd
like
to
become
weather
scientists
?
To me, weather is the most exciting field in the world.
To
me
,
weather
is
the
most
exciting
field
in
the
world
.
There are still so many more questions about weather than answers.
There
are
still
so
many
more
questions
about
weather
than
answers
.
After all, if we can't foresee floods or hurricanes, how safe a society are we?
After
all
,
if
we
ca
n't
foresee
floods
or
hurricanes
,
how
safe
a
society
are
we
?
Weather forecasting is wide open for scientists who love to solve puzzling problems.
Weather
forecasting
is
wide
open
for
scientists
who
love
to
solve
puzzling
problems
.
The next generation of meteorologists (weather scientists) will unlock many of Earth's weather secrets.
The
next
generation
of
meteorologists
(
weather
scientists
)
will
unlock
many
of
Earth
's
weather
secrets
.
So get a general knowledge of Earth science, and study meteorology in college.
So
get
a
general
knowledge
of
Earth
science
,
and
study
meteorology
in
college
.
Thanks, Sam.
Thanks
,
Sam
.
WILD WEATHERMAN  Name: Sam Champion  Hot job: TV Weatherman  Where: ABC-TV, New York City  When you were a child, did you plan to forecast wind, rain, and snow on TV?  I wanted to be a foreign journalist. I took courses in weather science at Eastern Kentucky University, but I majored in broadcasting news.  How did you finally become a weatherman?  My first job in the early 1980s was at the local TV station in Paducah, Kentucky. I did everything from turning on the lights in the morning to writing and delivering morning news. I put together weather forecasts, and became interested in them.  Back then, how did you forecast weather?  Independent companies collected computer information that showed, for example, how a single weather system might split into snow or snow mixed with rain. The information was often opposite and the job of a weatherman was to study the information and make the best educated guess about the storm.  Has weather forecasting changed much with new technology?  Advanced computers, satellites, and Doppler radar (sound waves used to track storms) have made forecasting more exact. But we still know very little about how weather is shaped. So far, we just have theories.  Any advice for children who'd like to become weather scientists?  To me, weather is the most exciting field in the world. There are still so many more questions about weather than answers. After all, if we can't foresee floods or hurricanes, how safe a society are we? Weather forecasting is wide open for scientists who love to solve puzzling problems. The next generation of meteorologists (weather scientists) will unlock many of Earth's weather secrets. So get a general knowledge of Earth science, and study meteorology in college.  Thanks, Sam.