I guess you could say I was born to be a weatherman!! I was born in Kingsville, Texas shortly after Hurricane Beulah hit the South Texas coast spawning over 100 tornadoes.
All in all, I've seen Texas Weather from nearly every corner of the state. I've spent time living in Kingsville, El Paso, Kempner, Fredericksburg, Harlingen, Lexington, Lubbock, San Angelo and Kerrville.
I graduated from Kerrville Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas in 1986.
After graduating from high school, I spent one year at Angelo State University in San Angelo. I was there one year and transferred to Texas Tech University at Lubbock in 1987. I eventually pursued weather through Mississippi State University where I completed their Broadcast Meteorology Program in 1997.
I am a certified Broadcast Meteorologist with a rich understanding, appreciation and respect for Texas weather.
I am an official SKYWARN observer for the National Weather Service and have been stormchasing for many years across the South Plains, Hill Country, North Texas and West Central Texas area.
WHY I BECAME A WEATHERMAN:
It all started for me when I was only 6 years old. My family was living in Kingsville, Texas. I was in Kindergarten at the time and a tornado ripped through the trailer park we lived in. It left our trailer unharmed although my bedroom windows were busted out. Our next door neighbor's trailer was lifted off the ground and carried out into the street where it landed upside down. Needless to say, that was a scary experience for a kid at the age of 6. I admit I was scared of the weather for some time after that! As time went on, my fear of the weather turned into a fascination. I had a science teacher in 8th grade who focused on weather for two weeks. We were required to keep weather records for two weeks. As it turned out, I kept weather records from my own home in Kerrville, Texas for the following 6 years!
BROADCASTING CAREER NOTES:
My broadcasting career began in Lubbock with an internship at KTXT-FM in 1987 as a sports reporter for the Texas Tech University radio station. I would become a weekend DJ at KTXT in 1988.
In June 1989, I received my first commercial radio break and became a Radio Personality at CHR station KRLB-FM 99.5 in Lubbock.
It was slow and steady in the beginning as I worked the overnight radio shift for nearly 3 years.
In March 1992, I moved to KFYO-AM where I produced "SportsTalk with Jack Dale" for several months. I also hosted a 6pm to midnight shift playing Classic Country while at KFYO.
In August 1992, I moved to sister CHR station KZII-FM (Z-102) in Lubbock where I was given the privilege of hosting Middays as a DJ during the days of the "Work Day Triple Play" and "Class Reunion" show from 10:30 to 11:00am each morning. I was promoted to Promotions Director for Z102 from 1993 to 1996.
My television career officially began in 1995 with an internship at KCBD-TV in Lubbock.
While working radio at the same time, I would come in during the evenings on my free time to learn as much as possible and I eventually became a weekend weatherman at KCBD in June 1995.
My first day on the air brought a major tornado outbreak that created two very large tornadoes in our viewing area! One of them was the infamous 1995 Dimmitt Tornado!! Talk about trial by fire!
I was promoted to Morning and Noon weathercaster in June 1996.
Over the next year, I became Severe Weather Coordinator. During this time, I was officially trained by the National Weather Service to stormchase even though I had been stormchasing on my own for years prior to that.
I became a Certified Meteorologist in August 1997 while continuing my role as weather anchor and co-host of Daybreak Today and the NewsChannel 11's News at Noon show.
In September 1999, I joined WACH-TV in Columbia, South Carolina where I became the Chief Meteorologist for the FOX affiliate. I arrived as Hurricane Floyd pounded the Carolina coastline. My first day on the job placed me in Conway and Myrtle Beach as the floodwaters crept up along the Waccamaw River.
While in South Carolina, an unfortunate carjacking and kidnapping experience in 2001 would eventually halt my television career in 2003.
I returned to Kerrville, Texas in 2003 and began voluntarily writing a daily weather column for the Kerrville Daily Times in August 2004 so I could remain a weatherman at heart. I greatly missed doing weather every day and the Daily Times gave me the opportunity to do weather again on a daily basis.
My broadcasting career resumed much like it began in my early years...with radio!! In October 2004, I signed on with the Hill Country Radio Network in Kerrville, Texas.
The Hill Country Radio Network became Revolution Broadcasting Corporation of the West in 2006 and I continue to perform weather duties for all 6 of their network stations in the Hill Country and West Texas area.
In August 2006, after what felt like an eternity, I returned to television again and my TV career resumed where it all began at KCBD NewsChannel 11 in Lubbock.
Once again, much like my early years at KCBD, I currently serve as the weekend Meteorologist for KCBD News Channel 11 which serves the Texas South Plains and Southern Texas Panhandle in Tornado Alley.
2007 would bring 41 confirmed tornadoes to our immediate viewing area.
In January 2007, I signed on with Mandatory Broadcasting Corporation in Stephenville, Texas where I provide radio weathercasts on a daily basis.
God is good!
HOBBIES:
I'm still an active stormchaser! Every May, I hit the road in search of F5 tornadoes! I have seen many tornadoes over the years, but an F5 still eludes me. I enjoy speaking to schools, church and charity organizations and spend a great deal of time in the community, especially with organizations that encourage our youth.