A.M. Weather
Encyclopedia
A.M. Weather was a 15-minute daily program featuring detailed forecasts
presented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) meteorologists. The show aired fifteen minutes before or after the hour (depending on where people lived) from Maryland Public Television
(MPT) and was broadcast on PBS
affiliates throughout the United States. The show led the way in using computer graphics
for televised weather reports
but had previously used hand drawn maps
and the show's trademark yellow pointer.
The show's progression usually started with a satellite/radar segment, followed by the current conditions around the U.S., then the forecast (especially in terms of temperatures and precipitation), then an aviation forecast (locations of MVFR
and IFR, aircraft icing, turbulence and winds aloft) and ended (when necessary) with an inclement weather report, called "WeatherWatch".
It ran from Monday, October 30, 1978 to Friday, February 3, 1995. One of the reasons for cancelling "A.M. Weather" was that MPT wanted to expand on its morning business news enterprise with Bloomberg L.P.
Hosts included NOAA meteorologists Carl Weiss, Joan Von Ahn and Wayne Winston, as well as H. Michael Mogil, Rich Warren, Dale Bryan and Barry Richwein. Other notable backups included: Regis Walter, Steve Zubrick (now the president of the National Weather Association
), Gary Petti (a meteorologist with National Weather Service
and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), now retired), and George Lessens (now the chief meteorologist at WZZM-TV
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
).
Funding was provided by various aviation-related companies and government agencies, including: The Federal Aviation Administration
, The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
(and its Air Safety Foundation arm), Phillips 66
, Gorman-Rupp
pumps, Hilton Hotels
Corporation, The National Business Aviation Association
, Inc. (known at the time during the show's run as the National Business Aircraft Association), The Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, Showalter Flying Services (a fixed-base operator in Orlando, Florida), Republic Airlines
, and Beech Aircraft Corporation, among others.
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
presented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA) meteorologists. The show aired fifteen minutes before or after the hour (depending on where people lived) from Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television is a non-profit, state-licensed Public Broadcasting Service non-commercial educational public television state network which serves U.S. state of Maryland. Its six transmitters cover nearly all of the state, plus Washington, D.C...
(MPT) and was broadcast on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliates throughout the United States. The show led the way in using computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
for televised weather reports
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
but had previously used hand drawn maps
Weather map
A weather map displays various meteorological features across a particular area at a particular point in time. Such maps have been in use since the mid-19th century and are used for research and weather forecasting purposes. Maps using isotherms show temperature gradients, which can help locate...
and the show's trademark yellow pointer.
The show's progression usually started with a satellite/radar segment, followed by the current conditions around the U.S., then the forecast (especially in terms of temperatures and precipitation), then an aviation forecast (locations of MVFR
Visual flight rules
Visual flight rules are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minimums, as specified in the rules of the...
and IFR, aircraft icing, turbulence and winds aloft) and ended (when necessary) with an inclement weather report, called "WeatherWatch".
It ran from Monday, October 30, 1978 to Friday, February 3, 1995. One of the reasons for cancelling "A.M. Weather" was that MPT wanted to expand on its morning business news enterprise with Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg L.P. is an American privately held financial software, media, and data company. Bloomberg makes up one third of the $16 billion global financial data market with estimated revenue of $6.9 billion. Bloomberg L.P...
Hosts included NOAA meteorologists Carl Weiss, Joan Von Ahn and Wayne Winston, as well as H. Michael Mogil, Rich Warren, Dale Bryan and Barry Richwein. Other notable backups included: Regis Walter, Steve Zubrick (now the president of the National Weather Association
National Weather Association
The National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
), Gary Petti (a meteorologist with National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), now retired), and George Lessens (now the chief meteorologist at WZZM-TV
WZZM-TV
WZZM channel 13 is the Western Michigan affiliate television station for the American Broadcasting Company. It's based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, broadcasting at 16.5 kilowatts of power from a tower located in Newaygo County, near Grant...
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
).
Funding was provided by various aviation-related companies and government agencies, including: The Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
, The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a Frederick, Maryland-based non-profit political organization. Incorporated on 15 May 1939, AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States...
(and its Air Safety Foundation arm), Phillips 66
Phillips 66
Phillips 66 is a brand of gasoline and service station in the U.S. It is owned by the ConocoPhillips Company.Phillips 66 will also be the name of the future downstream company created when ConocoPhillips repositions its integrated assets and businesses into two independent, publicly-traded...
, Gorman-Rupp
Gorman-Rupp Company
Gorman Rupp is a pump manufacturer in Mansfield, Ohio. It manufacturers pumps for municipal, water, wastewater, sewage, industrial, construction, petroleum, fire and OEM markets. The company is traded on the American Stock Exchange. Its current CEO is Jeff Gorman.- History :Gorman Rupp was founded...
pumps, Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
Corporation, The National Business Aviation Association
National Business Aviation Association
National Business Aviation Association or NBAA, is a non-profit and nonpartisan 5016 corporation based in Washington, DC, United States. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies....
, Inc. (known at the time during the show's run as the National Business Aircraft Association), The Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, Showalter Flying Services (a fixed-base operator in Orlando, Florida), Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines
Republic Airline, Inc., operating as Republic Airlines is a regional airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service as Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines and US Airways Express using a fleet of Bombardier Q400, Embraer 170, Embraer 175 and Embraer 190 aircraft...
, and Beech Aircraft Corporation, among others.