Tom Magnuson - Personal / Professional  Biography

   I began my professional career in 1978 as the weekend broadcast meteorologist at WIFR-TV, channel 23, in Rockford, Illinois.  I was the first on-camera meteorologist on Rockford television.

    In January of 1980, I moved to WEAU-TV, channel 13, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, doing television and radio broadcasting.  While in Eau Claire, I experienced the worst storm of my career.  Below is the downburst storm as seen on channel 13's WSR 74C radar screen.

 

The image below shows the 20-mile wide bowing of the clouds, with the heavy rain, hail, and 120 mph straight-line winds to come.

   On October 4th 1980 (10/4) I got married.  On August 4th 1983, we had our one and only child.  In November of 1984 we moved on to Indianapolis, Indiana.  I did on-camera television and radio work until early 1991.

   My career path shifted to the National Weather Service.  I did my internship in the Indianapolis office, and then we moved to Minnesota after I was promoted to forecaster at NWS Minneapolis in July of 1992.  Our home in Bloomington was on a pond, just a stone's throw from the Minnesota River and the Mall of America!

 

   The backyard hill to the pond was excellent for sledding, as the snow cover was deep and lasted from December through April.

   We moved on again in October of 1993 to Kansas City.  I worked at the National Training Center of the National Weather Service.  We settled "north of the river"  (Missouri that is).

 

   At the NWSTC, I taught many media and meteorology topics. 

   In January of 1995, we pulled up stakes and settled in Colorado Springs.  I was promoted to the position of Warning Coordination Meteorologist (public relations, etc.) at the National Weather Service office in Pueblo, Colorado.   

By the way...the background for this page consists of a numbers of weather symbols used on weather maps.

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