Being A CBS Meteorologist In L.A.
What’s it like to be a night-time weatherman in Los Angeles…
In 2001 I completed my meteorology internship with Steve Jerve at WFLA in Tampa, Florida. Shortly after that I accepted a weather position at a CBS affiliate in southern California. I would quickly work my way up to ultimately become the Chief Meteorologist at CBS2 in Palm Springs. I saw it as a minor stopping point before I would eventually move into a position in Los Angeles.
But when Rod Roddy (the Announcer of The Price is Right) passed away in '03, I knew I had to go for my all-time dream job. I would eventually end up working at TPIR with both Bob Barker and Drew Carey (the only announcer to ever do that).
Upon leaving Price, CBS News Los Angeles picked me up to be one of their television meteorologists. I ended up staying at KCBS / KCAL in L.A. for six years before retiring from television news in 2016.
Below are just a few photos from my time as a weatherman in Los Angeles.
At my weather desk in the KCAL9 studios at night.
On this night, watches and warnings abound.
This was a live-shot that I did on a 4th of July night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Look at the mountain-top camera shot of low clouds and fog that has rolled into Los Angeles.
Anchors Suzie Suh and Lyna Nguyen "tossing it" to a weather segment.
Ready to work some magic in front of the touch-screen monitor.
Anchor Sandra Mitchell and I on the set of KCAL9 during a mid-day newscast.
"Check out the low clouds and fog behind me."
On the set of the Morning Show on CBS-2 with Whitney Drolen and Sibila Vargas.
One of the things that I like the most about being a Meteorologist was making the video graphics.
97 degrees on Monday... and we only labelled that as "Warm" for Southern California.
Working the 5, 6 & 11pm shows on CBS-2 with Paul Majors and Pat Harvey.
My "work family", Kent Shocknek and Suzie Suh.
I did a regular feature on Wednesday night's called "Rich's Weather School". It was a lot of fun.
Kent, Suzie and I posing for a publicity picture.
A live-shot from the News Room.
Messing around during a commercial break.
On the set of CBS-2 just prior to the 11pm news cast.
In front of the "green-screen". (Notice both me and the graphics on the monitor hanging to the right of the green wall).
Checking in with our "Weather Watchers".
At my cubical in the newsroom signing my KCBS/KCAL weather contract for another 3 years.
The day that the Stanley Cup visited the station.
In the newsroom waiting to do a weather hit on KNX 1070 News Radio in L.A.
In the newsroom. Behind me is the CBS Satellite Center bringing in feeds from around the world.
Doing morning weather on CBS-2. Look at the time-stamp. Nobody should be that happy... that early in the morning.
A funny billboard mock-up that a viewer sent to me. The bar below the sign is on Sunset Blvd.
