Steve Weagle is retiring from his job as the chief meteorologist for WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida this Friday. He has been at that television station for 27 years, famous for his marathon coverage of hurricanes that have hit the Treasure Coast over the years, especially Hurricane Frances in 2004. A retirement celebration took place yesterday evening at Philly Down South, a tiki hut just across the parking lot from Stuart Beach, where I took the photograph of him talking with a well-wisher. By the time I left, the event was being covered live on the 5:00 P.M. WPTV newscast, the Cypress Creek Band was playing, and over 100 people were in attendance. Weagle and his wife plan to spend half the year in their native Nova Scotia and half the year down here. Summer in Florida and winter in Nova Scotia? That's when the real weather happens in those places, right? For some strange reason, I seem to pay attention when famous meteorologists retire. I watched the final broadcast of Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling on WGN Channel 9 in Chicago back in February of 2024 and fondly remember Harry Volkman, who was on 4 different Chicago television stations over his career. The first weatherman I remember was P.J Hoff, who was a skilled cartoonist and incorporated those cartoons into his weather forecasts on Chicago's WBBM from 1953 to 1968. That was back when watching the weather forecast was really fun, especially for a young kid. And by the way, if anyone out there wants to wish Steve well in his retirement, there will be a second celebration at the Old Key Lime House in Lantana, Florida tomorrow at 4:30. Be there or be square.
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