Featured Meteorologist Jeff Forgeron

Jeff is AMS Certified Meteorologist for FOX 12 Oregon KPTV and a San Jose State University alumni.

Featured Meteorologist  Jeff Forgeron
Jeff Forgeron

Featured Meteorologist Jeff Forgeron

Jeff is AMS Certified Meteorologist for FOX 12 Oregon KPTV and a San Jose State University alumni.
You can follow Jeff on Twitter here

1. What was your most memorable weather event?

My most memorable weather event is probably when I covered Hurricane Harvey during my time at KXXV in Waco, Texas. Our weather team was doing 12 hour work shifts for several days, and we had to bring in an extra meteorologist out of our sister station in Amarillo, Texas to help with coverage. Being a West Coast native, it was a wild experience seeing all of that rainfall impact areas from Houston to College Station. Of all things, I distinctly remember my eyes being soar for staring at screens for so long haha. In close second, we had a tornado warned storm move over our news station in October 2018. Our storm shelter was locked, and our news directly attempted to pry open the shelter door with a crowbar. Some of us had to take cover in the bathroom as the storm moved over us. Luckily, this rotating cell didn’t end up producing a tornado. No joke though… my life flashed before my eyes for at least 10 minutes lol.

2. What is your favourite and least favourite type of weather?

Oh man… I love weather, so It’s tough to narrow this down to just one type. Thunderstorms are fascinating to watch. It’s hard to beat a good old fashion lightning show. In close second though, I love being right around the freezing level in the mountains as rain transitions over to snow. Watching snow slowly accumulate makes me giddy. I grew up in the SoCal Desert, so I was snow-deprived for most of my life.

My least favorite type of weather is intense heat and humidity. Not a fan of wildfires either.

3. If you weren’t a meteorologist what would you most like to be?

If I wasn’t a meteorologist, I’d probably be a geologist. I’m fascinated by earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. I moved to the Portland back in March 2019, and it’s SO COOL living 2 hours or less from Mount St. Helens & Mount Hood.

4. From a purely meteorological point of view, where would you most like to live?

I’m a mountain guy. I love being surrounded by pine trees and cool air. Someday, I’d like to snatch up a mountain cabin and experience a true winter.

5. Is there anything else you’d like to share?

To all of the aspiring broadcast meteorologists out there, this is a tough industry to work in. Television news is changing quickly, and it’s extremely cut-throat. Early on, my reel was rejected by countless news directors, and for a while, I wasn’t sure if this was the sector for me. Once you get that first job, don’t expect to make a lot of money, and anticipate living away from family and friends for at least a couple of years. Before signing a contract, read the fine print, and try to get a professional (such as an attorney) to help translate the language for you.

I worked as an independent contractor for Weather Underground a full year after college, along with 3 other random part-time jobs. There was a stretch of months where I was unsure if I could actually make it in the broadcast industry. I reached out to meteorologists such as Mark Elliot, Jim Cantore, Jim Castillo, Tim Ballisty & others for advice. These guys gave me great advice! Find a way to make yourself stand out, and practice standing in front of a mirror to prepare for any tryouts you might be given by a small market station. If you’re reading this and feel like you’re in a similar situation to what I was in, reach out to me via Twitter (@WeatherJefe), Instagram (@ILoveWeather) or Facebook (Meteorologist Jeff Forgeron). Hopefully I can give you some helpful advice like these other meteorologists gave me. If you’re passionate about weather, the grind is totally worth it. I love what I do!!