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The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center · 201 North Findley Street · Punxsutawney, PA 15767 · (814) 938-1000 · info@weatherdiscovery.org
Recent News from the Weather CenterNew Hall of Fame InducteesTuesday, January 26, 2010Weather Center to induct two new meteorologists into Hall of Fame Print E-mail Written by Tom Chapin Monday, 25 January 2010
PUNXSUTAWNEY — The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center is again welcoming two new inductees into its Meteorologist Hall of Fame. The induction for Jim Burton, the chief meteorologist for WJAC-TV of Johnstown, and Paul Knight, a Pennsylvania State Climatologist and a senior lecturer of synoptic meteorology at Penn State University, will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the center. Jim Burton, who was a guest speaker at the annual Groundhog Banquet a few years ago, grew up in northeastern Canada, where he said, “Winters are long, and summers are short.” “I’ve always loved the great outdoors, especially camping, hiking and fishing in the colder months,” Burton said. “Thunderstorms were a rare occurrence, and when one would pass over the large farm I was raised on, I would watch in fascination as lightening streaked across the sky. This sparked my interest in science and meteorology at an early age.” Burton said he would spend hours in the local library looking at any and all books associated with storms, tornadoes and blizzards. But the weather bug hadn’t quite bitten him yet. After high school, Burton signed a professional hockey contract with the Quebec Nordiques, and during the next five years, spent time with several hockey teams as property of the Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks and many minor league stops along the way. After his hockey career ended early due to several knee and back injuries, he was accepted to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh where he studied mainly physics and took any and every meteorology and atmospheric course he could find. While in college, Burton worked at radio stations such as WYDD, WHTX and WTAE radio and television. In 1984, he was also hired as a production voice for WJAC-TV and WKYE FM in Johnstown. Burton started doing television weather at WJAC and the morning radio show on Key 95, then moved to Philladelphia and Washington, D.C., where he worked as a meteorologist and radio/television voice-over artist for commercials for local and national clients, as well as narrating documentaries for the History and Discovery channels. Burton eventually returned to western Pennsylvania and WJAC-TV in 1998, and became the chief meteorologist. In the community, Burton has been involved in the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, emceeing many events and fund-raisers, and has served on boards of directors in both promotional and fund-raising capacities. He currently sits on the state Board for Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, promoting education and advancement of people with intellectual disabilities. “I am most proud of the many friendships I’ve made in communities all over the area and the privilege of doing countless school visits and assemblies for students from preschool to college,” Burton said. PAUL KNIGHT Paul Knight is the manager of the Weather Communications Group, and had been the senior forecaster for The New York Times from 1986 through 2009. He, along with four other colleagues, produced the weather page for The Times and International Herald Tribune. He is also producer, co-host and on-camera meteorologist for “Weather World,” a 15-minute, weeknight weather show which was seen on three PBS stations in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. It is now broadcast on the Pennsylvania Cable Network and Penn State’s Public Television Station (WPSU). Knight holds both the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) and National Weather Association’s Television Seal of Approval, is a certified consulting meteorologist (CCM) and served on the AMS Board of CCM’s. He is also a certified broadcast meteorologist (CBM). He earned his bachelor and master degrees in meteorology from Penn State, and was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters and the AMS Outstanding Service Award by a Broadcast Meteorologist in 2003. Knight was the president of the American Association of State Climatologists from 2006-2008. Knight, his wife, Mary, and both his children and his son-in-law are graduates of Penn State. |
