Bottom Line Communications profiled Gary Lezak, chief meteorologist for Kansas City NBC affiliate KSHB, during the recent snowstorm that blew through the Midwest.
Lezak told Bottom Line, “Weather is just fascinating. The passion I have for winter weather forecasting gets me so focused and energized.”
Lezak’s passion was on display for Kansas City viewers during a 24-hour period running from Monday night until Tuesday evening. His on-air odyssey began during the Monday 10:00 p.m. newscast with Lezak and his weather team giving regular updates on the storm and how it would affect the Kansas City area.
On Tuesday at the height of the storm, Lezak worked alongside meteorologists Brett Anthony and Jeff Penner for the morning show. Keep in mind, Lezak stayed on air the previous night until 12:30 a.m. doing cut-ins to late night programming.
“Gary was the only Chief on when the storm was at its worst, in the early morning hours of Tuesday,” a source told Bottom Line. “I think this speaks to his passion and dedication for covering severe weather.”
After his work on the morning show, KSHB went wall-to-wall from 5:00 a.m. until Noon with Lezak right there at the weather desk reporting on the storm. After a two hour break, Lezak reappeared on-air from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 pm. He then put in a shift on the 4:30 show, the 5:00 p.m. show and the 6:00 show before finally rounding out his full day on Tuesday’s 10:00 p.m. show.
While other Kansas City forecasters were putting in long hours as well, Bottom Line thought Lezak may have taken his passion for being on-air to a new level.
For Lezak, though, it seemed to be what he considered just another part of his job. “The challenge of getting the forecast right is something I take very seriously,” said Lezak. “We want to prepare the metro for what’s about to come, and I know it has to help.”