TV Weather Pioneer John Coleman Has Died

By Chris Ariens 

John Coleman, who spent more than 60 years forecasting the weather in cities across the country, died Saturday at his home in Las Vegas.

Coleman started his career in 1953 at WCIA in Champaign, Ill. He moved to WMBD in Peoria, then to KETV in Ohama, and WISN in Milwaukee, before moving to Chicago where he forecast the weather at all three network affiliates: WBBM (CBS) in 1967, WLS (ABC) from 1968 to 1979 and from 1984 to 1990 at WMAQ (NBC). He’s also worked at WCBS in New York.

In the 1970’s, Coleman was the the original weathercaster for the launch of ABC’s Good Morning America. While working at ABC, Coleman developed the concept and business plan for what became The Weather Channel. He would go on to be CEO in The Weather Channel’s first year of operation.

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Coleman spent the last 20 years of his career at KUSI in San Diego, retiring in 2014.

“Nothing is forever,” Coleman wrote in his goodbye note to KUSI colleagues. “The universe, the galaxy, the solar system, the sun, Earth–every species fades away in time. We individual people are very small and very temporary parts of the big picture.”

Coleman was 83.

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