Steve Garry is a certified (AMS CBM) meteorologist with undergraduate and graduate degrees and has over 15 years of professional broadcasting “live on – air” news/weather experience.

Steve is certified by the AMS (American Meteorological Society - the nation’s largest professional society for the atmospheric and related sciences founded in 1919).

He holds the most advanced broadcast certification, the CBM. To earn the CBM, broadcasters must hold a degree in meteorology or equivalent from an accredited college or university, pass a rigorous written examination, and have their on-air work reviewed to assess technical competence, informational value, explanatory value, and communication skills.

In addition to the initial educational and test requirements, CBMs have to earn professional development points in order to maintain their certification.

Consequently, Steve has continued his education past his undergraduate and graduate degree coursework, and recently completed the following meteorological courses and attended/presented at the following:

2009 - 89th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting

2008 – Excessive Heat Conference: Confronting Climate Change, Vulnerability, and Urbanization by Improving Heat Health Services, Mitigation Strategies, and Communications

2007 – Operation Sierra Storm Conference – Global Warming

Multiple Annual National Weather Service Weather Workshops

Latest Coursework:

A Convective Storm Matrix

Definition of the Mesoscale

Forecasting Dust Storms

Mesoscale Convective Systems: Squall Lines and Bow Echoes

Model Fundamentals

Monsoon Preparedness

Mountain Waves and Downslope Winds

Principles of Convection: Buoyancy and CAPE

Satellite Meteorology: GOES Channel Selection

Early Childhood

Steve became interested in the study of weather and technology in his early childhood. Growing up in the mid-west near Chicago as a young boy exposed him to many severe and extreme weather events.

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms were fairly common each spring and summer and this extreme weather instilled a deep respect and awe inspired desire to study meteorology and the related sciences.

As a 2nd and 3rd grader, Steve would bring weather related science experiments concerning air, water, and vacuums (low & high pressure) to school for "show and tell".

Undergraduate Education/Research Interests

When Steve was a teenager his father was transferred to Los Angeles, and as a result of this new location Steve went on to study the atmospheric and geographic sciences at UCLA and Cal State University Los Angeles.

In addition to the regular undergraduate coursework, Steve conducted directed research studies on solar terrestrial magnetic relations in connection to lightning and thunderstorm activity.

Additionally, during his undergraduate research, he became further aware of the complex dynamics that exist in trying to forecast global atmospheric patterns and also obtained greater knowledge and interest in global warming.

Steve is also interested in the North American monsoon, severe weather forecasting, the urban heat island and the desert heat low.

AMS Activity and Service Work

As a member of the local AMS chapter in Los Angeles, Steve interacted with various top researchers and scientists from NASA's JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), the Army Corp of Engineers, and various local universities (Cal Tech, USC, UCLA, and others). These meetings furthered his interest in going to graduate school.

After obtaining his bachelors degree, Steve spent two years as a full-time missionary serving in northern Italy.

At the conclusion of this service work he returned back to higher education and pursued a graduate degree at BYU (Brigham Young University) in Utah where he also was a member of the award winning KBYU – TV broadcasting team as a meteorologist.

KBYU does live weeknight evening newscasts to the entire state of Utah, parts of eastern Nevada and Idaho, along with western sections of Colorado and Wyoming. The mountainous winter weather forecasting included severe weather for avalanche warnings and extreme cold including wind chill, snow and freeze warnings.

Graduate/Computer Education

Knowing that graphically visualizing atmospheric patterns was essential to understanding weather and climate, Steve specifically studied the computer visualization technology of “virtual reality.”

Steve’s research in technology and thesis study moved him toward a greater understanding of 3D computer graphics which are highly relevant to broadcast meteorology weather computer systems as weather graphics are now a very large part of the overall work and presentation of the final “on-air” product.

Many viewers are not aware of the fact that Steve puts together most of the graphical information and forecast products that go “on-air” for the weather forecast.

The technology is rapidly changing with innovations in computer hardware and software. Constant training and knowledge of the operations of these computers and the auxiliary systems is critical to the overall news/weather product.

Consequently, Steve has completed multiple vendor certification programs with the two largest broadcast weather computer companies WSI and WCI and continues to receive specific training.

In addition to improving his knowledge of meteorology and the technologies used to communicate the forecast, Steve regularly visits local schools and strives to encourage young students to study the atmospheric sciences.

The program called the Weather Road Show visits over 50 schools each year in the Phoenix area and reminds kids to “be cool, stay in school.”

Professional Commercial Television Experience

Steve started as a local anchor/meteorologist in the early 1990’s when he took over for legendary weatherman John Coleman in Palm Springs, California. John founded the weather channel in 1981 and was the original weathercaster on what was then the brand-new ABC network morning program, Good Morning America.

In the first year as chief meteorologist, Steve improved on the legacy left by Coleman and continued to bring results. Steve was the number one rated broadcast meteorologist for 4 years in a row until he left for Florida.

In the early and mid 1990’s, KESQ in Palm Springs, would beat (higher ratings) the local LA news stations consistently and garnered large market share and ratings by being local and live.

After spending several years doing hundreds of live remote shots from all over Southern California, Steve received an offer to move out to the east coast to a then all new “totally digital” television station, WJXX.

The station had the latest most advanced weather forecasting technology with its own Doppler radar. The highly dynamic meteorological environment meant “real” severe weather forecasting for major severe weather events and hurricanes in Florida including hurricane Floyd, one of the most destructive and active hurricanes of the late 1990s.

Steve’s live remote reports from the “First Coast” beaches tracking the storm surge, wind damage, beach erosion and eventual destruction of the Jacksonville pier indoctrinated Steve into the realities of the power of severe weather.

The severe weather forecasting has not been limited to the east coast. At the completion of his contract in Florida, Steve and his growing family had an opportunity to move back west to be closer to extended family.

Steve received an offer from the ABC affiliate in Las Vegas, Nevada, and took over for Ted Textor who had been on CNN for many years in the late 1980’s and was the main evening meteorologist.

During this time, Steve forecasted flash flooding during several deluges that caused major flooding in the downtown area of Las Vegas. Although Las Vegas is an exciting and interesting town, Steve felt the need to make the next move to an even larger television market.

This took Steve and his wife along with an even larger family now consisting of 4 young children to Phoenix, Arizona.

Steve Comes To Phoenix

In Phoenix, Steve was recruited by AMS meteorologist Bob Jeswald and filled in for then departing Chief Meteorologist Mike Harvey who was heading back to the east coast.

With the arrival of former MSNBC news/weather anchor Sean McLaughlin, Steve was able to learn even more about forecasting in Phoenix and the Arizona deserts. Long time local Arizona forecaster and broadcasting veteran Sean McLaughlin helped create an award winning team which brought forth an Emmy award winning Monsoon 2007 special report.

Additionally, several upgrades to the latest computer technology and the best HD broadcasting weather equipment available made KPHO the leader in local weather forecasting.

In 2008, Steve and Sean were instrumental in the creation of a 24 hour totally digital all weather channel in Phoenix called Weather Now, which Steve constantly manages, produces, and improves while serving as the main weekend evening meteorologist and weekday fill in for Chris Dunn and Paul Horton.

This always changing schedule is hectic but as long as Steve gets enough time for his family which now includes 5 young children then he and his wife are happy.

• Read Steve's Blog: Eye On The Sky