Gary England

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Gary England
Gary England headshot, KWTV.jpg
England in 2010
Born(1939-10-03)October 3, 1939
Seiling, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedJune 10, 2025(2025-06-10) (aged 85)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Alma mater University of Oklahoma (B.S.)
Occupations
  • Meteorologist
  • Television executive
Employer KWTV-DT parent company Griffin Communications LLC
Known forTornado broadcasts and technological innovations
Notable work
Awards

Gary Alan England (October 3, 1939 – June 10, 2025) was an American meteorologist based in Oklahoma. He became the chief meteorologist for KWTV-DT (channel 9), the CBS-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, after he began working there in 1972. England was the first on-air meteorologist to alert his viewers of a possible tornado with a commercial Doppler weather radar. [1] He was also known for contributing to the invention of the First Warning map graphic commonly used to show ongoing weather alerts without interrupting regular programming. He was also the Vice President of Corporate Relations and Weather Development at Griffin Communications LLC, the parent company to KWTV.

Contents

Early life and career

Gary Alan England was born on October 3, 1939, in Seiling, Oklahoma. [2] He lived in Enid but was mostly raised in the Seiling area. Despite being interested in pig farming at a young age, he developed an interest with the weather, especially after the 1947 Glazier–Higgins–Woodward tornadoes, which wiped out much of nearby Woodward. [3] After graduating from high school, England joined the U.S. Navy at age 17, and also attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1965 with a B.S. in mathematics and meteorology. [1] [4]

Broadcasting career

During a live cut-in by England at Oklahoma City's KWTV on May 24, 1973 for a tornado warning in Canadian County, Channel 9 viewers saw the radar image of a damaging F4 tornado near Union City in Canadian County which resulted in extensive damage to that small town. [5] [6] [7] The Union City tornado was also the first case in which the visual observations of chasers were used in conjunction with Doppler radar data; it also led to the improvement of lead times and general accuracy improvements to future tornado warnings. [8]

England and the firm Enterprise Electronics Corporation were the first to implement commercial Doppler weather radar. [1] England is credited with issuing the first televised Doppler weather radar bulletin for a tornado, in March 1982. [1] This followed Gil Whitney of WHIO-TV's broadcast of the April 3, 1974 Xenia tornado using a conventional radar. [9]

In 1990, he helped create First Warning, a state map which appeared in the corner of the television screen, with counties colored in to indicate storm watches and warnings. In 1991, England also helped create Storm Tracker, a computer program that provided the audience with the time of arrival of severe weather. [10]

On July 23, 2013, KWTV announced that England would be leaving his position at KWTV to become Vice President for Corporate Relations and Weather Development for Griffin Communications, the parent company of KWTV-DT. [2] [11] England was to be succeeded by David Payne, and England's final day as KWTV head meteorologist would be August 30, 2013, giving his last forecast two days prior. [12] [13]

England is remembered as a calming presence, who spoke directly to children home alone during his televised tornado alerts. [14]

Other work

England had a cameo appearance (via KWTV's archives) during the opening scene and served as one of three 'weather announcers' in the 1996 movie Twister . [1] England also appeared in the 2021 fantasy movie Iké Boys as a weatherman. [15] [16]

He appeared in over fifty national and international weather specials, and was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. [17] [18]

In 1996 England wrote an autobiography titled "Weathering the Storm - Tornadoes, Television & Turmoil". [19] A new biography of England by Bob Burke was published in December 2006 titled "Friday Night in the Big Town", [20] named after England's tendency to open his Friday night broadcasts by stating "It's Friday night in the big town". [21]

Personal life and death

England was married to Mary (née Smith) England for 63 years. They had one daughter. [17] [22] England died in Oklahoma City on June 10, 2025, at the age of 85. [23] He was in hospice care after he had a stroke three weeks prior. [2]

Awards

England won several awards and was recognized for his broadcasting of severe weather, including:

Publications

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gary England". News 9. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Mathur, Anusha (June 13, 2025). "Gary England, forecaster who kept watch over Tornado Alley, dies at 85". The Washington Post . Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Sam (August 9, 2013). "The Weather God of Oklahoma City". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Gary England Joins OU as Consulting Meteorologist-in-Residence". Oklahoma University . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  5. ↑ Roddy, Bella (June 11, 2025). "The voice they trusted: Gary England's life-saving warnings recalled in 25th Anniversary Special". KWTV-DT . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ England, Gary (August 14, 2001). "Oklahoma's meteorologist". The Oklahoman . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Tornado Intercept: The Union City Twister and the Birth of Doppler Radar". National Severe Storms Laboratory . March 22, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  8. ↑ Bluestein, Howard (August 1, 1999). "A History of Severe-Storm-Intercept Field Programs". American Meteorological Society . 14: 559.
  9. ↑ Simpson, Jamie (March 31, 2004). "Radar Provides Life-Saving Warnings Of Tornadoes". WHIO-TV (Dayton, Ohio). Archived from the original on February 11, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Gary England". National Television Academy, Heartland Chapter. Archived from the original on March 6, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2006.
  11. ↑ Bracht, Mel (July 23, 2013). "Gary England to sign off as KWTV-9 chief meteorologist on Aug. 30". The Oklahoman . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ "'We'll keep you advised:' David Payne carries the words and the mission Gary England left behind". News9. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  13. ↑ "News 9 Looks Back At Some Of Gary England's Most Memorable Moments". News9. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  14. ↑ Kornelis, Chris. "Gary England, Meteorologist Who Brought Doppler to Tornado Alley, Dies at 85". WSJ. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  15. ↑ Viriyapah, Matthew (June 14, 2024). "Oklahoma film 'Iké Boys' premieres in Japan". KOSU . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  16. ↑ Dasgupta, Karishma (June 11, 2025). "Who was Gary England? Details explored as meteorologist passes away at 85". Soap Central . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Gonzalez, Mario; Joiner, Jocelina (June 11, 2025). "Gary England, famed Oklahoma meteorologist who appeared in 'Twister,' dies at 85". KTVI . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Gary A. England, Class of 2013". Oklahoma Hall of Fame . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 "Gary England: After the Storm". KWTV-DT . December 4, 2007. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  20. ↑ Hall, Dennie. "Meteorologist's broadcast career receives world-class admiration". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  21. ↑ McDonnell, Brandy. "Pioneering meteorologist Gary England dies at 85". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  22. ↑ Adams, Abigail (June 11, 2025). "Gary England, Award-Winning and Innovative Oklahoma Meteorologist, Dies at 85: 'Deeply and Forever Missed'". People . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  23. ↑ McDonnell, Brandy (June 10, 2025). "Pioneering meteorologist Gary England dies at 85". The Oklahoman . Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Brumbelow, Cole (June 11, 2025). "Oklahoma icon and award-winning meteorologist Gary England dies". KSWO-TV . Retrieved June 17, 2025.
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