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Harry Volkman
Harry Volkman
	Harry Volkman giving a weather broadcast on WGN-TV
Born	April 18, 1926; Medford, Massachusetts
Died	August 20, 2015 (aged 89); Des Plaines, Illinois
Occupation	Weatherman at WGN-TV
Known for	First weatherman to issue a televised tornado warning

Harry Volkman (April 18, 1926 – August 20, 2015) was an American meteorologist^[1] and the first weatherman to issue a televised tornado warning.^[2]^[3]

Early life

Volkman was born in Medford, Massachusetts. Having an interest in radio since childhood, Volkman and his brother built a radio station at their Boston area home. The brothers worked hard on their radio productions even though only the family was able to hear the broadcasts from their small transmitter. His interest in radio carried over into the Army where he attended radio classes, but opted to study physics at Tufts University before meteorology captured his imagination and brought him to the University of Tulsa.^[1]^[2]

Career

Volkman got his start as a weatherman at KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma in January 1950. While there, he also served as a booth announcer, model, on-air salesman, sportscaster, variety show host and switchboard operator. He also claims to have worked briefly as a custodian for the station and not having been paid for his first three months. His beginning pay was $25.^[1]^[3]

Shortly after moving to WKY-TV in Oklahoma City, he was ordered by his boss to advise viewers of tornado risk in the area, a practice not allowed by the federal government at the time over fears it would create panic.^[4]^[5] Hesitant to do so at first, Volkman agreed after assurances that station management would take responsibility.^[6] WKY-TV remained on-air until 1 a.m.,^[7] with residents of Woodward, Alva and adjacent farm communities having retreated to storm cellars, prompted by the alert.^[8] Later, Volkman's WKY-TV colleague Frank McGee tipped him off about another tornado approaching Meeker, Oklahoma.^[9] While the tornado destroyed the town, nobody was hurt and one resident told the Associated Press, "God bless Harry Volkman."^[10] This eventually resulted in the government lifting its ban on tornado warnings.^[11]

A fine vocalist and a member of his church choir for many years, Volkman would often mix a little music into his weather forecasts wherever he worked.^[1] His most recent contribution to society is a book about his life as a weatherman, Whatever The Weather: My Life & Times As A TV Weatherman.^[2]^[3]^[12]

Personal life

Volkman was the father of three sons and a daughter. His son, Ed, formerly hosted a long-running morning radio show in Chicago titled "Eddie & JoBo" on WBBM-FM B96.^[13] Volkman's long-time work in Chicago area television was recognized in 1998 when he became a member of the local Emmys Silver Circle.^[14] During the many years Volkman spent at various Chicago-area television stations, he received local Emmys for his weather forecasting in 1961, 1964 and 1967.^[15]^[16]^[17] At the time of his 2004 retirement, Volkman had spent 54 years in television.^[2]

Volkman died from respiratory failure in Des Plaines, Illinois, aged 89.^[18]

Meteorology career

1950–1952: KOTV – Tulsa
1952–1955: WKY-TV (later KTVY-TV, now KFOR-TV) – Oklahoma City
1955–1959: KWTV-DT – Oklahoma City
1959–1967, 1970–1974: WMAQ-TV – Chicago
1967–1970, 1974–1978: WGN-TV – Chicago
1978–1996: WBBM-TV – Chicago
1996–2004: WFLD – Chicago

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Singing Weatherman (PDF). TV Radio Mirror. June 1956. p. 12. Retrieved February 3, 2012.(PDF)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Constable, Burt (April 21, 2013). "Harry Volkman weathers wild Chicago climate". Daily Herald. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Tulsa TV Memories-Weather". Retrieved February 3, 2012.
^ Burt Constable (April 21, 2013). "Harry Volkman weathers wild Chicago climate". Daily Herald. Paddock Publications, Inc. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ Gerry Wilkinson. "Wally Kinnan". Broadcast Pioneers. Archived from the original on November 17, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
^ Kara Kovalchik (June 2, 2011). "Not-So-Famous Firsts: Tornado Edition". Mental Floss. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ "Weatherman Calls His Shots on TV". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma Publishing Company. April 20, 1952. p. 34. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
^ "Loss of Sleep Is Biggest Wind Damage". Seminole Producer. United Press. April 9, 1952. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
^ Bracht, Mel (December 19, 1999). "'Remember' stirs memories". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma Publishing Company. Archived from the original on July 31, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
^ Carey, Frank (March 28, 1955). "Tornado Forecasting Improvements Expected to Forestall Much Damage". The Ponca City News. Associated Press. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
^ "WKY Weather Aces Get Free Rein by U.S." The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma Publishing Company. November 12, 1954. p. 18. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
^ "Legendary Chicago TV Weatherman Harry Volkman Releases Autobiography". Chicagoland Radio and Media. April 25, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^ Volkman, Ed (April 9, 2011). "Harry Volkman Turns 85!". KHiTS 104.3. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^ "Silver Circle-Harry Volkman". Chicago Emmy Online. 1998. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
^ "Chicago area Emmy winners-Harry Volkman" (PDF). Chicago Emmy Online. 1961–1962. Retrieved May 25, 2014.(PDF)
^ "Chicago area Emmy winners-Harry Volkman" (PDF). Chicago Emmys online. 1964–1965. Retrieved May 25, 2014.(PDF)
^ "Chicago area Emmy winners-Harry Volkman" (PDF). Chicago Emmys online. 1967–1968. Retrieved May 25, 2014.(PDF)
^ "Legendary weather forecaster, Harry Volkman, dies at 89". WGN TV.com. August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.