An Exclusive Interview with Seattle TV Weather Legend Jeff Renner

Jeff Renner is a legend on Seattle television, leaving KING5 as Chief Meteorologist in a buyout in spring 2016.  He remains a forecaster for private firms and even has his own 'non weather' show on MeTV.    With fall firmly upon us, we thought it was a good time to check in with this still very busy, versatile and talented man and pop some timely questions to him.  Here are his thoughtful and in-depth answers, and not just about weather.  Hope you enjoy.

1.  What has retirement from nightly television been like for you since 2016.  

"I treasured my years doing forecasting for KING and doing science reporting, but since ‘retiring’ don’t find myself with much time on my hands. In 2016, I was asked to join the board of a group called Paths to Understanding, which promotes interfaith and intercultural dialogue. The organization asked me to redevelop a television program the founders developed in the 60’s and early 70’s. It’s called Challenge 2.0, and airs on MeTV (117HD Comcast in Seattle) Sunday mornings at 7:30 and then is posted to YouTube. We deal with contemporary issues from a perspective of ethics, values and/or faith. We recently concluded a three part series on youth suicide. It’s a volunteer effort on my part-we’re now entering our 8th season. I also do talks and writing on climate change/environmental issues, and continue my work as a weather consultant-typically for attorneys or engineers. 

One of my favorites-volunteering as a diver at the Seattle Aquarium-I’ve done that since just weeks after my retirement in 2016. Just began diving in the new Pacific Coral Reef exhibit. I do ‘home forecasting’…both for the crew of ‘With Grace’, the sailboat I race on…and recently, provided forecast support for the J-24 World Championship here in Seattle. You never stop being a meteorologist!"

2.  What is your take on the controversial and continuing political debate over climate change?  

That this is even a question in public discourse I find sad. In 1977 and 1978, Exxon asked a senior scientist to analyze claims fossil fuel use was behind climate change. He concluded it was, and issued specific warnings in terms of the need to address the problem within the next 5 to 10 years (we’re talking 1978). Instead, Exxon and the other fossil fuel companies funded a public disinformation campaign that continues to this days. Their work to make it a ‘culture war’ issue is a cynical and I believe deeply immoral action. The companies have used the same public relations firms that attempted to discredit the linkage between cigarette smoking and cancer.

There’s an excellent interdisciplinary organization called World Weather Attribution made up of leading scientists from major universities and research institutions that now are demonstrating how climate change is making severe weather more likely and more severe. Plus a study by Harvard and collaborating institutions linked one in five deaths worldwide to exposure to gases and particulate matter released by fossil fuel extraction and use. And that doesn’t include deaths from increasing heat waves and severe weather. During the height of the COVID pandemic, 200 major medical journals (Lancet, JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine) took the unprecedented step of issuing simultaneous editorials identifying not COVID, but climate change as the number one threat to health."

3. Has the instant availability of weather information on smartphones reduced the impact of in-person weather forecast segments on television by meteorologists that people trust?   Does anybody still sit for 3+ minutes of LIVE TV information and, if not, are they missing out on key details on extremes?   

"Unfortunately, I believe this is true. I say that because so many of the apps made available are of poor quality, more of a marketing gimmick than quality information, plus they’re so generalized and vague they’re of questionable use. I generally access computer models to do my own forecasting, but if I need a quick answer…I like Windy (a solid app), the National Weather Service apps, and Radar Scope.

I don’t know if anyone still does 3 minutes on television. There are some good presentations available, but reduced time has led to dropping key elements that were very popular in this area-mountain forecasts, wind forecasts for those enjoying time on the water, and eastern Washington forecasts (key since a sizable number now commute from places over the Cascades). I do think attention spans have diminished, but I think it has more to do with the quality presented."

4. What do you consider to be your greatest weather memory from your years in the PNW.  The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980?   Any others?

"Yes, Mount St. Helens ranks very high. So too does the Inauguration Day windstorm (we cut out of Bill Clinton’s speech for local coverage, and of course many places were without power anyway)…and the 2010 snowstorm where cars were left abandoned on I-5. I recall staying overnight as Rich Marriott needed to stay home with his children as his wife was stranded. I grabbed a couple hours sleep on a sofa in our then weather center, tossed some cushions on top to stay warm. A custodian flipped on a light and started up a vacuum. I jumped up…and he looked like he’d seen a ghost, quickly disappearing. As the area came back to normal, but still had snow, I brought cross country skis in and took a dinner break cross country skiing at Green Lake. The other key memories-doing the first underwater special focused on Puget Sound with photographer Craig Johnston, and some of the science specials I co-produced at KING."



5. A bit off-topic, but given your love of aviation and travel, what's your opinion on the apparently decline in quality of air travel (e.g., schedule reductions, long security lines, passenger incidents)?   Any thoughts about Boeing's struggles?

"I think the deregulation has been a disaster. We see a shortage of air traffic controllers and reduced service at poorer quality with fewer airlines. Passenger incidents may be partially related to service quality, but I think it’s as much due to a sense of entitlement and ‘my rights’ as opposed to consideration of others. I don’t know enough about Boeing to offer a projection, but I’ve had many friends over the years who documented the shift from being engineer-led to investor driven. I think the evolution from focusing on long term returns to short term returns have had a major negative impact on business, our society, and our country."

Thanks Jeff for all of this great information.  Best of luck in the future and have a great winter!!!