Mark Murray is taking an early retirement package after giving Austin the weather report for 26 years, according to the American-Statesman's Gary Dinges. But when he first started, his equipment was fairly basic.
Murray started at KVUE after moving to Austin from Colorado. He's excited to take a step back from broadcasting for now, he said.
Murray also acknowledged the tremendous changes in technology that have taken place in the broadcasting world since he started working. There were no computers when Murray first started; the weather forecast was shown on marker boards using magnetic suns that never stayed in the right place, he said.
The technology behind weather forecasts has advanced in leaps. In 1988, the one-day forecast and five-day forecast was about as accurate as a two-day forecast and seven-day forecast in 2009, respectively.
"Just having really accurate seven-day forecasts will change the world in countless ways," said Walt Zaleski, a warning coordination meteorologist from the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, Texas, in a 2009 story.
In the 1920s, people launched weather balloons that could determine temperature and wind at various levels of the atmosphere. Around that time, the first weather reports hit the radio airwaves. When television started entering people's homes, it gave weather forecasts another medium to be broadcast on, as well as a wider audience..
When Murray started at KVUE 26 years ago, there were already rudimentary computer graphics (meteorologists started using computers in the 80s). But in the beginning of televised weather reports, weather reporters used supplies such as the white boards and magnets Murray described to display the weather forecast.
Now, meteorologists can use well-designed computer graphics and green screens in their weather reports
Murray loves music, and has delivered forecasts on 93.3 KGSR-FM for years. He once talked Lyle Lovett through a hurricane.
“I really have enjoyed my time here,” Murray said. “There’s so many people who watch every night. They’re not just viewers. They’re my friends. It’ll be sad to lose that bond, but I know I’ll still see them around town.”
Read our full story on Murray's departure at MyStatesman.com.
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