. They scared me. That was probably the worst hour in local TV history. Spann has been in the television and radio weather industry for more than three decades. Then, when ABC 33/40 launched in Birmingham in 1996, Spann left WBRC to join the new station, reuniting him yet again with his old buddy, anchorman Dave Baird. Secondly, integrity doing the right thing when no one is looking - is key. We also talked about his mentor, J.B. Elliott who worked for the National Weather Service (NWS) in Birmingham and took James under his wing. He currently works for WBMA-LD (ABC 33/40), Birmingham's AB Vera June Miles (ne Ralston; born August 23, 1929) is an American retired actress who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock, most notably as Lila Crane in the classic 1960 film Psycho, reprising the role in the 1983 sequel Psycho II.Other films in which she appeared include Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955), The Searchers (1956), Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man (1956), A Touch of Larceny (1959 . The dedicated weather reporter then continued covering the tornado, warning locals of its intended route. We lost a lot of trees. He decided to remain at ABC 33/40, informing viewers on the storm. "I must be the Forrest Gump of the new millennium or something," Spann wrote in one chapter of his upcoming memoir, "Weathering Life." ", As she assessed the destruction she remarked: "It's unbelievable! See more ideas about james spann, storm chasing, tornado season. Spann went before the parole board for the first time in 2018. It's, to me, been pretty amazing.". ", James Spann, front row, far right, is pictured here with some of his fellow Tuscaloosa High School students who launched the school radio station WBBR in 1973. These are just a few words to describe James Spann, whom I recently had the privilege of speaking with. Spann was only at Channel 33 for a few months before he got on a fast track that took him to Montgomery to work at WSFA/Channel 12 and then to Birmingham to join WAPI/Channel 13. It's been a great, great family journey.". Bill Castle shot this video in 2013 pic.twitter.com/v66RKG8dho. The next book should come out next spring and will cover tornadoes. One is national "Broadcaster of the Year" by the National Weather Association. During his weather report on the afternoon of Thursday, March 25, James Spann, 64, learned that his own home had been struck. (Photo from James Spann's "Weathering Life"). He later shared an image of the damage sustained in his backyard on air, saying, "Ill shoot straight with you guys, thats my backyard. ALABAMA has been ravaged by a series of several deadly tornadoes, toppling trees, destroying homes, and cutting off power supplies across the state. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. It turned out that number was way too low, Spann told AL.com in 2013. Bill Bolen was asleep on a cot. James-Paul (J.p) Spann, 33 years of age, is a senior child and Ryan Christopher Spann, 20 years of age, is more youthful child. James Spann's better half, Karen is a glad spouse, and they have two youngsters together. Spann says he has fond memories of a father who went fishing with him and who took him to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery. The future is really bright, James forecasts (pun intended). OK. "So, I left the radio station to go to work for Channel 33. he wondered. James Spann | January 11, 2023 @ 2:56 pm. Coming of age in South Alabama during the height of the civil rights movement in the 1960s was also confusing to Spann, who didn't understand why black kids his age couldn't go to school with him, couldn't go swimming with him, couldn't even be seen hanging out with him. After the tornadoes hit Jasper, Alabama in 1974, James volunteered for many hours. Obituary. ", Forensic MeteorologyWeather Resources + GuidesSeminars, STM WeatherPO Box 117Cropseyville, NY 12052, 2021 STM Weather | Privacy PolicySite Design by Dapper Fox, when a system produced 25tornadoesacross the state of Alabama. An only child, James Max Spann Jr. was born in Huntsville and his family moved to Athens when he was a toddler. T-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more, designed and sold by independent artists around the world. In a changing media landscape where news organizations constantly fight for peoples attention, Spann admits part of his obsession with work is about self-preservation, but another motivation is about still about trying to prove himself. He gives the TV weather broadcast from his home studio, followed by a radio broadcast that is aired on 24 commercial radio stations across the country. We also talked about the rise of social media, and the impact it has. "I have not been in this house since I moved out in 1978," the 63-year-old Spann says. Spann explained: "A tornado produced damage at our home today. He then makes his way to the studio, where he works from around 1:30 PM to 11:30 PM, as he's on the evening newscasts at 4, 5, 6, and 10 PM. Smith Lumber Company in nearby Chapman. When his day finally ends, he tries to get to sleep by 1:00 AM, which puts him right at 3.5 hours of sleep on his best days. There were no mean men in black suits smoking. He said: "My wife got the warning, she had a plan, she was in the shelter and shes fine. Scouting Report: Sean Strickland. Then, the following fall, when he was just 17 and still in high school, he got his first real radio job playing rock 'n' roll on Tuscaloosa's WTBC-AM 1230, the station Spann had listened to on his transistor radio since he and his mother first came to Tuscaloosa. Leave a Reflection. He also expects and wants you to LOVE weather and what you dowhich makes it easy to work hard. James Spann passed away on December 24, 2018 at the age of 64 in Phoenix, Arizona. Despite the warnings Spann and others gave leading up to the tornadoes,more than238 people across Alabama died. He was on the air for 37 years. Spann had already built up a reputation, earning an Emmy for coverage of the 2000 tornado that devastated Tuscaloosa and all kinds of annual weather anchor and broadcasting awards. Follow on, Paul Finebaum addresses the defensive coordinator candidate that would satisfy Crimson Tide fans, Micah DeBose, 2025 4-star OT, announces SEC commitment, Deion Sanders draws rave reviews from fans on social media after appearing on MNF ManningCast, Rapid Reaction: Back-to-back! However, there are some things he hopes are carried through his work, like trying to get more young people involved in science and meteorology or doing what he can to make sure people stay safe during bad weather. Even more fortunately - their roof miraculously stayed on their house! He said: "My wife got the warning, she had a plan, she was in the shelter and shes fine. While still a student at the University of Alabama studying electrical engineering, James began working as a disc jockey at WTBC-AM in Tuscaloosa while still a student at the University of Alabama. "She was a secretary at Greenville High School. Manual; Automatic; Semi-automatic; Sales. "Did we not say the right thing?" 2003 Births & Deaths Announcement lines are open Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m . Fortunately he and his wife have a severe weather plan in place, and she was in their safe place when it struck. James has been inducted into the Theta Tau professional engineering fraternity Alumni Hall of Fame, and the University of Alabama School of Communication Hall of Fame. Georgia destroys TCU to repeat as national champs, Rapid Reaction: LSU dominates Purdue in short-handed Citrus Bowl wipeout, Rapid Reaction: Mississippi State swings its sword, wins ReliaQuest Bowl on last-second field goal, Rapid Reaction: Unreal! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He also has been awarded the Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association and holds a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University. He can be seen weeknights on the news at 5, 6, and 10 o'clock. "I'm telling you, I couldn't be prouder of what Greenville has become. April 27 happened on his watch. Spann said that through writing a book about his life, he hopes he can encourage other people by reminding them that despite setbacks he had early in his life, he was able to find the life he wanted. If we don't start playing better, I was gonna see if you had openings at your place and be an assistant. Children, especially those who have lived through traumatic severe events, typically fear weather. He has met many of us as he crisscrosses the state visiting school children and speaking with civic groups to teach us about weather and share stories regarding his career. "Life doesn't get any better than that.". Spann was in the station when Burns called to say he was snowed in. He and his family moved to Greenville, Butler County, when he was a child, according to his biography. James was honored as one of the Top 100 Outstanding Alumni of the Mississippi State Department of Geosciences in 2016. "My mama would dress me up, and she would sit me in a little chair over by the front door. He became one of Montgomerys youngest chief weathermen at the age of 23. And his final criteria is having a servants heart and looking after others more than yourself. On this particular summer day, he's back in Tuscaloosa to visit the kids at the Alberta School of Performing Arts, most of whom are too young to remember the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak that devastated the city. The couple share two children, James and Ryan. James spent his early childhood in Greenville, a small town in southern Alabama, and though this part of his journey will not be shared in today's blog, I think it's something many will resonate with. Tonight will be clear and cold with a low in the 20s in most spots. I love a good routine and thrive when I have a structured schedule, but James' productivity puts my best days to shame! In addition to the 2011 tornadoes and the blizzard of 1993, one storm the book covers is the 1974 "Super Outbreak," the second-largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period from April 3-4, 1974, that killed 315 people across 13 states. Board Chairman Richard Montgomery recommended a parole review hearing again in two years. And weather phenomenons do not discriminate - seen during meteorologist James Spann's coverage of the deadly conditions. do?" The summer before ninth grade, Spann got interested in ham radio and with the help of fellow "hams" like Bud Pierce and Dr. Gordon King, he became a licensed ham radio operator when he was 14. Or fastest delivery Thu, Jan 19 . He is also the host of the weekly podcast WeatherBrains, which he started in 2006. James Spann (@spann) January 13, 2023. For a while after that, Spann says, his father promised his mother that he would come visit him. 8,223. Little information is available on his wife, but the pair got hitched on June 6, 1981, and have been married for 40 years. Pam Huff (April 17) is an American News Anchor and Reporter who currently works for News at 4 and News at 5 on ABC 33/40. Back in 1994, Spann admitted to shooting 17 . A weatherman without a station, he returned to radio when he and a couple of old friends -- Tom Stipe, the longtime producer of the Alabama Crimson Tide Sports Network, and Dave Baird, whom Spann had known since their days together at WTBC in Tuscaloosa -- bought an AM-FM combination in Demopolis, in Marengo County. - Courtesy North West Alabamian. Then, one day in the fall of 1963, when Spann was in the second grade, Max Spann walked out on his son and his wife and never came back. "He just has a unique experience that most people don't know about," Naugher said. ", James Spann visiting Haleyville Elementary in March 2020. "Obviously our landscaping is going to be a lot different now. Upon his return to screens, Spann explained: "The reason I had to step out, we had major damage at my house. He's . James and his wife Karen have been married for 41 years, and they have two sons. We note a few isolated showers near the Gulf Coast, but the weather is dry elsewhere. "He moved us into a really nice house in Greenville. Alabama meteorologist James Spann was broadcasting live when severe weather struck his own home. James Spanns book, Weathering Life, is available in paperback for $19.95 and as an e-book for $17.95 at jamesspannbook.com. UPDATED at 2:16 p.m. CDT on Monday, July 8, 2019 to add that Spann received a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University in the early 1990s. Spann is the son of Max and Carolyn Spann. Chief Investment Officer Larry Adam shares the Investment Strategy committee's Ten Themes for 2023. He is currently the chief meteorologist for ABC 33/40. However, just because the state might not experience a massive outbreak as it did on that day, all it takes is one tornado. James Spann reflects on April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak, As Alabama's most recognizable TV weatherman, James Spann takes it personally. The couple share two children, James and Ryan. "The secret about me is despite those shortcomings, I will work harder than anyone else to accomplish those goals.". James, the meteorologist for ABC 33/40, is content with his life. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. Gordon Burns, known as Country Boy Eddie, died at 92, WBRC announced today. Pam Huff, who first began working alongside Spann at WVTM in 1980 and later at 33/40 where they have worked together ever since, credits Spann with reinventing the way weather was covered in Alabama. Also, the host of WeatherBrains, and a genuine weather dweeb/dork/nerd/weenie. He is also always (24 hours a day/7 days a week) monitoring his social media, trying to monitor people's questions across all social platforms, which seems to be me like a full-time job in itself! Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. He worked for a variety of radio stations as a news anchor and weatherman such as WSFA /Channel . "And it was the most marvelous experience because there were black people in there, the mean guys were gone, and one of my best friends from childhood is the mayor, a guy named Dexter McLendon. He later shared an image of the damage sustained in his backyard on air, saying, "Ill shoot straight with you guys, thats my backyard. At that point, they'd listened to their friends complain about doing everything right, and still not really "feeling . He was born James Max Spann Jr. on June 6, 1956, in Huntsville, Alabama, in the United States of America. Did we use terms that people didn't understand?". In all, James has been a television weather anchor for 44 years. ", The 64-year-old later tweeted a statement regarding the damage to his home echoing his earlier comments, while adding: "As I often say, tornadoes happen to real people, at a real place, at a real time.". Who is that, you ask? ", James Spann is pictured here in this childhood photo with his mother, Carolyn Spann, who raised him after his father left when James was 7 years old. It's also one of the reasons why takes such a special interest in kids and loves getting in that ABC 33/40 Jeep Storm Chaser and traveling all over the state to speak to elementary-school students about the weather. From being raised by a single mother in Tuscaloosa to tales from his career in broadcast news, the book puts on paper many of the stories he has told while traveling around Alabama. Spann is the founder of The Meteorological Factory, which supplies weather data to industrial and business clients as well as broadcasts weather forecasts for many radio stations. OU alumnus James Spann is founder and managing partner of Norman-based Boyd Street Ventures. "During that time at TBC, we had all these horrific tornado events, horrible tornado events -- Brent in 1973, the Super Outbreak in 1974, Tuscaloosa in 1975, when a lady was killed at the Scottish Inn, and then Smithfield in 1977, in Birmingham -- all these big events. The summer after his junior year at Tuscaloosa High School, Spann and a few of his fellow students pooled some of their electronic equipment and started a low-power AM school radio station in the projection room above the school auditorium. This is very unusual with an EF3 tornado, and many homes in their neighborhood lost their second floors. "But I said what I needed to say. An F5 tornado impacted Oak Grove High School before 8:00 p.m. James spoke from a helicopter the next day about the warning and the schools destruction. James is related to James Spamm and Paula Denise Spann as well as 3 additional people. And I'd look out the window. "I was quiet, had no social skills. James Spann keeps himself busy. AMS certified media meteorologist, host of the WeatherBrains podcast, and general weather dweeb/dork/weenie/geek. James Spann was born in Alabama on June 6, 1956. Then it was off to Dallas for two years at KDFW/Channel 4 before he got homesick and came back to Alabama. "I just felt I had to go find him," Spann says. "You could always tell he was going to have a huge career.". ABC 33/40 meteorologist James Spann, however, once said it came with ample warning. james spann retiringedelstein bavaria dishes james spann retiring. James volunteered as an amateur radio operator while attending Tuscaloosa High School. James leads Children's Worship every Sunday at Double Oak Community Church in Mount Laurel. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. . "It was like their uniform or something. "He was supposed to come pick me up multiple times to take me somewhere, to go get an ice cream cone or go somewhere around Greenville," Spann remembers. I've done all kinds of stuff. "But let me tell you what, this was awesome. James is the Chairman of the Board of Grandview Medical Center, and is a member of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences Board of Visitors. He was assigned to the night shift, while Dave Baird, a former ABC 33/40 anchor, was assigned to the morning shift. He went on to the University of Alabama after high school. Spann is blissfully married to her darling wife, Karen Spann. However, "Weathering Life" places just as much emphasis on some of the worst weather that has passed through Alabama over the years. James, the Chief Meteorologist for ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Alabama, has a gentle, easy-going way of talking, while also having the ability to get right to the point - a skill that no doubt has come in handy (and been sharpened by) through years of television and radio broadcasts. Since then, James has been working for ABC 33/40. In order to combat this, he tries getting "off the grid" every Sunday by going to play tennis. Hard-working. 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