Jeff Edmondson Comes back to Minnesota as KARE 11’s Newest Meteorologist
Some people realize their career goals after many years of searching and indecision. Others grow up with a deep, lifelong passion for their chosen field. You could say that KARE 11’s newest meteorologist and Shorewood native Jeff Edmondson was born into weather. At least, he was exposed to the fascinating world of weather at a youthful age. “When Jeff was a baby, I bought mobiles that I liked with weather icons and planets and put them above his crib in his room,” says Jeff’s dad, Bob Edmondson.
Whether or not this early proximity to weather connected Edmondson to his future in meteorology, he certainly took an interest in the subject from a very youthful age. “In my fifth grade yearbook, they asked what we dreamed to be when we grew up, and I answered ‘meteorologist,’” says Edmondson. “I was always interested in weather, especially my dearest season: winter.”
Edmondson continued to explore meteorology in any way he could while growing up. While attending Minnetonka High School, he joined the school’s news team, reporting on weather news, which earned him the moniker “Weatherman Jeff.” Edmondson still hears the nickname from time to time from friends and family in the lake area.
His passion for weather guided Edmondson’s decision to pursue studies in meteorology. He attended Iowa State University, which has one of the top meteorology and atmospheric sciences programs in the country. “We finished climate studies and examined how rain forms—it’s advanced and unique stuff,” says Edmondson. “While I was there, I even got to do some storm pursuing, which was a big team effort in two thousand five and 2006, because the technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now.” The pursues involved a team driving out to find the storm, while another team member would stay back and witness the radar to alert the scouters to storm locations. In his free time, Edmondson connected with a different audience by moonlighting as a DJ for a college radio display featuring sleek jazz.
As his college days neared an end, Edmondson commenced looking for meteorologist job openings wherever he could, and found a listing in Duluth—and he landed the gig within an hour of his interview. A little more than two years later, he found his next position in Virginia Beach, Virginia, which took him away from his wintry home to a warmer climate out east. Edmondson says one of the draws was the chance to live near the ocean.
His time in Virginia gave him the chance to work both on the air and behind the scenes with research and graphics creation—not to mention getting the chance to hone his surfing abilities. Edmondson also got very close to hurricanes in his time on the East Coast, and even covered Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He also received his prestigious American Meteorological Society Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seal in 2014, which requires meteorologists to pass a skill exam and an on-air spectacle check. “The CBM seal says that you as a meteorologist can provide scientific and environmental skill for viewers,” says Edmondson.
Virginia was joy. But when a job opened up at KARE 11, Edmondson leaped at the chance to come back to his hometown and his beloved chilly weather. Likewise, KARE eleven hopped at the chance to work with Edmondson, holding the position for him for several months as he finished up his work in Virginia Beach.
“Minnesota is home,” says Edmondson, “and my work with the KARE eleven team has brought a excellent multitude of opportunities, like doing more scientific and environmental reports alongside my on-air forecasting. Plus, forecasting the weather where I grew up and in the surrounding region has been a blast.”
As a member of the KARE eleven weather team, which includes five meteorological experts, Edmondson’s average day involves looking at the current forecast and what the weather is likely to be doing in the following days; researching and reporting on science-related stories; and, of course, broadcasting on the eleven a.m. news.
“We look a lot at the weekend weather,” says Edmondson. “Everybody in Minnesota is always looking for information on the weekend.”
“At KARE 11, we all play a lot of different roles and work together as a team,” says Belinda Jensen, fellow meteorologist at KARE 11. “Jeff is a indeed wise dude, and it’s indeed joy to get a brand-new scientist who is willing to learn but is also someone we can learn from. He’s a go-getter and has a real passion for meteorology and astronomy. We’re indeed blessed to have him on the team.
“Beyond the main aim of getting the seven-day forecast, there’s so many cool aspects to meteorology, surrounding nature, weather, climate, astronomy, biology and more,” Jensen adds. “Jeff resumes to explore all of those other avenues, and will bring these stories to the table.”
When he’s not reporting the weather on-air or researching it behind the scenes, Edmondson is a big fan of unique outdoor activities. His newest hobby? Kite-boarding. “You fly a ten-meter kite with a wakeboard under your feet,” explains Edmondson. “It’s my fresh beloved sport, and I like to attempt it out on lakes outside of the cities. I used to surf, so I had to substitute it with a fresh water activity.”
Edmondson also visits local schools to talk to students, and has already made several visits to Minnetonka schools. “In Virginia and here in Minnesota, I like to talk to elementary school students and instruct them about weather safety,” he says. “We talk about winter storms and severe storms, especially tornadoes, in addition to ordinary concepts like the water cycle and how I put together my forecasts. School talks are joy, and I believe they’re very helpful to train and remind students how to be safe during thunderstorms.”
Above all, Edmondson says it’s superb to be back in the north. His dad, Bob, says, “It’s joy that the community is embracing him. He’s a hometown golden boy.”
Even on a blustery winter day, Jeff Edmondson looks acute with his Gene Kelly-inspired umbrella and three-piece suit from the men’s style experts at J. Novachis.
Go after Jeff Edmondson on Twitter for weather updates and more: @jeffKARE11.