Getting Out of the Pool

/
Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 4.54.46 AM.png

Longtime KOMO (Seattle) weathercaster Steve Pool is retiring from broadcasting after 40 years in the business.

Pool spent nearly his entire career at KOMO, starting as an intern in the late 1970s and becoming one of the most well known broadcasters in the history of the Northwest.

“Steve Pool is in a class by himself as one of the great local TV personalities ever," said KOMO General Manager Janene Drafs. "I can’t think of a single project we produced at KOMO with Steve that he didn’t make better. A huge presence on and off camera. KOMO and Seattle were lucky to have him."

"I'd say 99.9% of the things I was able to do here was so far...so hugely more than I ever dreamed in my wildest dreams...really to be able to do this business and to be able to be successful with it," Pool said about his career.

When asked about anchoring weather, Pool said he enjoyed how fun it was.

"It's fun. It's just fun. What I liked about it is that I could say things the way I just wanted to say them," Pool said. "There was no script, and for some people that might be threatening...but for me, it was just, 'Hey I'm with my friends let me tell you what's going on over here and what's going on over there.'"

"I'll tell you this much...I'm sure that I will...I will miss it," he said. "And in some ways, I wish I could just snap my finger and be right back down there trying to get the forecast right."

In late September of last year, Pool shared that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was taking time off to get treatment.

As of now, Pool is in complete remission and will return to KOMO for a farewell forecast next Tuesday at 6 p.m. which happens to be the last week of the November book.

I’m sure that’s just a coincidence…right?

“A true professional and the consummate communicator, Steve Pool set the standard for telling a weather story, rather than giving a weather report," said KOMO News Director Bill Dallman. "He has a national reputation for all the right reasons. Steve will be sorely missed in the newsroom."

H/T KOMO