Jim Vanderzwaan
Encyclopedia
Jim Vanderzwaan is a television meteorologist who works in Salinas, California
. He holds the National Weather Association
's seal of approval. His ability at weather forecasting
has earned him awards from both the Associated Press
and the Radio-Television News Directors Association.
began in 1974 in Reno, Nevada
. Pursuing an airman certificate
in 1978 sparked his interest in meteorology and his career turned to broadcast meteorology two years later. Before permanently settling in his residence in the Salinas Valley
in 1983 he worked at stations in Boise, Idaho
and Medford, Oregon
.
, Jim has been a frequent announcer at two of central California's airshow
s. Both the Santa Cruz County
airshow as well as the larger California International Airshow in Salinas
have had Jim perform as crowd entertainer and educator. He's appeared at the airshow in Salinas since 1983 as announcer and has performed as director of flight operations as well.
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
. He holds the National Weather Association
National Weather Association
The National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
's seal of approval. His ability at weather forecasting
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
has earned him awards from both the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and the Radio-Television News Directors Association.
History
His career in broadcastingBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
began in 1974 in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. Pursuing an airman certificate
Pilot licensing and certification
Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits to fly aircraft that are issued by the National Aviation Authority in each country, establishing that the holder has met a specific set of knowledge and experience requirements. This includes taking a flying test. The certified pilot can then...
in 1978 sparked his interest in meteorology and his career turned to broadcast meteorology two years later. Before permanently settling in his residence in the Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
in 1983 he worked at stations in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
and Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
Personal life
With his strong interest in aviationAviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, Jim has been a frequent announcer at two of central California's airshow
Airshow
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
s. Both the Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
airshow as well as the larger California International Airshow in Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
have had Jim perform as crowd entertainer and educator. He's appeared at the airshow in Salinas since 1983 as announcer and has performed as director of flight operations as well.