Thank you, Minnesota

That’s a wrap, Minnesota.

Thursday marks the last day of my 40-year weather career. I’m so grateful to so many people who helped and supported me along the way. And I’m most grateful to all of you who have listened to or read my work these past 40 years. I’m a very fortunate (weather) guy!

Thanks for all the incredible words and notes of support you’ve sent since I announced my retirement a few months back. It means a lot.

I only get to do this every 40 years or so, so I thought I’d take the liberty to include some clips from my MPR News TV & radio career wrap up script below.

Thank again, Minnesota. It’s been the best career a guy can ask for.

May 6, 1965. That’s the day weather became my life and career ambition.

A 4-year-old boy catching giant hailstones under a stormy green sky. We had football helmets on.

Suddenly, Mom threw open the back door shouting, “You kids get inside — your father called and there’s a tornado coming.”

My dad worked at the Minneapolis courthouse and heard the radio traffic on police radios. He called home saying there was a tornado around Excelsior heading for Deephaven.

We watched a swirling sky and dancing trees from the basement window. Our home was not damaged, but homes a mile away were torn apart.

I was hooked on weather right then.

I had to know what caused that biggest tornado outbreak in Twin Cities history. And I just found out new research underway today suggests there may have been as many as eight tornadoes that day. You may be hearing more about that soon.

Fast forward to college and an internship at WCCO-TV. I did four semesters learning the weather ropes in the WCCO-TV Weather Center. I told them they would have to kick me out and, amazingly, they didn’t. How amazing to have studied under legends like Bud Kraehling, Mike Fairbourne and Dr. Walt Lyons.

My professional weather career began in Chicago in 1986 with radio work, including WBBM Newsradio 78. I can still hear that jingle. Chicago people will know.

In 1988, I began my TV career at WCCO-TV. My first broadcast was a noon show live hit from the Twin Cities National Weather Service booth at the Minnesota State Fair during one of Bud Kraehling’s studio weathercasts.

The November 1991 Halloween Mega Storm was my big break on WCCO-TV.

We were in the Weather Center looking at forecast models the day before, and news mangers told me to come in and do a few cut-ins until the day crew would arrive at the station. Most of them never made it out of their driveways that morning.

When I awoke around 3 a.m., there was already a foot of snow in my driveway. I had to back down the driveway three times in the same ruts to get out. I was the only car shredding snow down an unplowed I-394 heading into Minneapolis that morning.

Soon after my first live few weather hits, our news director trudged into the studio in a parka and Sorrell boots.

“Paul, I want you to turn this into the Weather Channel. I want you to go on the air and stay on the air as long as possible.”

I solo anchored the Halloween Mega Storm that morning for about five hours. The next day, my news managers said, “Congratulations Huttner. You’re the only person in the history of WCCO-TV with their own 40-share.” (TV ratings)

Pure dumb luck.

To have shared the anchor desk with Minnesota news legends like Dave Moore and Don Shelby has been a highlight of my broadcast career.

In 1994, I landed a TV weather gig in Chicago as the debut meteorologist for the newly launched WGN-TV morning News. I covered the worst heat wave in Chicago history in 1995. Yes, I still had the 80s ‘stache. And yes, working with the amazing Tom Skilling was that cool.

I covered the still ongoing megadrought and climate changes in the desert Southwest as chief meteorologist in Arizona between 1997 and 2005. I returned to WCCO-TV again in 2006 through 2007.

MPR News

In January of 2007, I was hired as the first chief meteorologist here at MPR News. It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime to talk to all of Minnesota about our amazing weather every day through my daily weather chats, creating the Updraft blog and MPR’s weekly Climate Cast series.

It’s hard to believe I’ve done north of 14,000 live weather chats, 8,000 Updraft posts and over 650 Climate Cast episodes.

As I retire from a 40-year weather career, I’m filled with awe and gratitude. Thanks to all the MPR News listeners over these past two decades. Thanks to my colleagues here at MPR News for your excellent work and support.

The numbers tell us we’ve become by far the No. 1 most-listened-to news radio station in Minnesota. That’s a tectonic ratings shift for a state that has previously been dominated by one radio station for the past several decades. And you — the MPR audience — are telling me we have a profound positive impact on the daily lives of Minnesotans.

So, thanks to all of you for listening to this weather obsessed 4-year-old kid who made a career talking about all kinds of weather and climate these past 40 years.

Our weather and climate are a big part of what makes us Minnesotans. May your days be sunny, with just a few storms to keep things interesting!

Here’s to one more time. “I’m MPR News chief meteorologist, Paul Huttner.”

Thanks.