Dave Schwartz, Popular Weather Channel Meteorologist, Dies

“His love of weather will never be forgotten,” network says

Dave Schwartz

Weather Channel meteorologist Dave Schwartz has died.

“It is with great sadness we share the passing of Dave Schwartz,” the network said Saturday on Twitter. “His love of weather will never be forgotten.”

Schwartz, who was 63, died in Atlanta, according to Bailey Rogers, a network spokeswoman.

Schwartz died following a long and public battle with cancer. After fending off pancreatic cancer, the longtime weatherman was diagnosed again in 2015, this time with stomach cancer.

In March, Rogers wrote a heartfelt tribute to Schwartz’s tenacity on the story platform Medium. She detailed the weather man’s persistence in rising up the ranks and enduring dedication:
“Whereas many people would probably take time off, Dave prefers working at his dream job. His rich history with The Weather Channel began in 1985 when he worked as a gofer in the newsroom. He landed the job after making a spectacle of himself by offering to clean the bathrooms for free! Dave wanted to learn from the best – no matter the cost. Lucky for him, it didn’t come to that. He worked at the network on Saturdays while working at the Fulton County Health Department Monday through Friday.
 
“On his lone day off,” Rogers wrote, “Dave would come into the unoccupied studio and practice delivering forecasts in front of the camera. He eventually made it into the on-camera apprentice program, where he would be on-air from 2-3 a.m. once a week alongside an experienced on-camera meteorologist. When an on-camera position would open up, Dave would apply. After many failed attempts, in 1991 his persistence paid off – with the help of an application letter entitled, ’10 reasons why Dave Schwartz should be the next on-camera meteorologist for The Weather Channel.’”
Rogers appeared on “Weather Center Live” during weekday afternoons. He had returned to the network in 2014 after a six-year absence to work for a start-up company and write a newspaper column about meteorology. Before that, he had spent 17 years as an on-camera weather man, most often working late nights.
He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University.
Rogers is survived by his wife and stepdaughter.

Comments