Spencer Christian
As a news junkie in my early childhood, I read the newspaper every day to get my politics fix and to satisfy my burning curiosity about the world. But I also liked a dash of humor in my news recipe, so I enjoyed watching legendary TV journalists like David Brinkley and Walter Cronkite, who often added a wink and a smile to an otherwise "hard news" broadcast.
In college during the late 1960s, my love of language and literature led me to major in English, while choosing to minor in journalism. I also played varsity baseball and had a Major League tryout in my junior year. It was clear, though, that my journalistic skills far exceeded my baseball talent; so I wisely followed my nose for news.
I began my career as a news reporter in 1971, at the NBC TV affiliate in Richmond, VA, just 25 miles from my childhood home. Aside from general assignment reporting and lighthearted features, my regular "beat" included state and local politics, the federal courts, and education. I could not have forecast then that weather would be my ticket to the big time. But, following a two-week stint "filling in" on weather, I became the station's main weatherperson; and by the mid-1970s, after a brief stop at the NBC station in Baltimore, I was on my way to WABC-TV in New York. Skies were looking sunny!
I spent 9 years at WABC, serving first as weatherman, then morning show host, and finally main sportscaster. During all of those years, I made frequent appearances on ABC's Good Morning America, filling in on weather and doing feature reports and interviews. In 1986, I joined GMA full time as weather forecaster, feature reporter, and co-host. Over the next 13 years, I not only travelled the world, but I also served as spokesperson for ABC's literacy campaign, wrote and published a series of children's books, and had the opportunity to indulge my passion for wine as the host of "Spencer Christian's Wine Cellar", which aired on HGTV and later on the Food Network from 1995 to 2000. More recently, in 2018, I released my memoir entitled "You Bet Your Life: How I Survived Jim Crow Racism, Hurricane Chasing, and Gambling."
After 22 years in New York, I heard the Bay Area and the wine country calling my name. ABC 7 has been my home since 1999, and I now get to test my forecasting skills for the Bay Area's micro-climates. In my time away from work, I enjoy visiting wineries, watching baseball (or just about any sport), working out at the gym, and doing community service. But my greatest joy is spending time with my son and daughter, Jason and Jessica--and more recently my grandsons, Noah and Zach.
Having been blessed with so many memorable career experiences, I find it difficult to name just a few, but here's a short list:
- Interviewing then-Senator Barack Obama just before he announced his candidacy for President
- Emceeing former President Jimmy Carter's 75th birthday celebration (1999) and his 95th (2019) in Americus, GA.
- Surviving and reporting from the Loma Prieta earthquake, while on World Series assignment for GMA in 1989
- Suiting up and playing baseball with the NY Yankees and NY Mets in their spring training camps
- Playing basketball against the Harlem Globetrotters at Madison Square Garden
Follow me on Twitter for quick weather updates. We can also talk wine and weather on Facebook. I'd love to hear from you.
Get Spencer's weather forecast every weekday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on ABC7 News.
Spencer's Stories
CA expands test of traps to help delayed Bay Area crabbing season: What this means for crabbers
We've had a lot of discouraging news recently about the Dungeness crab season being delayed here in the Bay Area. But a recent big development could help turn the situation around this spring. "This is a tipping point."
SF's Legion of Honor launches year-long celebration for 100th anniversary
The Legion of Honor may house a stunning art collection, but to many, it's a work of art itself. And now, it is launching a year-long celebration to mark its 100th anniversary.
Stanford team identifies fish taxis to bring more transparency to global industry
You probably know the type of seafood you like to eat, but knowing exactly where it comes from can be trickier. One team is working to bring more transparency by identifying specialized fleets known as reefer vessels.
'Battle of Pavia' exhibit at SF's de Young Museum displays turning point in Italy's history
On the walls of San Francisco's de Young Museum, there's a battle taking shape, and it's about 500 hundred years in the making: a majestic conflict revealed, soldier by soldier, in seven rare tapestries.
TIMELINE: Red Flag Warning expires in Bay Area but caution still advised
A Red Flag Warning expired at 5 p.m. on Saturday across the Bay Area after strong winds and low humidity created dangerous fire conditions.
Stanford study suggests consumer demand of krill puts pressure on recovering whale population
Researchers at Stanford are raising concerns about a popular health food product that could be impacting the recovery of whale populations. They say it's creating a competition for an ingredient the whales also need to survive.
TIMELINE: Here's how hot inland temperatures will get with Heat Advisory in effect
Our September heat wave continues away from the coast and inland areas will likely be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, with a widespread moderate heat risk.
Warning system helps protect migrating whales from ship strikes off Bay Area coast
High tech buoys placed by the Benioff Ocean Science Lab can now relay warnings when they detect whales in the area.
Early promise seen in versatile snake bite drug developed by CA Academy of Sciences doctor
"Wouldn't it be nice if you had an answer to snake bite that you could take in the field because 75% of the deaths from snake bite occur prior to the patient getting to the hospital," said Dr. Matthew Lewin of the Academy of Sciences.
New wastewater regulations will upgrade Bay Area treatment plants, help battle algae blooms
When destructive algae blooms kill fish and other wildlife in San Francisco Bay, few might realize we're contributing to the problem. New regulations hope to curb that.