Metro

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TV meteorologist Paul Gross
is a whirlwind of activity.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer

M

eteorologist Paul Gross may
be most familiar for his TV
broadcasts, but after real-
izing his childhood dream of becom-
ing a weatherman by his early 20s, he's
expanded his horizons into additional
pursuits all over the map.
His multiple and varied interests
include being an active member
of Temple Kol Ami (TKA) in West
Bloomfield, advising professional and
college sports teams on how weather
conditions may affect an upcoming
game, testifying as an expert meteorolo-
gist in legal cases and volunteering with
local cancer programs.
Gross's passion for weather was already
in place by the time he was 7.
"I was terrified of storms at a young
age:' he said. "One day, my second-grade
teacher took me to the school library and
suggested that I check out some books on
weather. The more I read about lightning
and thunder, the more I understood why
they occurred; the more I learned, the
less scary they got. The less scary they
got, the more interesting they became."
Born in Detroit, Gross, who turned
48 on Sept. 9, moved during elementary
school from Oak Park to Bloomfield
Township, where his parents, Dr. Marvin
and Marion Gross, still live. Gross — and
his siblings, Steve and Heidi, now both
living in Phoenix — grew up there.
"At family gatherings, my Uncle Eddie
would ask me what I wanted to be when
I grew up and I told him I wanted to be
a weatherman': Gross said. "He always
got a kick out of this because he casually
knew Channel 4 weatherman Sonny Eliot.
He'd then ask if I would work someday at
Channel 4 and I told him yes."
Today, Gross holds the title of meteo-
rologist and executive producer of weath-
er at WDIV-TV in Detroit — Channel 4.
He's been working there since he was a
student at the University of Michigan (U-
M) in Ann Arbor, later graduating cum
laude with a bachelor's of science degree
from the Department of Atmospheric,
Oceanic and Space Science in the College
of Engineering.

On The Air
During his sophomore year at U-M, Gross
became WDIV's first weather intern,
when meteorologist Mal Sillars hired him
for the summer. The fall after gradua-
tion, he began his first on-air position as
the weekend meteorologist at WJIM-TV
(now INLNS-TV) in Lansing. By 1986,
Gross was on the air at WJIM, WKBD and
WDIV at the same time, sometimes even
on the same day.
Gross, who lives in Farmington Hills
with his wife, Nancy, and sons, Jared, 16,
and Adam, 14, knows his professional
path is unique. "Having lived here my
entire life and career is very unusual for
someone in television news': he said.
And it is something his oldest son may
also aspire to after visiting the TV sta-
tion with his dad.
"I watched him analyze weath-
er maps and create weather
graphics for the morning
show:' Jared said. "When
it was time for him to
go on TV, I went with
him to the studio.
I take such great
interest into
going to work
with my dad
any time so
I can learn
how to do
the things
my dad does
— and so, hope-
fully, we can work
together in the same
office someday."
Gross maintains that
being a broadcast meteo-
rologist involves far more than \
being on TV. "It is scientifically
\ _
analyzing the atmosphere and
computer models to make a forecast;
turning into a graphic artist and hand-
creating all of the nice maps we show on
TV, and only then, presenting the weath-
er," he said. "And it's all ad-libbed with no
scripts whatsoever!'
He has garnered a reputation for accu-
racy and enthusiasm in explaining the
weather and including additional science
and environmental information in weath-

ercasts. He also is developing national
status for his expertise in explaining
global warming.
Gross has served on many local
and national committees, includ-
ing those instituted by the National
Weather Service and the Environmental
Protection Agency.
He has researched, written and pro-
duced eight science-based documenta-
ries for WDIV along with Chuck Gaidica,
the station's director of meteorology, on

such topics as tornadoes, winter weather
and how volcanoes affect the weather.
"Some of his ideas or angles for docu-
mentaries have been unique and origi-
nal," Gaidica said. "He is also a history
buff so he holds the truth and history
itself in high regard."
Gross' persistence in gathering infor-
mation — and securing a one-on-one
interview with Walter Cronkite — helped
him create a documentary about the

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