One of the more reliable areas of broadcast news may appear to be the weather desk at a local TV station. Every few years, there might be a new radar system, but the faces and graphics remain the same. However, there’s a subtle sense that something important has changed this spring as you pass KSTP’s studios in the Twin Cities. It’s a gradual change that only becomes apparent when you take a step back and consider the bigger picture.
When Matt Serwe announced his departure, it all began. For viewers who tuned in expecting consistency, Serwe had been the weekend meteorologist at the Twin Cities ABC affiliate. Although his departure wasn’t very noticeable, it left a vacancy, and weather teams usually fill vacancies fast. After covering morning weather for nine years, including some truly terrifying stories like the twin EF-4 tornadoes that tore through Pilger, Nebraska, and the devastating flooding of Spring 2019, he moved on to WOWT in Omaha. His return is likely to feel somewhat like a homecoming to Omaha viewers.
It meant rebuilding for KSTP. Molly Rosenblatt, the first new member of the weather team in what would prove to be a busier-than-expected season of transitions, joined the station in April. Next was Kip Thomas, a native of North Carolina who had worked as a forecaster in the Quad Cities, Nebraska, and Colorado for almost ten years before joining ABC24 in Memphis. With what seems to be sincere enthusiasm, Thomas is now settling into the role of weekend meteorologist, which Serwe left behind. His remark about covering “lots of snow” has that unique combination of enthusiasm and slight trepidation that anyone who has moved to the Upper Midwest for the first time usually carries through October.
The fact that Thomas is the second recent KSTP hire associated with Memphis television is intriguing, if not slightly unexpected. Native to Minnesota, reporter Harrison Klopp joined the station from WREG earlier this year. It’s the kind of geographic pattern that is difficult to ignore but probably has no particular significance. Local TV markets create unofficial pipelines, and it appears that Memphis has recently developed into a talent feeder for the Twin Cities.
Chief meteorologist Ken Barlow, who isn’t on the air right now, is in charge of all of this. He is recuperating from back surgery, which is the kind of absence that further complicates an already shifting lineup. Barlow’s eventual comeback will be significant for the team’s internal rhythm as well as for viewers who view his presence as a sign of stability and authority at the desk. As they continue to establish themselves in a new market, Thomas and Rosenblatt are essentially keeping things together until then.
Instead of being at the end of something, KSTP seems to be in the middle of it. It takes time for new faces to become familiar. Before they get used to the newcomer, viewers notice who is absent. That’s just the way local television operates: forecast by forecast, storm coverage by storm coverage, trust is developed. Both are prevalent in the Twin Cities.
The speed at which this specific weather team will come together is still unknown. However, everything is in place, and the upcoming season will put them to the test.
