Jim Spencer

Jim grew up in Lindsay, Oklahoma, in the heart of tornado alley, to which he credits his life-long fascination with weather.

He graduated with honors in 1985 from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, and continued meteorology studies in Mississippi State University’s Broadcast Meteorology program.

Jim's career began in 1981 at KADA-AM Radio, where he spent two years before moving into television at Ada's KTEN-TV in 1983. He joined KXAN in November 1990 as the first weathercaster for Austin’s first hour long morning newscast, News 36 Firstcast. In 1993 he moved to the weeknight newscasts, where he can be seen today.

Jim has received many awards while at KXAN. He was named 2008 TV Personality of the Year by Austin’s American Women in Radio and TV Chapter. He is a four time winner of the Texas Associated Press Best Weathercaster Award and a ten time winner of the Austin Chronicle's Best Weathercaster Award. Jim is also a past recipient of the National Weather Association's Weathercaster of the Year award. His coverage of the Jarrell tornado brought him international attention, and much local praise. His warnings were the first on the air during that tragic tornado outbreak May 27, 1997.

Jim does have interests other than weather. He's crazy about his nieces and nephews, Falicia, Krysta, Zach, Zak, Kandis, Joaquin, a.k.a. Broc, and Jaxson. Football officiating is another of Jim's passions. He is a line judge and a member of the Texas Association of Sports Officials and the Great Southwest Officials Association. He officiates NAIA and NCAA Division 2 and 3 college football, and has officiated high school football games since 1981. His favorite officiating experiences include his 2006 state championship assignment, playoff games in the Astrodome, Alamodome and Texas Stadium, and officiating scrimmages for the University of Texas Longhorns and the Dallas Cowboys.

He is very involved in community and charitable organizations. Jim has co-hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for 16 years. He is a mentor in Austin's Communities in Schools program. He serves on the community advisory board for the Helping Hand Home for Children, and has served on the advisory council for the Travis County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. He’s also worked with the ARC of the Capital Area, an organization dedicated to helping area residents with developmental disabilities, and he has been a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children of Travis County. Jim also speaks to hundreds of area school children each year about severe weather safety.

His professional affiliations include the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. Jim holds the National Weather Association's Seal of Approval.

You can e-mail Jim at Jim.Spencer@kxan.com.