Donald E. Kent is known as "Boston's First TV Weatherman". Don's love of weather forecasting began as a child and his teacher would encourage him by having him write the weather on the blackboard. In the 1930s, Don was inspired to work in weather by the first radio "weatherman," E.S. Rideout. In 1935-1938, he got his first real radio exposure on WMEX. Don enrolled in an air mass analysis course at MIT, one of the few schools offering meteorology at the time. His knowledge earned him a direct commission in the U.S. Coast Guard through 1946. After the war, from the top of his family's carpet business, Kent's Carpetland in Quincy, Don would deliver weather reports for WJDA and in 1951 he began broadcasting the weather on WBZ Radio. Four years later, he was hired for WBZ TV, and began a 28 year stint as Boston's most recognized weatherman. His local accent and genuine interest in the weather endeared him to generations of New Englanders. His career encompassed many major weather events in New England, including the historic Blizzard of 1978, which paralyzed the region with more than 2 feet of snow and hurricane force winds.
Don became a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) back in the late 1940s. In 1960, he was one of the first recipients of the AMS Seal of Approval designating a level of excellence in his television weather forecasting. He retired in 1983, but he never stopped doing the weather, continuing to do local weather for a number of stations, including WQRC on Cape Cod. In 2007 he was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He died at the age of 92 in Franklin NH, leaving his wife of 68 years, Miriam E. (Hanson) Kent.
Don became a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) back in the late 1940s. In 1960, he was one of the first recipients of the AMS Seal of Approval designating a level of excellence in his television weather forecasting. He retired in 1983, but he never stopped doing the weather, continuing to do local weather for a number of stations, including WQRC on Cape Cod. In 2007 he was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He died at the age of 92 in Franklin NH, leaving his wife of 68 years, Miriam E. (Hanson) Kent.
Donald E. Kent is known as "Boston's First TV Weatherman". Don's love of weather forecasting began as a child and his teacher would encourage him by having him write the weather on the blackboard. In the 1930s, Don was inspired to work in weather by the first radio "weatherman," E.S. Rideout. In 1935-1938, he got his first real radio exposure on WMEX. Don enrolled in an air mass analysis course at MIT, one of the few schools offering meteorology at the time. His knowledge earned him a direct commission in the U.S. Coast Guard through 1946. After the war, from the top of his family's carpet business, Kent's Carpetland in Quincy, Don would deliver weather reports for WJDA and in 1951 he began broadcasting the weather on WBZ Radio. Four years later, he was hired for WBZ TV, and began a 28 year stint as Boston's most recognized weatherman. His local accent and genuine interest in the weather endeared him to generations of New Englanders. His career encompassed many major weather events in New England, including the historic Blizzard of 1978, which paralyzed the region with more than 2 feet of snow and hurricane force winds.
Don became a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) back in the late 1940s. In 1960, he was one of the first recipients of the AMS Seal of Approval designating a level of excellence in his television weather forecasting. He retired in 1983, but he never stopped doing the weather, continuing to do local weather for a number of stations, including WQRC on Cape Cod. In 2007 he was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He died at the age of 92 in Franklin NH, leaving his wife of 68 years, Miriam E. (Hanson) Kent.
Don became a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) back in the late 1940s. In 1960, he was one of the first recipients of the AMS Seal of Approval designating a level of excellence in his television weather forecasting. He retired in 1983, but he never stopped doing the weather, continuing to do local weather for a number of stations, including WQRC on Cape Cod. In 2007 he was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He died at the age of 92 in Franklin NH, leaving his wife of 68 years, Miriam E. (Hanson) Kent.
