Paul Gross
From an early age, Paul Gross knew he wanted to be a meteorologist. Gross recalls that his second-grade teacher noticed he was fearful during a thundershower. She took him to the school library’s weather section “to help make weather less scary.” His interest in the science of weather was ignited and a short while later, when his uncle asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, Gross replied enthusiastically, “A Channel 4 weatherman!”
Gross was born in Detroit and moved from Oak Park to Bloomfield Township in fifth grade, graduating from the former Andover High School. He attended the University of Michigan, where he earned a degree in meteorology from the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences department. During college, he became the first weather intern at Channel 4 (WDIV) and later balanced his class schedule with a part-time, off-camera position writing weather reports for the noon news.
Before appearing in front of the camera at WDIV, Gross worked on-air in Lansing and then at WKBD-TV when it launched its Ten O'clock News. By 1986, he was working concurrently at all three stations. Eventually, he found a permanent meteorology role and home at WDIV.
“I love the people I work with at Channel 4. They are not just like family – they are family. Over the past 40 years, we’ve grown up together – married, had kids, mourned the loss of parents. These are some of my closest friends.”
From his early years, Gross took a keen interest in not only the weather, but also science and environmental reporting. He interviewed his first climate scientist over 30 years ago and follows the science and truth of global warming and Earth’s changing climate.
“I don’t use any information from advocacy groups. I only follow science and seek the truth without politics.”
Gross has earned many awards and accolades during his career, including nine Emmy awards from the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences. He was also named a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) in 2017, an extremely high honor in professional scientific societies. He is now one of only four remaining meteorologists in the world ever to be named an AMS Fellow, Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM), and Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM). As a CCM, Gross is considered the most qualified expert witness in the state when it comes to the potential impact of weather on litigation.
The busy meteorologist also provides weather guidance for the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, and University of Michigan’s football team – which adds to the many interesting stories and experiences he’s collected over the years. Through it all, Gross has never lost sight of his main mission. “As a meteorologist, my number one job is public safety. When there is the potential for dangerous weather, being able to communicate and convey what people need to know is the most important thing I do.”
The Oakland County resident and his wife have two grown sons. When he’s not working, he spends time golfing, kayaking, bowling, and tending his garden and yard. He also enjoys his home Up North on Lake Michigan where he collects and polishes Petoskey stones for display and gifts. Soon, he will have more time for these passions as he retires from WDIV after 40 years, becoming the station's first “Meteorologist Emeritus.”
“I never left home – this is very important to me. I have institutional memory of all major weather events,” Gross says. “There is not one day that I haven't been grateful to work in my hometown for my entire career. I’ve had opportunities in other cities...but I have never wanted to leave the city and state I love. This is home and always will be home.”
Story: Tracy Donohue
Photo: Laurie Tennent
