Mark Eubank: Mormon Meteorologist
Mark Edwin Eubank is a former meteorologist, well known to his Utah audience as someone who is passionate about weather. He retired at the end of November 2006.
Eubank was born on June 10, 1940, in Redding, California. He received his first rain gauge at the age of fourteen and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Utah. His first job was in his hometown at KRCR-TV prior to his college education. He then reported the weather with KUTV in Utah from 1967 to 1990, then moved to KSL in 1990 and became their chief meteorologist. He was the chief meteorologist of the 2002 Winter Olympics. For twenty years, he owned and operated WeatherBank, Inc., a weather-consulting firm.
His signature weather reports included wearing a white jacket when snow was forecasted, including Native American lore in his presentation, and making quirky weather sound effects. He often explained the way animals and plants indicated weather. He visited elementary schools to teach about weather—he had the knack for teaching technical information in understandable and enjoyable terms. He even launched a weather balloon near his Bountiful home, which the neighborhood children enjoyed watching. He made it a point to respond to viewers. An example comes from a young girl from West Valley City, Utah:
- “Dear Weather Man—Will you send some wind so I can fly my kite. Shannon B. Give me a call if you need me."
- “Dear Shannon, Thanks for your nice letter. We will be sending you some wind next week, so get ready. It will be great for flying your kite. I hope you have fun."[1]
Eubank published two books, Mark Eubank’s Utah Weather (1979) and Weather Detectives: Fun-filled Facts, Experiments, and Activities for Kids (2004).
He continues to record weather statistics in a spiral notebook; a habit he has had for more than fifty years. At the time of his retirement, he told the Salt Lake Tribune that he wanted to return to researching—how to forecast long range to help the agriculture industry.[2]
Since his retirement, he and his wife, Jean, served two missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which he is a member. Their first mission was for one year in St. George, Utah. They then served for three years in Laie, Hawaii, where Eubank was the director of the Visitors’ Center adjacent to the Laie Hawaii Temple. They are the parents of seven children, including his son Kevin, who followed in his weather footsteps and inherited the famed snow coat.
Eubank acts as program host for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. Following the Sunday morning rehearsal and before the live television and radio performance, Eubank greets the audience, explains details about the facilities and the choir, introduces special visitors, and talks about the morning’s program.[3]
