After 54 Years, Dr. Bob Peters Retires from the Airwaves

TYLER — It all started October 1, 1962. Now weather wizard Dr. Bob Peters is calling it a day, retiring from the KTBB airwaves after Friday’s on-air forecasts and analyses. He says the technology has come a long way in 54 years. According to Peters, “Now our forecasts for the next 120 hours are about 95 per cent accurate; two weeks, they’re about 85 per cent accurate — and that is very much higher than what it was when I started doing this.”

Peters says the memories will live on. He tells us, “I have gotten a positive response — and that is actually understating it — from people that hear me, and that I hear from…and I am now hearing from the grandchildren of people who listened to me 50 years ago.” Peters adds that the weather still fascinates him — and that he’ll miss the daily routine he’s conducted since his long-ago debut. But he notes, “There comes a time. In the words of Archbishop Cranmer in the prayer book, ‘The hour cometh and now is.’ And that’s here.”

So what’s Dr. Bob’s big plan for retirement? He told us, “Sitting right beside me, I’ve got a stack of books that’s about ten inches high. I gotta read ’em.” Peters will have other activities as well — including one that will keep him on the team. He’ll continue to update the weather on ktbb.com.