Bill Spencer just keeps on going.
For 46 years, the flamboyant meteorologist has been forecasting weather on local radio and television stations, and he now has a significant social media footprint.
Spencer’s interest in weather began at an early age. “I was a little kid down in Florida, about six years old. The local TV meteorologist visited my school…and I thought, wow, look at that!” Soon after that, Bill experienced a hurricane, the exposure of those two incidents led him to decide to “sell Kool Aid on the side of the road to make money to …buy weather instruments.”
His professional path led him to Northern Michigan, where he picked up his nickname after correctly predicting three significant and successive snowstorms.“People started saying ‘this guy loves snow, he’s Blizzard Bill!’ And that’s how I got ( the moniker).”
Toledo arrival
Spencer arrived at WNWO-TV in Toledo in 1997, having been hired as the chief meteorologist. He moved to 13WTVG in 2008. In those years, he also maintained a regular presence on K-100. After nine years at WTVG, in 2017, he retired after a serious battle with Lyme’s disease. “(The disease” affects the nervous system … (it seemed that) the best thing to do was to go ahead and retire.”
A twister tale
In 2010 a series of tornadoes hit Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, which became the biggest story of Spencer’s lengthy career. During those weather events, he was continuously on the air for hours warning of the impending weather. The tornadoes resulted in seven deaths and devastated Lake Township. Shortly after that, during a charity basketball game to raise funds to benefit the tornado victims. he received a standing ovation “That was a nice night,” recalls Spencer, adding, “People understood that was a big team effort.” Spencer was recognized with an Emmy Award for that coverage.
Online with socials and forecasts
Spencer’s passion for weather keeps him active and he’s amazed by the latest technology. Blizzard Bill’s Facebook page has 48,000 followers and he also has a channel on YouTube. He now forecasts Northwest Ohio weather for WSYL, an online Sylvania radio station.
What’s next for Spencer? “We just haven’t had winter weather in the last few years around here. I think going forward, in the next year or two, our winters are going to be more active. I am predicting above average snowfalls this winter.”
