Friday, December 14th 2007, 10:56 am
Michael Armstrong began his career in meteorology as a News 9 Storm Tracker in the unforgettable year of 1999. Armstrong was off to quite a start at the station, when he began saving lives during the historic tornado outbreak of May 3, 1999. Since then he has experienced the full spectrum of what Mother Nature has to offer. From blizzards and tropical storms to raging wildfires and tornado outbreaks, Michael has learned that preparation is vital to staying ahead of Oklahoma's rapidly changing weather.
One of his most memorable experiences since joining the News 9 team occurred at an El Reno elementary school a few years after the May 3rd tornado outbreak. After finishing a safety presentation to elementary students, a teacher approached Michael telling him that it was his report of a tornado that saved her life on that historic day. It was in that moment that he fully comprehended the value of providing life-saving information through his passion for meteorology.
Armstrong is proud of his contributions to the News 9 weather team over the past 13 years. He has earned numerous awards including a Heartland Emmy and the National Edward R. Murrow Award, the highest honor in broadcast television. The awards were given in recognition of his role in the coverage of the November 7, 2011 and May 24, 2008 Oklahoma Tornado Outbreaks.
Born and raised in Ponca City, Armstrong remembers constantly nagging his family, even while very young, to seek shelter from storms in the basement at his nearby elementary school. Growing up in Oklahoma gave him a deep appreciation for what it means to live in the heart of "tornado alley" and to deal with the most powerful force on earth.
Fulfilling his parents' dream of being the first in his family to earn a college degree, Armstrong believes that his Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma is the most rewarding and difficult goal he has ever accomplished. The OU School of Meteorology is recognized as the world leader in severe weather research and an institution in which Oklahoma can take great pride. As a professor, Armstrong now enjoys sharing the knowledge he has gained with the students of his meteorology course at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City.
Michael considers his family to be his greatest gift. Along with his wife, Kristen, the Armstrongs live in Edmond and stay busy keeping up with their four children. In addition to his love for family, Armstrong enjoys beautiful Oklahoma sunsets, teaching, a wide variety of music, movies, coaching sports, snow skiing, bass fishing and, of course, storm chasing. Armstrong is grateful for the opportunity to work at News 9 and to serve his fellow Oklahomans by providing lifesaving weather information. You can catch Michael on the noon show during the weekdays.
December 14th, 2007
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