Background
Volkman was born in Medford, Massachusetts.
Volkman was born in Medford, Massachusetts.
His interest in radio carried over into the Army where he attended radio classes, but opted to study physics at Tufts University before meteorology captured his imagination and brought him to the University of Tulsa.
He was the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning. The brothers worked hard on their radio productions even though only the family was able to hear the broadcasts from their small transmitter. Volkman got his start as a weatherman at KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma in January 1950.
While there, he also served as a booth announcer, model, on-air salesman, sportscaster, variety show host and switchboard operator.
He also claims to have worked briefly as a custodian for the station and not having been paid for his first three months. His beginning pay was $25.
His most recent contribution to society is a book about his life as a weatherman, Whatever The Weather: My Life & Times As A television Weatherman. 1950–1952: KOTV – Tulsa
1952–1955: WKY-television (later KTVY-television, now KFOR-television) – Oklahoma City
1955–1959: KWTV-DT – Oklahoma City
1959–1967: WMAQ-television – Chicago
1967–1970: World's Greatest Newspaper-television – Chicago
1970–1974: WMAQ-television – Chicago
1974–1978: World's Greatest Newspaper-television – Chicago
1978–1996: WBBM-TV-television – Chicago
1996–2004: WFLD – Chicago.
A fine vocalist and a member of his church choir for many years, Volkman would often mix a little music into his weather forecasts wherever he worked.