Flemish weatherman retires after 36 years with VRT

Flemish weatherman Frank Deboosere gave his final report last night, March 20th after 36 years with VRT (Flemish Radio and Television). The lead-up to his departure was marked with the hashtag #DankweermanFrank, which invited colleagues and the public to celebrate his time on air.

Deboosere’s allegiance to VRT (then BRT) began on March 12, 1987, and was awarded the Wablieft prize which honours Flemish media figures or politicians who make an effort to use clear and accessible language. While he was offered positions at other news stations in both Belgium and The Netherlands during his career, he made a point to stay loyal to VRT where he has presented over 100,000 weather reports since the start of his career.

“When I started with the weather reports, those average temperatures were half a degree lower than they are now. It goes very fast and we only have one earth to take care of."

To continue to bring attention to climate change, Deboosere focused on the rising temperatures from the UN’s climate panel, presented hours before his last broadcast. He addressed this new information by stating, “When I started with the weather reports, those average temperatures were half a degree lower than they are now. It goes very fast and we only have one earth to take care of."

Following his retirement, Deboosere will continue to study the weather, climate, and astronomy. He has a website devoted to facts about the weather and is a volunteer at Mira Public Observatory in Grimbergen. He is also the campaign leader of Kom op tegen Kanker (Stand up to Cancer).

After a farewell montage from colleagues, he received applause and met with his family who watched his final studio broadcast. His parting weather report, "Maybe a tear here and there will be wiped away, but it should stay dry at around 11 degrees Celsius in most places."

^{HM - Belgian weatherman Frank Deboosere pictured as he launches, together with the Belgian Defence, the new "Kom op tegen Kanker" campaign, Friday 12 December 2008, in Brussels. © BELGA PHOTO MARC GYSENS}