DALLAS — Here at WFAA, we all generally think that Chief Meteorologist Pete Delkus is pretty great.
But there may be no living with him after he was named the top meteorologist in the country.
On Thursday morning, the trade magazine Broadcasting & Cable honored Delkus with the title of 2023's top meteorologist in America.
"It's flattering," Delkus said when the award was mentioned during the 5 p.m. news broadcast on Thursday. "It really is. I'm very honored."
Delkus is no stranger to winning professional hardware, but earning the national nod for top meteorologist? That's new territory for the 19-year WFAA weather veteran.
He was so taken aback by the news, in fact, that when WFAA News Director Leslie McCardel and WFAA Vice President Carolyn Mungo called him this morning to share the news, he initially figured the call was over some trouble he must have found himself in.
"But it was so nice, and it meant so much for the two of them to share that news with me," Delkus said. "You get an award like that, and it's the type of award that should be shared with everybody. Because, when you work in a place like this... This is a special place to work at. I've been here 19 years now, and the people that work here are what makes this place special. And the people that work here are what make all of us better."
He continued: "When I go out and I talk to kids, I talk about finding a job, and finding a career, and you want to find a place that's kind of like the New York Yankees. I know the Yankees aren't the Yankees of old these days, but you want to work at the gold standard. And this place is the gold standard of local TV because of all the people we work around, that make all of us better. So this is an award that should be shared with everyone -- because everyone has played a part. These guys, they make me better every day."