Legendary meteorologist Steve Norris, of Crossville, passed away Thursday morning from complications due to pneumonia. He was 63. For 46 years Steve Norris was a staple in people’s lives for accurate weather forecasts and the calm, reassuring voice during the storm, not only here in Cumberland County but also throughout East Tennessee.
Steve Norris began his broadcasting career at the young age of 17. His life-long friend Tony Perry recalls “I was on the air at WAEW radio on a stormy afternoon in 1976 when a young man called me and said ‘hey if you wanna know what the weather is going to do I can tell you – I study a lot of weather. I talked to the manager – Warren Dean – and suggested we put Steve on the air on a regular basis. Warren talked with Steve and struck a deal for him to do an hourly weather update every day – and the rest is history”.
Steve also provided weather forecasts for many newspapers and was featured on Knoxville TV stations for his weather coverage including being spotlighted by Margie Ison who was a weather reporter for years at WATE-TV and WBIR-TV.
Steve Norris was a kind man who was loved and respected by all and will be greatly missed.