Jim Castillo: a weatherman for all seasons

Hispanic Times Magazine, Fall, 2003

The first thing you notice when meeting meteorologist Jim Castillo is his outgoing personality and the infectious smile that compliments his darkly handsome good looks. Here is a man that not only enjoys life, but wants to live every vibrant moment to its fullest. And nothing gets him more pumped up these days than talking about his move to the metropolitan area to work for the local Fox affiliate WNYW Channel 5.

"I love being in New York," he raves. "It has always been my favorite city in the world!" The winner of two Emmys and a Golden Mic during his stints as a television meteorologist in Seattle and Los Angeles, Jim always dreamed of one day making his mark in the nation's number one media market.

"New Yorkers are the best people," he says. "They are hard working and cultured." The last time he lived in New York City was back in the early 90s. "I was fresh out of college and had to leave for more job experience and better opportunities in other cities. In television news you have to go to smaller markets, pay your dues and hope everything works out."

He fielded offers from three different regimes at local New York stations, but the timing wasn't right. "So I took whatever great job offer that came my way and made the best of it. Luckily, I've liked every place I've lived, but the best place for me is still New York."

Jim's first gig as a meteorologist was in Columbia, Mo., where he also attended the University of Missouri. Besides doing the weather, he hosted an exercise segment. "They called me 'beefcake' at the station," he laughs with self-deprecation. "They made me do an exercise segment after the weather. I loved it."

In high school he played soccer, pole-vaulted and was on the diving team. Then all through his undergraduate years Jim kept toned as a cheerleader and was also secretary of the meteorologist club. "Cheerleading was a major sport," he says. "And since I was a good tumbler it came naturally. Besides I got free tickets to the football and basketball games. I had a great time."

Since leaving Missouri, Jim has worked around the country with stints in West Virginia, Philadelphia, and west and south Texas, as well as L.A. and Seattle. "I really love meteorology, absolutely love it. I am a major weather geek," he says.

"What other meteorologist can say they've been able to forecast weather and live in so many diverse cities around this incredible country of ours?" he continues. "I am so proud of my experiences and the education I've gotten living across the United States."

Jim's career in meteorology was born one day in April 1980 when a tornado struck his neighborhood and even ripped off part of his roof. "I just wanted to know how and why it happened," he says. "And how do I help people so this doesn't happen to them? I just really got into weather: seeing my neighbors, the rubble, people screaming and total panic. People were just freaked out. And I just had to get involved."

Born in a suburb of St. Louis and living both there and in Chicago, Jim is quite the mix of Spanish, Irish and American Indian-Cherokee and Dakota. "I'm all American," he says.

When Jim got to L.A., he got offers to do pilots for several developing shows. "Do you know how many shows I tried out for in L.A.?" he laughs. "And most of them you'll never see or hear about."

At one point his agent Rick Ramage called and said Jim was a favorite to host Fear Factor. NBC wanted him to meet with them again. "I'd just arrived in Los Angeles and hadn't signed my contract with CBS at that point," he recalls. "You know how the business works, you need months to shoot some pilots and for little money. So I took the guarantee of doing what I know and love--being a meteorologist."

Now he's where he has always wanted to be. And with so much going on in the New York area, Jim takes advantage of every opportunity to get involved. Recently he was a celebrity guest at New York Institute of Technology's (NYIT) annual Gold Coast Food & Wine Classic, a scholarship fund-raiser held over a series of evenings at NYIT's de Seversky Center in Old Westbury, L.I. He even did a "live" telecast of the weather report from in front of the Gatsby-era Gold Coast mansion (which was in the movie "Arthur"), transforming himself into "JIM MILLIONAIRE."

"I love good food and wine," Jim says, "and with it all going to benefit a good cause, accepting the college's invitation was a no-brainer." Proceeds from the culinary events and auction provide financial assistance to needy students.

"I believe in karma in a major way ," he says, "I always do my best to throw out the best energy at all times and stay away from negativity as much as possible. You have to keep producing good energy--good karma--or else I think your life will fail." Food for thought from a man accustomed to making predictions.