Meteorologist Brendan Johnson joined WTMJ & Storm Team 4 in September 2022. You can catch his forecasts weekend mornings on TMJ4 and throughout the week.
Before arriving in Milwaukee, Brendan spent two years at WMTV (NBC15) in Madison, WI and three years at KHBS/KHOG-TV (40/29 News) in Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Arkansas. While at NBC15, Brendan was back to forecasting Midwest weather - seeing everything from snowstorms & snow squalls to Summer thunderstorms. He was on the air during the EF-3 Boscobel tornado that tore through SW Wisconsin in August of 2021. At one point, winds exceeded 160 mph and the twister carved a 10+ mile path of destruction South of town. Thanks to the team coverage that day, Wisconsinites in Grant County got the warning and took shelter in time.
Brendan is no stranger to tornadoes and severe weather. While at 40/29 in NW Arkansas, he was a part of team coverage of an EF-2 tornado that tore through Mountainburg and reported on the damage in the days following. Heavy rains in the Spring of 2019 led to catastrophic flooding along the Arkansas River. Brendan forecasted the torrential downpours and was live in Fort Smith as the city faced several bridge closures due to a raging river. Brendan reported as two large barges drifted down the river towards the Webbers Falls Lock & Dam - a situation which brought back horrid memories of the 2002 I-40 bridge disaster.
Originally from the Chicago area, Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology & a Minor in Digital Media from Valparaiso University in 2017. While at Valpo, he was heavily involved in the campus television station & participated in a Convective Field Study - traveling more than 3,000 miles - chasing storms across the Plains. Brendan's internships include WTVO in Rockford, IL; CNN Worldwide in Atlanta, GA; and WGN-TV in Chicago, IL (where he got to work with legendary Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling).
While not forecasting or talking about the weather, Brendan enjoys exploring - especially visiting local state/national parks, finding the best coffee around town, and spending time with his family & friends. The Johnson Family has two Golden Retrievers named Harley and Cooper. Brendan posts photos of them frequently.
Email your weather photos, videos & questions to Brendan at brendan.johnson@tmj4.com.
