Roy Leep
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Roy Leep was a longtime meteorologist with television station WTVT in Tampa, Florida. He graduated with a degree in meteorology from Florida State University in the mid 1950s.
Leep joined WTVT's weather department in August 1957, was granted the seal of approval (#10) from the American Meteorological Society in 1958, became the chief meteorologist for the station in 1959 and retired in 1997. In 1959, Leep's team installed Florida's first radar unit used exclusively by a TV station, and he is considered a pioneer in weather forecasting. His "Radar Weather Eye" remained the only radar used by a Florida television station for ten years. His weather department was used as a model for hundreds of television stations all over the country looking to begin or modernize their weather departments.
Leep, one of the most well-known television broadcasters in the Tampa Bay area, kept WTVT ahead of the competition by constantly upgrading equipment. He was first with color radar, first with satellite weather, first with Doppler and was considered one of the most trusted meteorologists in America for many years.
On January 16, 1977, he was the only Tampa Bay area meteorologist to predict snow for the following morning. Against all odds and before the eyes of a dumbfounded competition, the snow came, closing schools, the area's Interstate Highway System and many businesses. Prior to that date, it had not snowed in Tampa for over 50 years.
For over 15 years, Leep closed his 11p.m. weather program by displaying "Scud," his Scottish Terrier, in various canine sports and evening wear. Scud became an area celebrity and was mourned when she died in 2003.
During his career he created the WTVT Weather Service, which performed special weather prediction missions for private agricultural and other business interests in Central Florida. The service was a source of additional income for the station. This was the only commercial weather service in Central Florida and Leep's colleagues credited his accuracy for its success with clients who could have easily relied upon the U.S. Weather Bureau.
He retired in 1997 after 40 years of service to the station. The ultra-modern weather center at WTVT was named "The Roy Leep Weather Facility". He now lives with his wife in North Tampa near the University of South Florida.
