Mark Finan signs off as KCRA 3 chief meteorologist as he heads into retirement
GUIDED ALL OF US THROUGH EVERY STORM AND SUNNY DAY, AND WE SHOULD MENTION BEYOND HIS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, IS OUR CHIEF METEOROLOGIST. MARK IS A MENTOR, A CARING COWORKER, A DEAR FRIEND. AND SO NOW, ON YOUR LAST DAY, WE WANTED TO SHARE SOME MEMORIES FROM YOUR KCRA 3 FAMILY AND SOME WELL WISHES. WHILE MARK, I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M DOING THIS, BUT I GOT TO SAY, IT’S JUST BEEN A GREAT RIDE. UM, 16 YEARS WE’VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER AND IT’S BEEN FANTASTIC EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. WE’VE DONE SOME GREAT WORK TOGETHER AND AND HAD SOME GREAT LAUGHS AND DONE SOME SERIOUS WORK AS WELL. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I THINK YOU’VE MADE KCRA BETTER. YOU’VE MADE US BETTER, AND YOU CERTAINLY HAVE MADE ME BETTER. OF COURSE, YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT, MARK IS AN EXCEPTIONAL METEOROLOGIST, BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT HE’S ALSO A REALLY GOOD JOURNALIST. HE WILL OFTEN POINT OUT QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING ABOUT STORIES OR MAYBE PINPOINT FACTS. WE SHOULD BE DOUBLE OR TRIPLE CHECKING. HE’S ALSO A WONDERFUL MENTOR, SO WE KNOW HE’S LEFT US IN GREAT HANDS WITH A STRONG WEATHER TEAM. SO MARK, WE’RE GOING TO MISS YOU AS A METEOROLOGIST, AS A JOURNALIST, AND ALSO, OF COURSE, AS A FRIEND. MARK, I GREW UP WATCHING YOU AND IT’S BEEN AN HONOR TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH YOU FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS. I WILL MISS HEARING YOU GET IN MY EAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW, AND KNOWING THAT IT’S TIME TO GET YOU ON TV. WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING US THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION AND FIRST, AND WE’RE GOING TO MISS THAT TREMENDOUSLY. IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE TIME WORKING WITH YOU. YOU ARE OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL. IT’S BEEN AMAZING AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT. CONGRATULATIONS. WORKING WITH YOU HAS REALLY BEEN A TREAT. I’VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS TAKING THE TIME TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. WE’RE GOING TO MISS YOU. BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THINGS THE WAY YOU HAVE DONE THEM, WE’RE SET UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL. EVEN ONCE YOU LEAVE, WE’LL MISS YOU AND THANK YOU MARK. IT IS TRULY BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU HERE AT KCRA. A DREAM COME TRUE. I’VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU AND YOU HAVE TAUGHT ALL OF US SO MUCH. YOU’VE RAISED THE BAR EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU’VE MADE THIS PLACE BETTER FOR DECADES WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO MISS YOU DEARLY. I’M GOING TO MISS YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY. I’M GOING TO MISS OUR CUT IN. I’M GOING TO MISS OUR NEWSCASTS. I’M GOING TO MISS YOU HELPING US, BEING OUR SECOND NEWS DESK IN THE STUDIO, OUR WEATHER BUREAU. YOU HELP NOT JUST WITH THE WEATHER, BUT ALSO NEWS AND SPORTS, ESPECIALLY GOLF WHEN IT COMES TO ME. AND WE APPRECIATE HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT EVERYTHING, NOT JUST METEOROLOGICALLY, BUT WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT KCRA 3 AND MY58, YOU ARE IRREPLACEABLE. AND I’M JUST HOPING THAT YOU’LL GET TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVING FUN ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT 4 P.M. MAYBE WE’LL SEE YOU OUT ENJOYING RECREATING FROM LIVECOPTER3. THAT’S MY DREAM FOR YOU. AND I KNOW YOU’RE JUST REALLY GOING TO ENJOY RETIREMENT. I’M GOING TO MISS YOU, BUT I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU. YOU HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE MENTOR TO ME AND TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE NEWSROOM AND I KNOW THAT OUR VIEWERS HAVE APPRECIATED YOUR APPROACH BECAUSE THEY TELL ME IN THE GROCERY STORE ALL THE TIME, TELL MARK FINAN THANK YOU. SO MARK, THANK YOU FROM THOSE VIEWERS IN THE GROCERY STORE. AND A HUGE THANKS FROM ME. OFTENTIMES WHEN VIEWERS COME UP TO US AND SAY HI, THEY ALWAYS SAY, FIRST OFF, WE WATCH YOU GUYS EVERY DAY. AND SECOND, MAN THAT MARK FINAN GETS THE FORECAST RIGHT AND IT’S SO TRUE. MARK, WE’RE DEFINITELY GOING TO MISS YOU. BUT I KNOW MORE IMPORTANTLY OUR VIEWERS ARE GOING TO MISS YOU. BUT WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN RETIREMENT. AND I KNOW WE’RE ALL GOING TO GET TO SEE MORE OF YOUR GREAT PHOTOS, THAT YOU’LL HAVE MORE TIME TO GO OUT AND TAKE. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN RETIREMENT. MARK, YOU’RE A LEGEND. IT’S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU HERE AT KCRA THREE. GOOD LUCK IN RETIREMENT. EVERYBODY HERE AT KCRA THREE IS GOING TO MISS YOU AND ALL THE VIEWERS. GOOD LUCK IN RETIREMENT. MARK. WE’VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR OVER 25 YEARS HERE AT KCRA. AND YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR TO ME. IT’S BEEN GREAT TO SEE, UM, THE PRIDE THAT YOU TAKE IN FORECASTING IT. YOUR EXAMPLE MEANS A LOT. AND I JUST WANT TO WISH YOU THE BEST AS YOU GO OFF TO RETIREMENT. I KNOW YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO TRULY RETIRE. THE WEATHER IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN YOUR BLOOD. REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU ON THIS NEXT PHASE OF YOUR JOURNEY, AND HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT AND HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FUN. WE’RE GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT. HEY MARK, CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT CAREER. WELCOME TO RETIREMENT. YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE IT. YOU WILL BUDDY. AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH YOUR MASTERFUL FLOOD COVERAGE 24 SEVEN THAT I SET UP MY OWN ELABORATE WEATHER STATION. PRETTY PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, HUH? NOT MANY OF OUR VIEWERS KNOW THAT YOU’RE ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER. KCRA. SO YOU ALWAYS KNEW WHERE US FIELD CREWS SHOULD GO AND WHEN WE SHOULD BE THERE TO GET THE BEST VIDEO. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE. ENJOY THE YEARS WORKING WITH MARK FINAN AT KFBK WERE A HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. HIS WARM PERSONALITY, BUT REALLY HIS EXPERT KEYS AND PRECISION UNPARALLELED. MARK, YOU GOT IT RIGHT, MARK. UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR RECOMMENDING ME TO COME WORK HERE AT KCRA. UH, BACK IN, UH, I WANT TO SAY 90, 82. UM, IT’S BEEN A GREAT RIDE. I’VE ENJOYED ALL OF IT WITH YOU. AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND FOR ME BEING HERE AS WELL. NOT ONLY IS MARK FINAN ONE OF THE MOST ACCURATE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE METEOROLOGISTS AROUND, HAVING SPENT TIME AT KCRA, I CAN TELL YOU AS CHIEF, HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST TEACHERS I EVER HAD. YOU’VE BEEN AN AMAZING MENTOR TO ME AND YOU’VE HELPED SHAPE WHO I AM AS A METEOROLOGIST AND HOW I APPROACH FORECASTING. CONGRATULATIONS ON AN INCREDIBLE CAREER. BEST WISHES IN RETIREMENT. AND NOW YOU’VE GOT LOTS OF EXTRA TIME TO JOIN ME AT THE RACETRACK. SO LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN. 30 PLUS YEARS IN THE SACRAMENTO MARKET QUALIFIES YOU AS A CLIMATE NORMAL. I’VE ALWAYS RESPECTED YOUR STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH TO COMMUNICATING THE SCIENCE THAT WE BOTH LOVE. I’M IN TV FOR 45 YEARS AND YOU ARE THE MOST PROFESSIONAL ON AIR TALENT THAT I’VE EVER WORKED WITH. YOU’RE ALWAYS PREPARED. YOU’RE TO THE SET EARLY, YOU’RE MIKED UP, READY TO GO. YOU’RE IN FRONT OF THE GREEN SCREEN. SO WE CAN SET THE SHOT. YOU REALLY RESPECT THE CREW AND IT MAKES OUR JOB A LOT EASIER. YOU NEVER MAKE MISTAKES. YOU’RE NOT. COLLEGE OF METEOROLOGY IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND YOU’RE REALLY, REALLY FUNNY. I LIKE THAT A LOT. I’M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU, MARK. EVEN THOUGH IN MY RETIREMENT I STILL HAVE BLADES WHIRLING AROUND ON TOP OF ME. HEY, CONGRATS ON YOUR WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT. YOU’RE ONE OF THE NICEST GUYS I’VE EVER WORKED WITH IN BROADCASTING. LISTEN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THERE IS LIFE AFTER TELEVISION. NOW, I’M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD GO AND BUY INTO A BASEBALL TEAM LIKE I DID. I MEAN, THAT’S INSANE, BUT I WILL SAY THIS. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WITH A LITTLE EXTRA TIME ON YOUR HANDS, MAYBE ACTUALLY GET BORED IN RETIREMENT, WE COULD USE SOME HELP ON 25 CENT HOT DOG NIGHT. KEEP IT IN MIND. OKAY. FORTUNATELY, I GOT TO SPEND ABOUT 15 YEARS WITH YOU AT KCRA. I’D SPEND TIME IN THE WEATHER OFFICE WITH YOU. YOU’D SPEND TIME IN THE SPORTS OFFICE WITH ME. YOU LOVE SPORTS. I LOVE WEATHER AND WOULD RESEARCH THE BOTANICAL NAMES OF OUR BELOVED PALM TREES. ALL THE WHILE CASHING THOSE CHECKS. MARK, YOU’RE A GREAT COMMUNICATOR, SUPREMELY GIFTED METEOROLOGIST, AND A COMMUNITY TREASURE FOR YOU. IT WASN’T A JOB. IT WAS A CALLING. NOW YOU SOON FIND YOURSELF ON A BEACH UNDER A COCOS NUCIFERA OR IN ARCHONTOPHOENIX CUNNINGHAMIANA. AND WHEN YOU GET BACK, LET’S START WORKING ON THOSE TIKTOK DANCE VIDEOS YOU’VE BEEN TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU COMING CHASING WITH ME AND BEING STUCK IN A HAILSTORM AND ME BEING TERRIFIED AND YOU AFTERWARDS SAYING THAT WAS AWESOME AND THAT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. I’VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR THREE MONTHS, BUT I AM REALLY GLAD THAT IN THIS SHORT TIME I GOT THE CHANCE TO KNOW YOU AND WORK WITH YOU. MARK. GREAT LEADERS LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR TEAM AND THEIR WORK. AND YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE OF A GREAT LEADER. JUST WATCHING YOU OVER THE YEARS. I WISH I HAD MORE TIME, BUT THE WAY YOU HAVE CARED FOR YOUR PEOPLE, THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE CARED FOR YOUR VIEWERS, I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU’VE PROVIDED US ALL. SO HAVE A WONDERFUL RETIREMENT. WE WISH YOU NOTHING BUT SUNNY SKIES, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BECOME OUR MOST LOYAL VIEWER YET. MARK, CONGRATULATIONS ON 33 YEARS AT A FAN TASTIC TELEVISION STATION, ONE I KNOW SO WELL. WOW, 33 YEARS OF FORECASTING AND SACRAMENTO MARK, CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE FANTASTIC RUN. WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT MAKES MARK SPECIAL, THREE THINGS REALLY COME TO MIND ONE, HOW MUCH HE CARES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND KEEPING OUR VIEWERS SAFE. TWO HOW MUCH HE CARES ABOUT THE SCIENCE. AS A SELF-PROCLAIMED WEATHER NERD, AND THREE HOW MUCH HE CARES ABOUT THE TEAM. AND THAT’S REALLY GOING TO BE HIS LEGACY HERE AT KCRA. THANK YOU. FROM REALLY THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE THE METEOROLOGY THAT I AM TODAY WITHOUT YOU, AND THAT’S TRULY HOW I FEEL. YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE BEST OUT IN ME. YOU’VE GIVEN ME THE CONFIDENCE, THE KNOW HOW. UM. AND I REALLY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB I DO TODAY WITHOUT YOU. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR MENTORSHIP, ALL OF YOUR GUIDANCE, AND MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME BECAUSE THERE WERE TIMES, AS ANYONE IN THEIR CAREER, YOU JUST KIND OF FEEL A LITTLE BIT SHAKY AND YOU’RE ALWAYS LIKE, NO, EJ, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. JUST GO OUT AND GET THEM. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WEATHER BRAIN WITH ME. AND WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST. I’VE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING BESIDE YOU FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS THAT I’VE ALSO BEEN HERE AT KCRA. I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, I APPRECIATE YOUR GUIDANCE AND JUST YOUR ALWAYS ACCESSIBILITY. I KNOW FOR US IN OUR SCHEDULES, WE WERE KIND OF LIKE SHIPS PASSING THROUGH THE NIGHT, BUT WE ALWAYS FOUND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE. AND FOR THAT, I APPRECIATE YOU, FOR I HOPE RETIREMENT BRINGS YOU ALL THE JOY IN YOUR LIFE, SUCH AS GOLFING AND WINE TASTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR YEARS. BUT I’VE GOT TO RUN. THERE ARE STORMS IN THE SIERRA RIGHT NOW AND THE WEATHER IS NOT GOING TO TRACK ITSELF. SO HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THAT? THAT’S ON YOU? YEAH, RIGHT. UM, YOU KNOW, I’D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU. NOT ONLY TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? IT’S LIKE WE’RE OUT HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH BREAKING NEWS, AND WE’RE JUST. WE ARE JUST A FAMILY WINNER OUT HERE. UH, COVERING JUST NONE OF THE EVERYDAY NEWS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN BREAKING NEWS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE VIEWERS, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED MY RETIREMENT, THE THE AMOUNT OF EMAILS AND MESSAGES I’VE GOTTEN ONLINE, IT’S BEEN REALLY OVERWHELMING. AND I KNOW I HAVEN’T HAD TIME TO GET BACK TO ALL OF YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. IT DOES MEAN A LOT TO ME. AND, UH, MORE THAN YOU COULD POSSIBLY KNOW. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE HELPED US WHEN THERE’S A STORM GOING ON, AND YOU LET US KNOW THAT IT’S HAILING IN GRASS VALLEY, WE MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT OTHERWISE. SO YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEARS HAVE HELPED US TELL THE WEATHER STORY. AND AGAIN, THAT’S HELPED US, UH, MORE THAN YOU PROBABLY KNOW. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU AT HOME, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY WANTING TO KNOW WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND WHAT YOU’RE PLANNING AND HOW YOU’RE GOING TO SPEND YOUR TIME. WELL, SHORTLY. THERE’S GOING TO BE DINNER. OKAY. THAT’S A GOOD START. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT MORE TIME FOR TRAVEL, A LOT MORE TIME FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. I’M GOING TO TRY TO GET BETTER AT GOLF, BUT I KNOW THAT’S THAT’S THAT’S REALLY WISHFUL THINKING AT THIS POINT. THAT’S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND, DEL, I KNOW YOU WEREN’T HERE THE DAY THAT THEY WERE RUNNING AROUND WITH A CAMERA TAPING EVERYBODY. BUT I KNOW YOU ALSO WANTED TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU KNOW, MARK AND I WENT TO COLLEGE TOGETHER. WE WERE DORM MATES. WE LIVED ACROSS THE HALLWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND WE VOWED NOT TO EVER MENTION WHAT WE DID IN COLLEGE. BUT FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS, I’VE WORKED WITH MARK AND YOU’VE BEEN LIKE A BIG BROTHER TO ME. YOU’VE BEEN OUR, UH, IN-HOUSE GOLF EXPERT, ALWAYS MAKING SURE I GET IT RIGHT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND SIMPLY, I’M GOING TO MISS YOU. AND I LOVE YOU, BROTHER ONE YOU TO ANOTHER. MAYBE THERE YOU GO. I LOVE TO HEAR THAT WE WERE JOKING AROUND DURING THE 7:00 SHOW. REALLY? SAYING MARK COULDN’T LEAVE BECAUSE HE’S THE ONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO DO MATH RIGHT? I MEAN, WE GO TO HIM IF WE NEED TO KNOW A PERCENTAGE OF SOMETHING. BUT THEN MARK REMINDED US, HEATHER IS OUR RESIDENT SCIENCE SCIENTIST. ALL THINGS STEM. AND SO I KNOW YOU LEAVE US IN GOOD HANDS. AND HEATHER WILL BE JOINING US AT NIGHT FIVE DAYS A WEEK. YEAH, I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. BY THE WAY, JUST A LITTLE PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN. UH, MARK AND I, THE WHOLE WEATHER TEAM, WE CARE JUST AS MUCH ABOUT FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH RAIN ARE WE GOING TO GET IN THE VALLEY ON A WINTER STORM? HOW MUCH SNOW ARE WE GOING TO GET IN THE SIERRA? WE CARE JUST AS MUCH ABOUT WHAT WAS TOMORROW GOING TO BE 91 OR 92 DEGREES? THAT’S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT ON AIR. DURING OUR 4:00 SHOW. SO YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN WEATHER IS THAT DEEP IN YOUR VEINS? I MEAN, WE KNOW WEATHER’S NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU EVEN WHEN YOU LEAVE. KCRA KNOW, I’M RETIRING FROM TV, NOT FROM DOING WEATHER OR JUST, YOU KNOW, I’LL STILL GET UP IN THE MORNING AND LOOK AT COMPUTER MODELS EVERY MORNING. IT’S JUST. IT’S JUST WHAT I’LL DO. IT JUST. DOES THAT MEAN YOU’RE GOING TO BE CALLING US? I WAS THINKING THAT. YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT’S OKAY. JUST WONDERING. YEAH. BUT MAYBE. YEAH, THAT’S A MAYBE. BUT THE OTHER THING IS THAT I AS, AS HEATHER MENTIONED, UH, AND AS EVERYBODY HAS MENTIONED, WE WE DO HAVE A GREAT TEAM HERE. SO THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES ME FEEL GREAT IS I KNOW THE WEATHER TEAM IS JUST IN GREAT HANDS, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT OUR STAFF, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS IN GOOD HANDS. THAT MAKES ME GO INTO RETIREMENT KNOWING THAT, THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO GET TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT. AND I GUESS I WOULD JUST ADD, LIKE WE ARE WORK FRIENDS AND THEN WE’RE ALSO FRIENDS. FRIENDS. SO WE KNOW THIS IS NOT GOODBYE FOR US. JUST GOODBYE FOR THE TV PART. EXACTLY. YEAH. I’VE JUST BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THIS ONE. SHE’S BEEN A HOT MESS ALL WEEK, SO I’M NOT SAYING ANYTHING. LOOK AT HER RIGHT NOW. THAT’S NOT. I’M NOT SAYING ANYTHING. OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU’RE A STAR AND YOU’RE A NORTHERN STAR. AND WE’RE GOING TO FOLLOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU LAID OUT FOR US IN THE COMING DAYS AND YEARS. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT TO WORK WITH. THANKS, MARK. ALL RIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH. WE’LL SEE YOU AT TEN ON MY 58 AND 11 RIGHT HER
Mark Finan signs off as KCRA 3 chief meteorologist as he heads into retirement
Updated: 8:52 PM PDT Jun 14, 2024
For 33 years, Mark Finan guided Northern California viewers through severe storms, wildfires and daily forecasts.He served as a presence in households across the region, a trusted voice for many residents.Now, he will enjoy his well-deserved retirement.June 14, 2024, marked the final day of chief meteorologist Mark Finan’s decades-long career with KCRA 3. For the KCRA 3 newsroom, Mark has been a mentor, a caring coworker and a friend.”Because you have done things the way you have done them, we’re set up to be successful,” Meteorologist Heather Waldman shared. “Great leaders lead by example and care deeply about their team and their work and you are an incredible example of a great leader,” said KCRA 3 President and General Manager Ariel Roblin.Watch more well-wishes in the video player above.During his final KCRA 3 newscast, Mark also shared a message thanking the viewers.”Over the last couple of weeks since I announced my retirement, the amount of emails, messages I’ve gotten online, it’s really been overwhelming. And I know I haven’t had time to get back to all of you but I just want to say thank you. It does mean a lot to me and more than you could possibly know,” he said.Finan shared he couldn’t have served the community as he had without their support.”I also want to thank you for being there throughout the years. You don’t know how much you have helped us. When there’s a storm going on and you let us know that it’s hailing in Grass Valley, we might not know that otherwise. So you throughout the years have helped us tell the weather story and again that’s helped us more than you probably know,” he said.Ahead of his retirement, KCRA 3 News aired a half-hour special highlighting some of his most memorable moments covering California weather and what’s next for him. Watch below.Mark also joined our morning news Friday to offer early birds a chance to watch him live, a rare sight for the morning hours. Despite it being a big day for him, Mark treated it as if it were business as usual.”I woke up, and I’m not walking around my house going, ‘Oh, this is my last day’ or anything like that,” Mark said. “To me, it’s Friday. I’ve got things to do and weather to look at … There’s work to be done, so I’m focusing on that. Later on today, I’ll deal with what’s going to happen then.”| MORE LIKE THIS | ‘I am going to miss you’: KCRA 3 viewers share fond memories of Mark Finan ahead of his retirementHe spoke about how he appreciates the viewers who have made him feel welcome.”One of the comments that has really stuck with me is how much of a part of the family we all are to so many of the viewers and how KCRA represents home to so many people,” Mark said. “They’ll watch TV. They’ve been out of town, or maybe they’ve moved away, and they came back. They come back, and they see the 3 logo on the corner, and they’ll see a familiar face, and they’ll say, ‘Ah, this is home.'”
For 33 years, Mark Finan guided Northern California viewers through severe storms, wildfires and daily forecasts.
He served as a presence in households across the region, a trusted voice for many residents.
Now, he will enjoy his well-deserved retirement.
June 14, 2024, marked the final day of chief meteorologist Mark Finan’s decades-long career with KCRA 3.
For the KCRA 3 newsroom, Mark has been a mentor, a caring coworker and a friend.
“Because you have done things the way you have done them, we’re set up to be successful,” Meteorologist Heather Waldman shared.
“Great leaders lead by example and care deeply about their team and their work and you are an incredible example of a great leader,” said KCRA 3 President and General Manager Ariel Roblin.
Watch more well-wishes in the video player above.
During his final KCRA 3 newscast, Mark also shared a message thanking the viewers.
“Over the last couple of weeks since I announced my retirement, the amount of emails, messages I’ve gotten online, it’s really been overwhelming. And I know I haven’t had time to get back to all of you but I just want to say thank you. It does mean a lot to me and more than you could possibly know,” he said.
Finan shared he couldn’t have served the community as he had without their support.
“I also want to thank you for being there throughout the years. You don’t know how much you have helped us. When there’s a storm going on and you let us know that it’s hailing in Grass Valley, we might not know that otherwise. So you throughout the years have helped us tell the weather story and again that’s helped us more than you probably know,” he said.
Ahead of his retirement, KCRA 3 News aired a half-hour special highlighting some of his most memorable moments covering California weather and what’s next for him. Watch below.
Mark also joined our morning news Friday to offer early birds a chance to watch him live, a rare sight for the morning hours.
Despite it being a big day for him, Mark treated it as if it were business as usual.
“I woke up, and I’m not walking around my house going, ‘Oh, this is my last day’ or anything like that,” Mark said. “To me, it’s Friday. I’ve got things to do and weather to look at … There’s work to be done, so I’m focusing on that. Later on today, I’ll deal with what’s going to happen then.”
| MORE LIKE THIS | ‘I am going to miss you’: KCRA 3 viewers share fond memories of Mark Finan ahead of his retirement
He spoke about how he appreciates the viewers who have made him feel welcome.
“One of the comments that has really stuck with me is how much of a part of the family we all are to so many of the viewers and how KCRA represents home to so many people,” Mark said. “They’ll watch TV. They’ve been out of town, or maybe they’ve moved away, and they came back. They come back, and they see the 3 logo on the corner, and they’ll see a familiar face, and they’ll say, ‘Ah, this is home.'”