Bring A Guest Wed. for A Great Program: Garrett Lewis

Garrett Lewis, KFSM-TV's Chief Meteorologist, can be seen weeknights at 5, 6, & 10pm. Garrett's passion for forecasting and weather comes from growing up in the small Arkansas town of Alma. Garrett has witnessed some of the most amazing weather events unfold in our area including the 1996 Van Buren tornado, the crippling ice storm of 2000, the flooding of 2004, and the 2006 Benton County tornado.

"Growing up, I was frustrated with the overnight severe weather coverage in this area. I would channel surf throughout the night trying to find detailed weather coverage. I told myself, if I ever made it to television, I would always be there in the middle of the night or early morning to let my viewers know what on earth was going on. 5NEWS allows me to use crawls, commercial weather updates, or even breaking in over programming when lives are in danger."

Some of his most memorable weather moments stem from storm chasing in the Great Plains, including the May 3, 1999 outbreak which spawned several tornadoes in Central Oklahoma. Garrett also reported live in 100mph winds as Hurricane Lili made landfall near New Iberia, Louisiana. In fact, Garrett's passion for weather led to an unusual hobby: collecting hailstones and freezing them in the refrigerator.

Garrett joined 5NEWS in December 1999 and went on-air in July of 2001. Garrett now works as the Chief Meteorologist and can be seen at 5, 6, and 10pm on 5NEWS. His weather credentials come from Mississippi State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geosciences with an emphasis in Meteorology. Garrett also holds a certification in broadcast meteorology from MSU.

In addition, Garrett has been awarded the 'National Weather Association's Seal of Approval' and the American Meteorological Society's Seal of Approval. Garrett has been recognized by the Arkansas Associated Press for his weathercasts.

When he's not tracking storms with Live MAX5 Doppler Radar you can usually find Garrett outside canoeing, kayaking or climbing. He's also very much into triathlon training (bicycling, running, & swimming). Garrett also passes the time studying scripture, playing acoustic guitar or playing with his three Jack Russell Terriers, Avery, Benny and Peaches.

You may hear Garrett on the HAM radio during severe weather. His call sign is KD5OMI. During severe weather the MAX5 Storm Team coordinates with local Skywarn Storm Spotters as well as the National Weather Service in both Little Rock and Tulsa to share emergency information.

Garrett and his wife, Ashley, have been married for 6 years & they attend Heritage Church.