Warren Culbertson was born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1919. He attended Trinity University where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry. While attending the University of Texas as a graduate student in 1942, Culbertson joined the Army Air Force to serve in World War II. While in the military, he earned a master's degree in meteorology from the California Institute of Technology in 1943, and later served as a military meteorologist in North Africa and Italy. Before leaving to California, Culbertson married Dale Frances Martin in April 1942.
After the war, Culbertson returned to North Texas, teaching chemistry and physics at Arlington University. He joined WFAA-TV in 1950 as the stations first meteorologist. He introduced the use of radar for weather forecast in 1958. That would also be the year when Culbertson left Dallas for Chicago, becoming a weatherman for WBKB-TV until 1963. From 1963 to 1966, Culbertson stayed out of the television, returning to Waxahachie to run his father's business and serve on the city council. He returned to television in 1966 for KRLD-TV and later did weather for KVIL radio. Warren Culbertson passed away in September 2008.
The Warren Culbertson Papers consists of materials documenting his career in meteorology for both televison and radio in Dallas and Chicago. Included are correspondence, newspaper clippings and promotional photographs, amongst other materials kept by Culbertson to document his career.
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
MA99-4 Warren Culbertson Papers, Texas/Dallas History & Archives Division, Dallas Public Library
Finding Guide prepared by Bryan McKinney