Weathercaster Raines Takes Teaching Post

Meteorologist Dallas Raines, the well-tanned weatherman of Eyewitness News on KABC-TV (Channel 7), joined the geography department at Cal State Northridge this fall and is teaching a class on weather, university officials said.

Raines, 44, who has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast meteorology from Florida State University, is teaching “Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences and Weather and Climate” every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., said I-Shou Wang, chairman of CSUN’s geography department.

“The main thing that attracted me is that CSUN has excellent geography and geo sciences departments,” Raines said.

Wang said Raines, who had previously taken geography courses at CSUN from Gong-YuhLin, had expressed an interest in teaching at the university.

“We thought he would be a great and dynamic teacher for us, especially with his knowledge of the weather,” Wang said.

“He has a lot to offer to our students and, so far, his students have been very excited about his lectures.”

Through the first week of the fall semester, which began Monday, Raines’ class has proven to be popular among students looking to add classes, Wang said.

Although the class has been filled to capacity this semester, Wang said Raines will be teaching the same class in spring 1999.

While teaching at CSUN, Raines said he is going to work on his master’s degree in meteorology with a specialization in climate.

In addition, Raines is going to give a public lecture, “Weather Forecasting in Los Angeles: It’s More Than Morning Clouds and Afternoon Sun,” Sept. 23.

The free lecture will be held at Sierra Hall, room 122, from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, contact the CSUN geography department at (818) 677-3532.