Storms, Spam & Staying Put with KQ2’s Mike Bracciano

For 38 years, Mike Bracciano has been the voice Northwest Missouri trusts when the sky turns green. Some folks in St. Joseph can’t remember a time he wasn’t on their TV. On this episode of The 39/94 Podcast, Jodie sits down with her former KQ2 colleague and good friend to hear the stories behind the forecast. Mike tells us how he went from watching storms roll in as a kid in Lawrence, Kansas, to a first day on air in July 1987 that ended in the GM’s office. He explains why he kept turning down bigger markets: he never wanted to uproot his four kids, and he only ever wanted to be happy doing what he loves. Along the way, Mike looks back on helping launch Live at Five, doing the weather from his basement during COVID and the Flood of ‘93. He also shares how close he came to not being here at all, and how he still checked on the morning show from his hospital bed. And of course, there are plenty of laughs. There’s the great Spam jelly debate, viewers delivering Cherry Cokes, a bride asking for her wedding-day forecast seven months out, the bell choir his wife directs, and an overseas flight story involving no shirt and no pants that Mike STILL won’t finish. (Mike, we need answers.) Mike also takes us back to the days of AP and UPI wire printers, dial-up weather maps, and a radar from World War II. Then he tells Jodie what he hopes people remember about him 50 years from now. In this episode: How Mike landed in St. Joe in 1987, and the rough first day that almost ended it Why he chose community and family over bigger markets Helping launch KQ2’s Live at Five The Flood of ‘93 and the storms he’ll never forget Why the bicycle helmet advice is no joke How weather technology changed from dial-up maps to today’s satellites The appendix scare that nearly cost him his life Grandbabies, bell choir, Spam jelly, and a pants-less mystery The legacy Mike hopes to leave Have an opinion on Spam jelly? Let us know in the comments! 🥫 The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week! Watch this episode on YouTube: @the3994podcast Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: Patreon Our sponsors: North Central Missouri College www.ncmissouri.edu | Scooter’s Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph (Facebook: ScootersCoffeeSavannah) | Wollenman Family’s Deluxe Truck Stop https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/ | Gina’s Cafe & Catering https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/ | E.L. Crawford Construction http://www.elcrawford.com/ | Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ And for this episode: Hair by Morgan (Facebook: Hair by Morgan Hontz)