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Sue Palka, Fox 5 DC's Chief Meteorologist, on what makes a successful on-air weather forecast~\n\n"It's a combination of a teaching experience, from my teaching years, which were only about seven years. I remember that you have a main idea that you have to deliver, and I feel like I've failed as a forecaster if you don't know the weather when I'm done."\n\nSue Palka and Joe Palka with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview\n\nAndy Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen. This is Our Town. It's such a pleasure. I mean, it so sincerely to have two of my favorite people in broadcast and life in Washington, DC, Joe and Sue Palka. Welcome to Our Town!\nSue Palka:\tAndy, I know you say that to every guest, but we are delighted to see you because you're the real star of this podcast and we are so excited.\nJoe Palka:\tThat's true, how many people say to you that you are my hero, Andy, and you continue to be my hero, you really do.\nAndy Ockershausen: It sounds like hero worship, but it's true. They don't worship me, they worship those call letters.\nJoe Palka's First Impression of WMAL Personalities, 1980s\nJoe Palka:\tIt's true, but well, they were great call letters. The most outstanding among a handful in the entire country. And boy, I can remember when I was a young broadcaster back in the 70s and early 80s and I would think of WMAL. Around 1980 when we were first married, we came to visit some people in Washington. I was still in Erie at WRIE, and I heard this guy, John Lyon on the air in the afternoon, and he was, he picked up a guitar and he started singing. I'm just, "Oh my God." And then there was a guy Tom Gauger on and he was playing piano with somebody from the philharmonic. Then I found out that John Lyon was just a fill in, I thought, this is the greatest radio station I'd ever heard in my life.\nAndy Ockershausen: Joe Palka, you are a fountain of information. What you have done and you've accomplished is amazing, 'cause your wife has out gamed you, like my wife has out gamed me. That's so great, I'm so proud of Sue Palka, what she has accomplish and what Janice Ockershausen has accomplished, and we're lucky to have two great women in our lives.\nJoe Palka:\tWho had no taste in men, right?\nAndy Ockershausen: That's right.\nSue Palka:\tWell, I'll tell you, honestly-\nAndy Ockershausen: Well I'll tell you, reading about you guys in Erie, Pennsylvania, the snow capital of the world, they tell me.\nSue Palka:\tMy gosh, they had 13 inches of snow on November 10th this year. My dad-\nAndy Ockershausen: In Erie.\nThe Palkas Live in Our Town Thanks to Andy O\nSue Palka:\t-and he said, I gotta get out of here. They had over about 200 inches last year. But before we get into Erie, Andy, I've got to just say Joe and I would not be in DC if it weren't for you. And I never forget that. And when you invited us on the podcast, I told Fox 5, "I'm absolutely doing this, I have to do it because I owe Andy." We would not even be here if it weren't for you and WMAL offering Joe the job.\nJoe Palka:\tLet's toss a couple of bones to a couple of people who are no longer with us, Jim Gallant and Eileen Griffin. Now they were also responsible for my departure, but guess what, had they not brought me here, our life would have changed entirely.\nAndy Ockershausen: Everything was timing. Was on my way out when you came in, but that happens too.\nJoe Palka:\tYeah, well, God works in funny ways.\nAndy Ockershausen: But that's life. But to have Sue remain in our lives has been terrific for Janice and I cause we knew her as a fresh face kid doing weekends, and all of a sudden she's a major, major star. And I say that, I know what I'm talking about. I know what the public reflects about Sue Palka.\nJoe Palka:\tWell, I have a feeling that had television not been invented in 1985 when \nSue first started, they would have invented it just for her.\nSue Palka:\tOh, stop.\nJoe Palka:\tOh no, you were a school teacher.