Brian Karstens Bio, Age, Height, Wife, Salary, Net Worth, KELO-TV

Brian Karstens is a veteran American broadcast-meteorologist and investigative reporter best known for his 25-year tenure at KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he delivered everything from tornado warnings to light-hearted “Morning Moms” segments that went viral nationwide.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Brian Karstens was born on March 21, 1968, in Carroll, Iowa, and grew up on the family farm near Auburn. Fascinated by Great Plains weather, he began recording daily conditions in a grade-school notebook and built a plywood “weather-studio” in his basement. After graduating Carroll High School (1986) he earned a B.A. in Journalism/Speech Communication from Iowa State University (1990) and later completed the Broadcast Meteorology program at Mississippi State University (2003) to earn the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) seal.

Career Journey

Radio Roots (1984–1990)

Still in high school, Brian started part-time at AM 1220 KJAN in Atlantic, Iowa, spinning records and reading ag-market reports. By college he was morning-news anchor at KASI-AM in Ames, laying the groundwork for a smooth transition to television.

First TV Stop – KCAU-TV Sioux City (1990–1995)

Hired as a nightside reporter/weekend weather-fill, Karstens covered the 1993 Midwest floods and chased his first tornado live on-air, a segment that won an Iowa AP award.

Weekend Meteorologist – WOI-TV Des Moines (1995–2000)

Promoted to chief weekend meteorologist, he piloted “StormTrack 5,” central Iowa’s first Doppler-branded weathercast, and provided wall-to-wall coverage of the 1998 Comfrey–St. Peter tornado outbreak.

KELOLAND This Morning – KELO-TV Sioux Falls (2000–2025)

Weather Authority Role

Brian served as morning meteorologist for 25 years, forecasting everything from –30 °F blizzards to 115 °F heat. Viewers nicknamed him “the human barometer” for seemingly nailing snowfall totals within a tenth of an inch.

Investigative & Feature Work

• “Morning Moms” series (2011-2014): surprise make-overs for Sioux Empire mothers; clips surpassed 20 million Facebook views.
• “Code Red: Tornado 2012” – Emmy-winning special on the Harristown, SD, EF-4 twister.
• “Drought to Downpour” (2020) – documented 14-month transition from extreme drought to record 2020 floods.

Digital Innovation

Launched KELO’s first weather app tutorial videos (2012) and led the station’s transition to 3-D graphics (2015). His Facebook Live storm-chases routinely drew 50 k+ concurrent viewers.

Departure & Freelance Era (2025-present)

On June 25, 2025, Karstens announced he was “stepping away from the green-screen” to spend more time with family and to consult on renewable-energy communication projects for South Dakota wind-farm developers.

Career Stats

• AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist – Seal #1295 (2003-present)
• Emmy Awards – 2 Upper-Midwest Regional (2013, 2019)
• AP Awards – 7 Iowa/South Dakota (Best Weathercast 2001, 2005, 2010, 2016)
• Tornadoes chased live – 47
• Blizzards covered – 23
• Longest continuous on-air weather coverage – 11 h 42 m (April 2018 ice storm)
• Social-media following (2026) – 180 k Facebook, 65 k Twitter/X, 45 k Instagram

Personal Life

Marriage & Family

Brian married college sweetheart Dawn (née Petersen), a registered nurse, on October 9, 1993. They reside in Brandon, South Dakota, with their two daughters, Madison (b. 1998) and Morgan (b. 2002).

Dating History

Prior to marriage, Brian briefly dated a fellow KJAN radio staffer in the late 1980s; no other public relationships have been documented.

Hobbies & Community

An avid cyclist, he has completed the 104-mile “Storm Lake Loop” six times for charity. He also plays rhythm guitar in the part-time classic-rock band “Cold Front,” which performs at Sioux Falls fundraisers.

Physical Statistics

• Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
• Weight: ≈ 175 lb (79 kg)
• Build: Athletic / storm-chaser fit
• Hair: Brown (silver temples)
• Eyes: Hazel
• Shoe Size: 11 US

Quotes

“In the Midwest the weather doesn’t wait for the commercial break—so you’d better know your stuff before the red light pops on.”

“Viewers invite us into their homes at 5 a.m.; the least I can do is tell them whether to grab an umbrella or a snow shovel—and get it right.”

“Stepping away from daily forecasting is bittersweet, but storms will still roll and I’ll still chase—just on my own clock.”

Controversies

Karstens has largely avoided controversy. In 2017 a viewer criticized his on-air comment that “climate change is real and happening now,” prompting a brief station clarification that KELO weathercasts are “based on peer-reviewed science.” Brian himself never retracted the statement.

Favorites

• Season: Severe-weather spring
• Radar product: Dual-pol differential reflectivity
• Comfort food: Pork tenderloin sandwich
• Music: Classic rock (Springsteen, Tom Petty)
• Vacation spot: Black Hills, SD
• Sports team: Iowa State Cyclones

Salary & Net Worth

• Peak KELO salary (2024): ≈ $120 k base + $25 k overtime/severe-weather bonus
• Freelance/consulting (2026): Project-based, avg. $8 k/month
• Real-estate holdings: Brandon home valued at $420 k, small Iowa farmland inheritance
• Retirement/403(b): ≈ $550 k
• Estimated net worth 2026: $1.2 million

Interesting Facts

1. Brian’s first on-air blooper—saying “partly clowny” instead of “partly cloudy”—became a station catch-phrase for years.
2. He still uses the original Davis Instruments weather station he installed on his roof in 1998.
3. Once postponed his daughter’s birth announcement because a tornado warning was active.
4. Has a cameo as a TV meteorologist in the independent film “South Dakota Strong” (2021).
5. Keeps a collection of hailstones in his freezer, each dated and located.

Did You Know?

Karstens is the only Sioux Falls broadcaster to have both the AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist seal and an Emmy for investigative reporting—proving he can crunch numbers and chase storms with equal skill.

Social Media Links

• Facebook: facebook.com/KeloBrianKarstens
• Twitter/X: @BrianKarstens
• Instagram: @briankarstens
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brian-karstens

FAQs

How long was Brian Karstens at KELO-TV?
Brian served 25 consecutive years (2000-2025), making him the station’s longest-running morning meteorologist.

Is Brian Karstens a real meteorologist?
Yes—he holds the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation, earned after completing the rigorous Mississippi State broadcast-meteorology program.

Why did Brian leave KELOLAND News?
He chose to spend more time with family and to consult on renewable-energy communication projects in the upper Midwest.

Who replaced Brian on KELO This Morning?
Weekend meteorologist Adam Rutt was promoted to weekday mornings effective July 2025.

What is Brian Karstens doing now?
He freelances for renewable-energy firms, provides severe-weather safety seminars, and occasionally fills in on regional radio.

Conclusion

From a teenager spinning records in Carroll, Iowa, to a household name across the Northern Plains, Brian Karstens parlayed small-town curiosity about clouds into a distinguished, Emmy-winning broadcast career. Whether guiding viewers through blizzards or surprising moms on live TV, he combined scientific rigor with relatable storytelling—an approach that will continue to influence Midwest weather broadcasting long after his final radar loop.

Share this updated biography with anyone who ever started their day with Brian’s forecast—and let’s all keep an eye on the sky together.