Castle Pines is home to award-winning meteorologist
By Chris Michlewicz; courtesy photos
Dave Fraser
He’s a familiar face on TV and a familiar face in the neighborhood. Dave Fraser, the chief meteorologist for FOX31 and Channel 2 News, has called Castle Pines home ever since he landed in Colorado almost 20 years ago.
“It was serendipitous. We looked at so many homes that for one reason or another didn’t fit for us before we found this one,” he said. “The timing and location were just right.”
Since that time, Fraser has fallen in love with the community, become great friends with his neighbors and, along with his wife of 21 years, Kathy, raised two boys who went to Timber Trail Elementary School, Rocky Heights Middle School and Rock Canyon High School.
“It’s not about being on TV, it’s about using TV as a medium to get the forecast out so people can plan out their day and weekend.”
Over the last 20 years, Fraser has also racked up multiple honors, including a recent Emmy, and on multiple occasions the title of “Best Weathercaster” by the Colorado Broadcasters Association. The accolades are humbling and flattering, Fraser said, but the real reward is the heartwarming feedback he receives from viewers.
“The bigger deal for me is meeting people who watch me and enjoy what I do and trust what I do,” he said. “It’s not about being on TV, it’s about using TV as a medium to get the forecast out so people can plan out their day and weekend.”
FOX31 and Channel 2 News Chief Meteorologist Dave Fraser, his wife, Kathy, and their boys Ethan and Derrick, enjoy a hike in Crested Butte.
Colorado has served up numerous severe weather events over the years, but the most memorable for Fraser was the blizzard of 2003, which buried the Denver area under feet of snow and stranded Fraser at the news station for two and a half days. When he was finally able to reach Castle Pines, he had to park his car in a snowbank and hike to his house.
“As I came around the corner, I heard my oldest son say, ‘There’s dad!’” Fraser said. “My neighbors and wife had carved paths so they could get to each other’s houses. They were sharing food and milk and other things.”
The experience was emblematic of a community the Frasers have come to love. When they arrived in Castle Pines, they knew it was home.
In his free time, Fraser plays golf and often went camping and skiing with his family when his kids were growing up. Now that they’re in college, the Frasers have more time to enjoy backyard cookouts with neighbors. They’re also planning a visit to the Black Hills of South Dakota with former neighbors from Cincinnati.
Although they enjoyed living in smaller cities before arriving in Castle Pines, the Frasers have no plans to leave Colorado anytime soon. Fraser, a Boston native, said he would like to spend the remainder of his career here, saying “we’ve nestled ourselves here in the community.”
“The kids consider this home; we love the lifestyle and I don’t see any other part of the country pulling me away,” he said.
