Beyond the Forecast: Jorge Torres’ Rise at ABC15 and his Passion for Weather

Jorge Torres is the friendly face bringing viewers weather updates to ABC15’s weekday afternoons. He’s not just a meteorologist; he’s a seasoned weather enthusiast with a career that spans over a decade.

His fascination for weather began in childhood, captivated by thunderstorms in his native Texas. “I was always fascinated by severe weather, and I was hooked as a kid,” Torres said.

Born in Austin, Texas of a Puerto Rican father and Mexican mother, Torres’ career in broadcast meteorology started in El Paso back in 2009. He’s now one of four meteorologists at ABC15 and has been part of their team since 2019.

In his nearly five years tracking Arizona’s weather, Jorge continues to be surprised by the state’s diverse climate, particularly by the amount of snowfall in and around Flagstaff. “When people think of Arizona, they don’t think of snow. But that’s something that happens every winter up north,” he said. He’s equally surprised by the amount of rain in the Valley during wintertime. “It’s still not compared to many parts of the country but more so than even I thought.”

And when it comes to Arizona’s infamous scorching temperatures, Jorge approaches them with humor, acknowledging that everyone feels the heat in the summertime. However, his favorite season to cover in Arizona is fall, relishing the cooler temperatures and changing colors up north.

Throughout his career, Jorge has encountered memorable stories, from covering floods in Gila County to documenting Phoenix’s efforts to combat heatwaves. “One story I remember covering last year is when the City of Phoenix unveiled one of the city buses as a makeshift cooling center for some of the unhoused in Downtown,” he recounts, “I believe it hit 119 degrees that day. Just getting inside that air-conditioned bus for a little bit was something that really put things into perspective as to what people go through on a regular basis.”

Jorge also notes the changing landscape of news consumption, with more viewers turning to online platforms for updates. “More people are able to access us not just through television but more so online on social media,” he observes, “so you need to go where the people are. The dynamics are changing to where people are going to watch us on, so the challenge is being able to access those people and tell them what’s happening where they are as opposed to them coming to us like they did years ago.”

Off-duty, Jorge enjoys traveling, often encountering unique weather phenomena during his trips. He sees it as a bonus to his experiences. Despite the challenges and dangers of his job, Jorge finds immense reward in serving the community. “The most rewarding aspect of what I do is knowing that we’re making a difference,” he affirms.

To aspiring meteorologists, Jorge offers sage advice: embrace the fear and pursue the passion. He hopes to continue his career for years to come, providing valuable information and telling stories that matter.

“I am hopeful that I can continue doing this profession … until I decide to retire, which I have no desire to do any time soon [laughs],” he said. “I’ll continue to do this as long as I’m happy doing it, which I am very happy doing.”

Proud to represent the Latino community in the Valley, Jorge sees his journey as a testament to perseverance and the support of his family. “Growing up, I didn’t really see a lot of people doing what I do and being able to be one of those here in the Valley, it shows those like me that you can do it,” he said.

“My career has gone in a direction I only dreamt about. And being able to do it as long as I have, I feel it says a lot about the work ethic that was instilled in me by my family. It’s taken me this far and I am very grateful for what they did to allow me to do this.”