Rusty Dawkins of ABC 6 News has earned the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation, a professional recognition of the quality of his weather broadcasts. Dawkins is only the second broadcast meteorologist in the ABC 6 News viewing area to earn the new designation.

The CBM designation is sought as a mark of distinction and recognition among radio and television meteorologists. The AMS grants the CBM designation to broadcast meteorologists who meet established criteria for scientific competence and effective communication skills in their weather presentations.

The CBM is a new program, launched in January 2005, as an upgrade to the Society’s Seal of Approval program. “The Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation clearly recognizes that holders have the educational background and have been tested in their knowledge and communication of the sciences needed to be an effective broadcast meteorologist,” explained AMS Executive Director Keith Seitter. “The general public can have added confidence in the quality and reliability of weather presentations made by broadcast meteorologists approved by the Society.”

Dawkins received his degree from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and since then has been on-air exclusively in the Midwest for nearly a decade. He currently oversees the most responsive and extensive weather team in the market.