Matt Makens

Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist

  • Follow me on:

I’m thrilled to be with Colorado’s Own Channel 2. The reason is simple: I am Colorado’s Own.

I grew up watching Blinky’s Fun Club, I Love Lucy, Happy Days, Leave It To Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show on Channel 2. So, in a way, I’ve always been connected to the station. Now as a meteorologist.

I grew up outside of Castle Rock, attended Douglas County schools until I graduated from DCHS in ’98.

My greatest childhood memories are rooted in Colorado. I first swam underwater at the Glenwood Hot Springs – a common weekend trip for the family. I went to the Stock Show year after year. I competed annually in the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo – Rosie was my favorite hog of all time. My dad, a local veterinarian, would take me to work with him on Saturday’s and then we’d go to Caboose Hobbies; we had quite the railroad setup in our basement. My mom had a hard time keeping me inside as I was always on the loose wandering on our land. In a way, I can’t stay indoors for too long – I need to be in nature.

That passion for nature and weather came to a head when I went to The University of Kansas (well, a long story short on an Appointment to the AF Academy that ended with an eye disease). I graduated there in 2002 with a degree in Atmospheric Science – a combo of math and physics basically.
My love for weather grew instantly as I could now visualize and understand the science and process of what Mother Nature tries to do. Although we still can’t fully predict what she is up to, and likely never will reach a greater than 95% accuracy rating, we are much more accurate year after year as technology becomes more powerful. Plus, I have a bit of a “leg-up” on Colorado’s weather as I grew up watching it and the weird things it can do. My first tornado chase, unintentionally, was near Calhan after leaving the livestock auction with my older brother. I was 8 at the time.

After leaving college with more of an engineering background than a broadcasting one, I fell into a good string of luck with Sunflower Cable, KSNT-Topeka, KAKE-Wichita, WFTV-Orlando, and KMGH-Denver. All of which taught me valuable lessons in journalism and allowed my weather experience to grow. Most notable events along the career path were the tornado that hit my apartment in 2003 and then tracking one of the largest tornadoes ever recorded, the Greensburg tornado in 2007. Coverage along the way has earned several Emmy awards, state and AP honors, and of course memories and friendships.

From tropical systems in Florida to snow storms, I was given the wonderful opportunity to come home; I had attempted it constantly since 2002, but 2010 was the year of my homecoming.

I can’t imagine living anywhere else – this is home. And, I feel right at home on Colorado’s Own.

You can see my forecasts on Channel 2 nightly at 4, 7 and 11 p.m. Also at UteCountryConnection.com, EvergreenBound.com, 285bound.com, Weather5280.com, and MakensWeather.com. I can be heard on the following radio stations: Alice 105.9, 99.5 The Mountain, KS 107.5, Cruisin’ 1430 AM, Big 97.9, and Comedy 103.1, The Pirate Radio 104.7 and 93.5, KVAY 105.7, KFMU, KSPN, THE LIFT FM, THE REEL, KNFO, KSMT, KRKY, KSKE, BIG 97.9, KISS FM, RADIO 94.9, AND 107.9 the Bear.

I track the weather closely across the world too and post much more to my Facebook (@MattMakens), Twitter (@MattMakens), and Instagram (@MattMakensTV) accounts. Check ’em all out if you have a moment.

I also am happy to help with any charity or non-profit that I can. I’m currently on the Board of Advisors for the National Kidney Association here in Denver, which serves the entire region. I’m happy to help the American Heart Association as well.

Matt.Makens@KWGN.com

Recent Articles

  • Briefly calmer before storms and rain return mid-weekend

    DENVER — The risk of severe and generic thunderstorms shifts east through the evening leaving the city relatively clear to start the weekend, not to finish that way, however. Friday evening temperatures will be mostly in the 70s as storms clear the area. From 70s Friday evening to the 50s by Saturday morning we will make our way to the 80s again Saturday afternoon; this time just an isolated storm or two. Late Saturday into Sunday, however, rain and storm […]

  • Severe storms for the end of the week

    DENVER — Temperatures warmed into the seasonal mid-80s for the first day of summer in Denver on Thursday.  Although it was mostly stormless, that changes Friday and Sunday. There will be scattered storms on Friday as temperatures stay in the warm 80s. A few of those storms might contain hail and could be severe; the highest risk of damaging storms is east of Interstate 25. Although a storm or two is possible Saturday, the chance is quite a bit lower. […]

  • Near record heat through weekend

    DENVER — The heat remains, and yes this is unusual. This city set two record highs already this week – Tuesday and Wednesday – and will likely set another record Saturday. Saturday’s forecast high is 96 degrees and that will beat out the existing record of 95 from 2012. Speaking of 2012, that year holds the Denver record for most consecutive 90-degree plus days: 24 days. Friday has made the 5th consecutive 90-degree day and we’ll make it 7 with […]

  • Storms roll in to Denver with powerful winds

    DENVER –Storms rolled into metro Denver packing powerful winds Wednesday night. The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of near 60 mph south of Ken Caryl in southwest metro Denver around 8 p.m. A Severe thunderstorm Warning was issued for the metro area until 8:30 p.m. Temperatures hit the 90s across the Denver metro area on Monday afternoon with sunny skies and dry conditions. The average high this time of year is 78 degrees, making Monday unseasonably warm. Temperatures are […]

  • June starts off with warm temps

    We will be heading into the month of June with very warm temperatures.  The average high in Denver on the 1st of June is 77 degrees.  Our forecast is calling for an afternoon readings at 88-90 degrees.  So, we will easily be 10 degrees above normal. It will be dry & windy on Friday thanks to an approaching weak cold front that will kick up some gusts to 30 mph. In the wake of that cold front, your Saturday will […]

  • Hotter days ahead with 90s by Thursday

    DENVER — Temperatures are on a warming trend with 80s on Wednesday and into the 90s on Thursday. There will be another chance for afternoon storms on Wednesday. The timing is the usual afternoon storms moving through Denver and evening storms on the eastern Plains. A few severe storms will be possible mainly east of the city.  But all storms will be capable of producing lightning, wind and hail. The weather pattern after Wednesday looks to be mainly dry and […]

  • After day of tornadoes and hail, weather quiets briefly

    DENVER — There were multiple reports of tornadoes and hail on Monday over the Plains and into the metro area. No significant damage has been reported. The weather for the rest of the overnight will be calmer, although some large storms may continue over the far eastern Plains. Tuesday starts quietly with temperatures in the 50s and headed to the mid-70s. Storms are possible again Tuesday, however, though not as strong or as many. Severe weather is possible all across […]

  • Windsor, Colo tornado damage. May 2008

    Interactive map: See how close a tornado has come to your home

    WINDSOR — Tuesday is the 10th anniversary of the Windsor tornado, arguably the most devastating tornado in Colorado’s recorded history. This tornado was rare for Colorado in a few ways. Strength was an EF3 (there have been 24 EF/F 3 rated tornadoes in Colorado since 1950). Path was nearly 40 miles long (second-longest in Colorado history). Mile-wide at one point (widest in Colorado history). Headed to in a northwest direction. Developed in the late morning, just before 11:30 a.m. An […]

  • State’s first tornado of year developed early Monday evening

    ELBERT COUNTY, Colo. — Early Monday evening, the first tornado of the year in the state was recorded. It was in far eastern Elbert County, northeast of Kiowa and southwest of Agate. At 5:10 pm, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning as rotation became tighter and just as the radar noted a couplet, a tornado was spotted. A funnel cloud was spotted with associated dust swirl at the ground level. It was later determined the witness account matched […]

  • Colorado’s first tornado of year hits Elbert County; warm weather ahead

    DENVER — There was a confirmed tornado, the first of the year for the state, in Elbert County just after 5 p.m. Monday. No damage was reported. Additional isolated storms are possible through the late evening. Tuesday will start with partly sunny skies along the Front Range. Winds will be breezy to gusty through the day, but that warms Denver to 82 degrees in the afternoon with a 10 percent chance of an isolated shower or storm. It is the […]

  • Storms hit metro Denver with hail, heavy rain & flooding; Soggy weekend ahead

    DENVER — Showers & thunderstorms moved off the foothills and across metro Denver Friday evening bringing hail, heavy rain, flooding and lightning to some locations.  Some of the storms south of Denver and on the NE plains of Colorado turned severe.  Larger hail was the main threat on plains later Friday night. Soggy Saturday forecast We are expecting a soggy Saturday with showers likely across NE Colorado including Denver.  There may be one or two thunderstorms as well.  This will […]

  • Severe storms could bring hail

    DENVER — An isolated thunderstorm is possible across northeast Colorado on Thursday evening. There could be a severe storm with large hail in the extreme northeast corner of the state. Most places will stay dry Thursday night. Friday we have a better chance for scattered thunderstorms across Denver and northeast Colorado. Some of the storms could be severe with lightning, wind and hail being the biggest threat. #cowx we have a slight risk for severe thunderstorms on Friday across NE […]