CBS Colorado's Dave Aguilera set to be inducted into the Heartland Emmy chapter's Silver Circle

CBS Colorado's First Alert Chief Meteorologist Dave Aguilera will be inducted into the Silver Circle at the Heartland Emmy Awards this weekend. The Silver Circle honors members of the media who have achieved 25 years or more in the television business and have made outstanding contributions to the industry and their community.

Aguilera was born, raised and proud to be from Colorado's "Steel City."

"Pueblo gave me this work mentality that I've got to work all the time. I can't stop. If I stop, it's going to go away," Aguilera said.

The southern Colorado city is where he got his start in journalism and became interested in weather.

"I love finding things out and figuring out what's going to happen. And then it's kind of like I've got this little secret and I can't wait to tell somebody that 'We're going to get 20 inches of snow!' It's kind of like that thrill you get of gossiping about somebody, but I'm gossiping about the weather," he said.

He did weather at KCSJ radio in 1985 before he headed to the Western Slope for his first TV job in Grand Junction. After a stop in Albuquerque, he made his way to Denver in 1993. Across 40 years in television, he has spent the last 33 of them at CBS Colorado.

"I still just love coming to work. And part of it, I think, is not only doing the weather thing, but also the people that I work with," Aguilera said.

Aguilera also loves community events and his decades of doing school visits.

"Me and a friend, way back in the late 80s made a tornado machine, and the kids loved that. And that kind of became the cornerstone of all of my weather visits," Aguilera said. "I just love going and talking to kids about weather because they're always interested in weather because it affects everybody."

In 2024, Aguilera was named chief meteorologist, a well deserved promotion. President and General Manager of CBS Colorado Tim Wieland congratulated him stating, "Dave, congratulations. This is such a well deserved honor. I'm proud to have worked with you from back in our News4 days when we worked on the lottery drawing together."

First Alert Meteorologist Lauren Whitney said, "Dave is a really incredible human. And, although he is incredible on TV, he's an even more amazing person behind the scenes."

Kristine Strain, Vice President and Station Manager of CBS Colorado, said, "When I think of Dave Aguilera, I think of Colorado. Dave is Colorado. Born, raised, bred, and he is all about Colorado weather."

"Dave's the g.o.a.t., the best mentor," First Alert Meteorologist Joe Ruch said.

"Dave, you have such a passion for weather, and it's infectious," said First Alert Meteorologist Callie Zanandrie. "I love how you have done school visits for so many years to share your passion with students. And earlier this year, you kind of passed the torch to Joe and myself. You are such a great mentor, and an even better person, and congratulations." 

"He is who he is on TV. He's a natural. And he loves weather. He's so enthusiastic, you know, you see the hands all the time. 'Oh, this is happening and that is happening,'" said former CBS Colorado news anchor and reporter Kathy Walsh.

Aguilera 's passion and great attitude shine on and off the air, and he's always ready to talk about the weather, his family or Pueblo any chance he gets.

"Growing up in Pueblo, I don't know, gave me roots. My dad worked in the steel mill, and most of my family worked in the steel mill," Aguilera shared. "It's just a place, when I go back, I feel grounded."

Dave Aguilera: a father, a Colorado native, a chief meteorologist. And now, a Silver Circle honoree.