Udelson family talks Steve’s 40-year weather career

CHARLOTTE — Steve Udelson has been with Channel 9 since 1997, and for many of you, we know he’s become like family.

But to Steve’s family, they’ve called the chief meteorologist “dad” or in the case of his granddaughter, Sophie, “Poppy.”

It’s those other titles that will take the place of chief meteorologist as Steve walks away from the Severe Weather Center and into retirement.

“I guess it’s like the end of an era,” said Dana, Steve’s daughter.

Channel 9′s John Ahrens spoke with Steve’s wife, Susan, and his daughters, Rachel and Dana. They say his career has been a guiding force in their lives too.

“First word that comes to my mind is just proud, very proud,” Susan told Ahrens. “It’s a big deal to be in a market that long and have that kind of relationship with the viewing audience, and we’ve gotten to witness all that. We’re just super proud of him.”

So what’s it like to be related to a celebrity and have people walk up to your family while going out to eat?

“It makes me laugh because people assume they know him because he’s been doing it so long, he’s their friend,” Rachel said. “And I’ll be like, ‘Do you know them?’ [Steve] will be like, ‘No idea who they are.’”

“My favorite is when he pretends that it’s not him and he says, ‘I just look like him, he’s my twin,’” Dana recalled.

“He does that?” Ahrens asked her.

“Oh yeah ... ‘til the end, [then] he says it’s me,” Dana said.

“They’ll say, ‘You look just like Steve from Channel 9,’ [and he’ll reply], ‘Really? People tell me that,’” Susan said.

For 27 years, Steve has been the weather authority in the Carolinas. His kids have grown up with him in the limelight, and that’s led to some assumptions about them, too.

“They think we always know the weather and they’ll text us like, ‘You have the inside scoop,’ and I’m like, ‘I really don’t,’” Dana said. “We don’t really talk about the weather at all, but if he lets me know, I’ll let you know!”

Now, as Steve prepares to call it a career, his family is ready to get him back. Although Susan says she doesn’t expect him to do too much sitting around.

“He’s definitely type-A and likes to be doing something and busy, so retirement is going to be interesting,” Susan said with a laugh.

(WATCH: Record Coat Collection for the 20th Anniversary of Steve’s Coats for Kids)