Samenow is a native of Washington, D.C. area,[1] growing up in the Lake Barcroft community of Falls Church, Virginia.
[2][3] As a high school student, Samenow was an intern for Bob Ryan, the chief meteorologist of WRC-TV (NBC4), who became an important mentor to him.
[1] The Capital Weather Gang experienced a surge in public interest during the so-called "Snowmageddon" (the February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard).
Samenow states that the groups tries to "do our best to accurately and fairly convey the latest, peer-reviewed scientific findings and the range of credible viewpoints.
[2] Samenow was named 2010 "Climate Change Communicator of the Year" by the George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication (4C), sharing the honor with BBC World Service Trust.