MEDIA RELEASE

Raymond “Ray” Tanabe has been selected as the new meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Honolulu.

“Ray is well known and highly respected in the weather, aviation, and disaster management communities in Hawaii and across the Pacific,” said Jeff LaDouce, director of the National Weather Service’s Pacific Region.

“He has represented the National Weather Service on key Hawaii state forums, consortiums, and committees, related to hazard mitigation and preparedness, as well as key international efforts for improvements to weather services in the region,” LaDouce said. “Ray’s dedication, expert knowledge, and experience will help ensure the people of the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the greater Pacific Islands continue to receive the best possible weather forecasts and warnings.”

Prior to accepting the position as meteorologist-in-charge, Tanabe served as the Deputy of Operations and as Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Honolulu forecast office, and its co-located Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

While serving in these positions, Tanabe was the U.S. representative to the World Meteorological Organization’s Severe Weather Forecasting and Disaster Risk Reduction Project for the Southwest Pacific, a significant regional project dedicated to strengthening meteorological training and support to less developed meteorological agencies in Pacific Island nations.

He has also served as an international aviation expert, and conducted training workshops on aviation hazards to numerous groups.

Tanabe launched his National Weather Service career as a Meteorologist Intern at the forecast office in Oxnard, Calif., in August 2000. In February 2003, he returned to Honolulu where he worked as a General Forecaster and Senior Forecaster before joining the office management staff in 2007.

Tanabe worked as a Student Trainee and Graduate Research Assistant at the Honolulu forecast office from 1997 to 2000 and worked as a summer intern in 1996 in Silver Spring, Md.

Tanabe earned a bachelor’s degree (1997) and a Master’s degree in meteorology in 2000, from the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

NOAA’s National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. NOAA’s National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.

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