Michael Hill 

Location: Jackson, MS
Office:WFO Jackson, MS
Job Title: Warning Coordination Meteorologist

Educational Background:

• B.S Geosciences/Meteorology from Mississippi State University

Describe the career path that led you to your current job with the National Weather Service.

• I was always interested in weather growing up in central Alabama where severe weather is king. I started as a student volunteer at WFO Jackson, MS where I was able to get my introduction to NWS operations. After graduation, I started as an Intern Meteorologist at WFO Caribou, Maine.  After a few years there, I was promoted to a forecaster spot at WFO New Orleans/Baton Rouge. There I learned all about IDSS and what it takes to provide effective IDSS for our customers. I was involved with several hurricanes, floods, a Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, and several other high impact events. I developed a passion for IDSS, and I continued to pursue that avenue. After 7 years at New Orleans, I was promoted to Lead Forecast in Memphis in 2020. Here I led the office’s IDSS Program and took a more active role in National and Local Diversity Programs. I was promoted to my current position as Warning Coordination Meteorologist at Jackson, MS in the summer of 2023.

What do you do for the NWS?

• As the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Jackson, I coordinate the warning functions of NWS Jackson with our partners across central Mississippi, southeast Arkansas, and northeast Louisiana. As the state liaison office, I work closely with MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) for all products and services for our area. This includes heading the Skywarn Program, conducting spotter training, and being the voice to the local media. I like to look at the WCM positions  as the brand ambassadors for the NWS. We build relationships, maintain relationships, facilitate changes and conversations, advocate for a WeatherReady Nation, and coordinate products and services. Lastly, I promote, support, and elevate my forecasters in operations to carry out the National Weather Service mission.

What was the most interesting, exciting, or impactful weather/water event you experienced while working for the NWS and why does it stand out?

• I don’t have just one. I worked several big winter storms in Maine and that was fascinating being from the south to experience that kind of winter weather. Experiencing temperatures at -30F was incredible. Going from that to Hurricane Issac in 2012 was quite the pivot. Issac was my first hurricane event and it brought a new perspective to IDSS and how important our job is to the community. In Memphis, working the December 10th, 2022 tornado event and witnessing and leading a shift on a historically long track tornado that will be remembered for a long time was also an experience. All of these events have shaped me as a meteorologist and a professional.

What made you decide to pursue a career with the NWS?

• I always was interested in service. I knew I wanted a career that paired my love for weather and service together. I found where I was supposed to be. 

What do you like most about working for the NWS?

• It is never boring. There is always something going on or something to prepare for. Weather and preparedness never stops.

What advice do you have for someone interested in a career with the NWS?

• Visit your local NWS forecast office or center. Investigate the jobs and positions in the NWS. Know what you are getting into. Shadow or develop a mentorship relationship with someone in the field to help guide you.

What training or coursework would you recommend to someone interested in following your career path?

• Obviously do the proper coursework to get the degree. I would recommend diversifying your skill sets. Take GIS, learn a computer programming language, be comfortable with speaking to large crowds or explaining complicated concepts in more simpler terms, and think outside the box on your pathway into and through the NWS. Meaning there are many ways to be a part of the NWS, not just a forecaster.