Dangerous, long-lasting heat remains across the Mid-South to Mid-Mississippi Valley, while heat expands into the Northeast for a brief period on Friday. Strong to isolated severe thunderstorms and heavy rain pose a flash flooding threat from from the southern High Plains east to the Great Lakes. Tropical Depression 12W brings heavy rain to Guam & the Marianas through Saturday. Read More >
Richard Knabb, Ph.D.
Director, National Hurricane Center
Richard Knabb, Ph.D., is the Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Knabb received his Bachelor's Degree in Atmospheric Science from Purdue University (1990) and his Masters of Science and Doctorate in Meteorology from the Florida State University (1993, 1999). He completed his postdoctoral work at the University of Hawaii (2000).
Dr. Knabb was a Research Meteorologist and Lead Forecaster at the Mauna Kea Weather Center from 1999 to 2001. He joined Risk Management Solutions, Inc., in Newark, California, in 2001 as an Assistant Product Manager for Weather Risk.
Later that year, he joined NOAA’s National Hurricane Center as the Science and Operations Officer, and was a senior hurricane specialist there in 2005-2008.
In 2008, Dr. Knabb became the Deputy Director of NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. He served in that capacity until 2010, when he joined The Weather Channel in Atlanta, Georgia, as its on-air Hurricane Expert and Tropical Science Program Manager. He rejoined NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in June 2012 as its Director.
Dr. Knabb has worked toward NHC providing new products and services. This includes a strong emphasis on individual hazards such as the potential storm surge flooding graphic (2014) and the storm surge watch/warning graphic (2015). He continues to work closely with emergency managers, media partners, and the international community.
Dr. Knabb is a member of the American Meteorological Society.