Richard Knabb, hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., has been appointed director of operations at the National Weather Service's Honolulu Forecast Office and deputy director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Knabb was a research meteorologist and lead forecaster at the University of Hawaii's Mauna Kea Weather Center from 1999 to 2001.

He had an unusual job as an Institute for Astronomy faculty member with an office in the meteorology department: issuing forecasts specifically for the mountain observatories. He became science and operations director at the National Hurricane Center in late 2001 and a senior hurricane specialist in 2005, holding that position until returning here.

He will manage the forecasters and day-to-day operations at the National Weather Service's largest office and oversee the forecast process during hurricane season.

Jim Weyman, Central Pacific Hurricane Center director and meteorologist in charge of the Honolulu Forecast Office, said, “;Rick Knabb's broad experience and knowledge of tropical weather will be of tremendous value to the staff and the wide variety of people who require critical weather information.”;

Weyman said Knabb “;will play a vital role in the office's process of issuing timely and accurate warnings of dangerous weather conditions.”;

Knabb said, “;It is both a personal and professional pleasure ... to play a part in enabling everyone in Hawaii to prepare for and respond to hazardous weather.”;