Veteran meteorologist William F. "Bill" Bunting has been appointed
meteorologist in charge of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service Forecast Office in Fort Worth, Texas. Effective immediately, Bunting replaces retiring MIC Gifford "Skip" Ely. An agency of the Department of Commerce, the National Weather Service has 121 forecast offices strategically located throughout the nation.

Bunting joined the weather service 16 years ago at the New York City forecast office at La Guardia Airport. He also served as a forecaster for the offices in Lansing, Mich., and Norman, Okla. Bunting comes to Fort Worth from the Pleasant Hill, Mo., (Kansas City) office where he served as Warning Coordination Meteorologist since 1993.

"During his years with the weather service, Bill Bunting has developed considerable expertise in severe thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood prediction and detection," said Bill Proenza, weather service southern region director. "I'm pleased to welcome him back to the southern region and I'm convinced his experience and leadership skills will only add to the strength of the great team we have in our Fort Worth forecast office."

Bunting will supervise a staff of 26 forecasters, technicians and support personnel. His responsibilities include all forecasts, as well as weather advisories, watches and warnings for the 46 North Texas counties served by the weather service office in Fort Worth.

During his career, Bunting has authored or co-authored many papers on severe storms; lectured at a dozen weather warning workshops; and conducted more than 500 presentations to spotter and emergency management groups, civic organizations, businesses and schools. He also visited Pretoria recently to help the South African Weather Bureau enhance its severe storm prediction and radar-based detection capabilities.

Bunting played a role in a number of major weather events handled by the weather service, including the Oklahoma/Kansas tornado outbreak of March 13, 1990, which spawned 59 tornadoes; and the devastating Kansas City flash flood in October of 1998.

Majoring in meteorology and psychology, Bunting received a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1984. An avid storm chaser and photographer, he shares these hobbies with his wife Janice – who is also a meteorologist.