Jackson State University Alumni, William “Bill” Parker has been selected to serve as the Meteorologist-In-Charge of the NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Mississippi. Parker replaces Alan Gerard, who transferred to the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory. The Jackson office is one of 122 NWS Weather Forecast Offices in the nation and one of 32 in the NWS Southern Region.
In his new position, Parker will be responsible for ensuring the citizens of Mississippi, Northeast Louisiana, and Southeast Arkansas continue to receive timely and accurate weather warnings, forecasts and climate information. His responsibilities also include maintaining close working relationships with NWS partners, including the emergency management community and the media, and providing severe weather awareness, preparedness and safety education for the public.
Parker has dedicated more than twenty years of service to NWS and excelled as a forecaster, mentor, and leader. He launched his NWS career in 1993 as a Meteorological Aid in Slidell, Louisiana. He then moved to the Shreveport, Louisiana, NWS office, where he has risen through the ranks to now serve as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist since 2012.
As a WCM, Bill was responsible for leading the “Weather Ready Nation” efforts across a four-state area. He has served as the primary NWS spokesman in the ArkLaTex and partnered with emergency management and local, state and federal government officials to meet the NWS mission goals by promoting the vision of the agency and providing outstanding decision support.
Parker has developed hands-on experience with a variety of weather events including tropical storms, hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding during his 23-year career. Notably, he has served the NWS during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as historic river flooding events in 2015 and 2016.
Not only has Bill proven his strong abilities as a forecaster and warning program leader, but he served as a true advocate for diversity and inclusion. Bill received the NOAA Administrator’s Award for leading the development of the “GiRLS GLOW” initiative in Shreveport, which provided the opportunity for young girls in the community to learn more about meteorology and STEM fields.
In addition, Parker recently co-chaired the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Jackson State meteorology program in November 2015. His work helped establish the JSU Meteorology Hall of Fame, which looks to highlight the achievements of meteorology alumni and faculty members.
Bill received his Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from Jackson State University in 1994, and he will be the first Jackson State alumnus to serve as Meteorologist-In-Charge of a Weather Forecast Office.
The National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. The NWS 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.
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.