CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The weather in South Texas can change in an instant. From meteorologists to emergency managers to you, it takes a village to keep the coastal bend safe, and the National Weather Service has been behind every warning issued. John Metz has been the Meteorologist-in-Charge at the Corpus Christi weather forecast office for the past eight years, but he's spent more than three decades working across South Texas. From Victoria to Del Rio to Corpus Christi— John knows South Texas hurricanes.
"The first storm that I remember is Brett in 1999, and so you know, it kept deceiving us. It wasn't following the forecast and so we kept showing a track toward deep South Texas and it had a mind of its own. It kept tracking north," Metz said.
Officials in Aransas County remember his cool and collected demeanor during Hurricane Harvey's evacuation. During my most recent interview with John, it's no surprise he had an answer for my toughest question yet: how are you preparing for your first hurricane season as a retiree? "I'm actually preparing to be able to evacuate my family in a storm, which I've never been able to do before, evacuate with my family," Metz said.
After more than 30 years of staying behind to keep us safe, John can finally evacuate with his family because June 30 marks his final day of federal service. At his retirement celebration, county officials honored his work, sharing how John Metz was the calm leader in every storm. Nueces County Emergency Management Director Jace Johnson presented John with a commemorative street sign. "John, thank you. For your professionalism and dedication to the serving the residents of South Central Texas and the city of Corpus Christi, you will be missed," Johnson said.
Partners in public safety for years, honoring a friend. When asked what he'll miss most about his NWS colleages and coming to work every day, the answer was simple. "Yeah, fellowship, camaraderie, just an amazing team here. They're my second family, so we'll stay close still. And I love food, so I plan to go to culinary school. They're expecting me to bring food," Metz said.
John Metz's impact on the Coastal Bend will last much longer than 34 years. We wish him the very best in the next chapter.
