Federal Alliance for Safe Homes Names Mike Buresh 2024 National Weatherperson of the Year

Nonprofit recognizes the distinguished meteorologist for forecasting expertise and contributions to disaster resilience initiatives and public education

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc. (FLASH) named Mike Buresh, Chief Meteorologist, Action News JAX - WJAX, WFOX as the 2024 National Weatherperson of the Year (NWP). This annual accolade acknowledges weather professionals who exhibit exemplary leadership in advocating for disaster safety and resilience.

The 2024 winner describes himself as not just a weather expert but a "weatherholic" whose lifelong passion for meteorology began in his early years in rural Iowa.

After graduating from Iowa State University in 1987, Mike earned the American Meteorological Society's "Seal of Approval" and has gained a reputation for his precise and timely weather forecasts. His career highlights include providing accurate warnings and tracking information for weather events, including tornadoes, waterspouts, floods, and local tropical cyclones.

The NWP award committee cited Mike's enduring support of the resilience cause as central to his selection. As with previous honorees, his commitment to strengthening homes and safeguarding families aligns with his role as a trusted source of information during severe weather events. Thousands of Jacksonville area residents commented on his commitment to keeping them informed and prepared for weather of all kinds.

"It is with great honor that we recognize Mike for his dedication to his viewers and the advancement of weather awareness and education," said FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. "His tireless efforts to ensure community safety in the face of severe weather are truly commendable. We congratulate Mike and all of our outstanding 2024 National Weatherperson of the Year finalists who serve the public with unwavering excellence every day, especially during hurricane season."

Below is a sampling of voter comments: 

• As an emergency manager in Mike's viewing area, he truly goes above and beyond to be a response partner and a genuine part of this community. Mike has augmented my annual pre-Hurricane Season training regimen, been a guest speaker at countless regional conferences, and if all of that wasn't enough, he is also a staunch champion of the children's cancer fundraising efforts. Mike is genuine - the real deal. He is fully vested in his community and goes the extra mile to make those around him better!
  
  
• Mike's passion for accurate forecasting and his care for and concern for the safety of his viewing audience is evident every time he takes the air. He is the consummate professional and a great human!
  
  
• I was raised in Buffalo, NY, where accurate weather information can be the difference between life and death. Once I moved to Jax and saw Mike Buresh handle several major weather events, including Irma, I greatly appreciated his ability to be precise with his information. He has most assuredly saved lives during several severe weather events here in the First Coast.

The 2024 finalists included Dr. Phil Klotzbach, Research Scientist - Colorado State University (CSU); Bryan Norcross, Meteorologist and Hurricane Specialist - FOX Weather; Nicondra Norwood, Meteorologist - FOX 8 WVUE; and William (Bill) Read, Meteorologist and former Director - National Hurricane Center.

Nominators cited the finalists for outstanding leadership through standout forecasting, education, and life-saving information during extreme weather events. All received high marks from award voters for their contributions to the cause of disaster safety and resilience. 

Past National Weatherperson of the Year award winners include:

• 2014 – Jim Cantore, On-Camera Meteorologist, and Co-Host, "AMHQ" - The Weather Channel
• 2015 – Max Mayfield, former National Hurricane Center Director 
• 2016 – Alex Garcia, Chief Meteorologist - KABB-TV, San Antonio, TX
• 2017 – Dr. Richard Knabb, Hurricane Expert & Tropical Program Manager - The Weather Channel
• 2018 – Ada Monzón, Chief Meteorologist, AMS Fellow - CBM-WIPR-TV, Puerto Rico 
• 2019 – James Spann, Chief Meteorologist - ABC 33/40, Birmingham, AL
• 2020 – Joe Snedeker, Morning Meteorologist - WNEP Newswatch 16, Scranton, PA
• 2021 – Ginger Zee, Chief Meteorologist - ABC News
• 2022 – Ken Graham, Director - National Weather Service
• 2023 – Matthew Cappucci, Meteorologist – MyRadar, Capital Weather Gang

The National Weatherperson of the Year award coincides with the celebration of National Weatherperson's Day on February 5, the birthday of the pioneering weather observer John Jeffries. Jeffries' work in the 1780s paved the way for many aspects of meteorology today.

Finalists and winners are selected based on qualitative evaluation and public polling.

About FLASH

The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is the country's leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from disasters. The FLASH partnership includes more than 100 innovative and diverse organizations that share a vision of making America a more disaster-resilient nation, including FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Huber Engineered Woods, International Code Council, ISO - Verisk Analytics, MyRadar, National Weather Service, Renew Financial, Simpson Strong-Tie, State Farm, and USAA. In 2008, FLASH and Disney opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes in Lake Buena Vista, FL. FLASH's signature program No Code. No Confidence. - Inspect2Protect.org provides consumers with a one-of-a-kind building code transparency tool to easily identify their community's building code. Learn more about FLASH and access free consumer resources by visiting www.flash.org and www.Inspect2Protect.org, calling toll-free (877) 221- SAFE (7233), following @federalalliance on Twitter, and Facebook.com/federalalliance.

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SOURCE Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)