Max Mayfield to retire as head of NHC

Max Mayfield announced today that he is stepping down as head of the National Hurricane Center at the end of the year, acccording to press reports from the Miami Herald and Florida Sun Sentinel. Mayfield, 57, admitted that the last two hurricane seasons wore him out. Ed Rappaport, the center's deputy director and a veteran forecaster may be next in line for the job, after Max steps down on January 3. Max's expert guidance of NHC has no doubt saved many lives, and I will miss his calm and intelligent presence at the helm of NHC.


Max Mayfield at the 2006 American Meteorological Society meeting, extolling what he wants engraved on his tombstone: "Don't look at the center track forecast line! Look at the cone of possible center locations."

I'll have an update on TD 5 between 4pm and 5pm EDT.

Jeff Masters