John Hope (meteorologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hope
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| Born | May 14, 1919 Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | June 13, 2002 (aged 83) Macon, Georgia, U.S.
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| Nationality |  United States |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Meteorology |
John Raymond Hope (born May 14, 1919 – died June 13, 2002) was an American weather expert. He was famous for predicting hurricanes and appeared on TV at The Weather Channel.
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John Hope's Early Life and Career
John Hope was born in Pennsylvania. During World War II, he served as a navigator in the United States Army Air Forces. This meant he helped pilots find their way. After the war, he went to the University of Illinois to study meteorology. Meteorology is the science of weather. John Hope passed away in 2002 after a heart surgery.
Working with the National Weather Service
Hope worked as a weather forecaster for the National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee, for 13 years. In 1962, when astronaut John Glenn went into space on the Friendship 7 mission, Hope was part of the weather team. He helped make sure the weather was safe for the spaceflight.
In 1968, Hope started working at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Here, he became known for his amazing skills in predicting hurricanes. He even developed a special rule called the "John Hope Rule."
The John Hope Rule for Hurricanes
This rule has two main parts:
- Part one: If a storm isn't a strong tropical storm before it crosses the Windward Islands or the Lesser Antilles, it probably won't survive crossing the Eastern Caribbean Sea. However, if the weather system (called a tropical wave) is still there, a new storm might form later in the Western Caribbean.
- Part two: If a tropical wave or storm looks well-organized and strong, you should never ignore it or think it will disappear.
John Hope at The Weather Channel
After working for the National Weather Service for 32 years, John Hope retired. But he didn't stop working! In 1982, he joined The Weather Channel when it first started. With his calm and clear way of speaking, Hope quickly became the channel's main expert on hurricanes.
In 1989, when Hurricane Hugo was heading for South Carolina, Hope spent many hours on TV. He warned viewers about the dangerous storm. Many people believe that his hard work on air helped save lives during Hurricane Hugo. He continued to give "Tropical Updates" on the channel until he passed away.
How Hurricane Camille Got Its Name
In 1969, John Hope's daughter, Camille, finished high school. That year, the name "Carol" was supposed to be used for a hurricane. But there was a concern about using it again because of a very strong hurricane in 1954 with the same name.
Dr. Banner Miller, another weather expert, was very impressed with Camille Hope's high school project, which was about hurricane research. He asked John Hope to add his daughter's name to the list of possible hurricane names for that year. No one knew then that the storm named after John Hope's daughter – Hurricane Camille – would become one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States. It struck Mississippi as a Category 5 hurricane, which is the strongest type of hurricane.
Camille Hope is now married to Jim Marshall, who used to be a U.S. Representative from Georgia.
