Retiring MetService 'weather ambassador' Bob McDavitt. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He has the hair of a fluffy cumulus cloud, he introduced the term "weather bomb" to New Zealanders and his title of "weather ambassador" is unique. Bob McDavitt retired last week from his long-held job with the state forecaster, MetService.
I met Bob in 1994 when I was setting up
my first small weather business in my hometown of Te Aroha. When I had to call MetService one day I spoke to Bob and 18 years on we still chat. Back in 1994, I couldn't know that in fewer than 15 years we would be on the same public stage talking about the weather, one that I have been honoured to share with him.
Bob and I come from different backgrounds. He is a meteorologist, I am an analyst. He loves to monitor storms from his office whereas my workload is the only thing stopping me from chasing tornadoes.
But we connect when it comes to dealing with the public. We are the forecasters who explain what is happening, in laypeople's terms, to the media and to the public.
Bob is the master of words and analogies. His replacement, Daniel Corbett, may be from the BBC but he has big boots to fill.
