New state climatologist for Louisiana warns of a ‘very active’ hurricane season

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced Wednesday that Jay Grymes, the chief meteorologist for WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, will serve as the new state climatologist.

Among responsibilities in his role, Grymes will be tasked with monitoring Louisiana’s climate and archiving data. The position is especially important in a state that consistently faces threats during hurricane seasons, officials said.

During a press conference Wednesday, Grymes said Louisiana will likely be spared from Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm that has killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean. However, he warned Louisiana will likely feel the impacts of a named storm this hurricane season, which goes until November.

“Beryl is not going to be a threat for Louisiana, but this is going to be a very active season,” Grymes said.

Grymes will be working with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in an expanded role to serve the state as a weather specialist.

Employing the state climatologist through the Governor’s Office “ensures one concise weather voice coming from the state. This is especially important with the unpredictable weather Louisiana routinely experiences,” Landry said in a press release.

According to the governor’s office, Grymes has more than 30 years of experience in the field of weather and climate. In addition to his work at WAFB-TV, Grymes served as the state climatologist from 1991 to 2003. He also served as a consultant for the state’s Department of Justice and Department of Environmental Quality, as well as the Louisiana State Police.