Blue Sky Seeker

LEAH FRIEL photo

Ask Raymond Tanabe about the weather and you’ll get anything but small talk. Since 2013, Tanabe has served as Director of the Pacific Region for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) so weather is something he takes seriously.

Hailing from the beachside town of Waialua, where he was born and raised, Tanabe made his way through school, took a two-year break, then enrolled at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology in 1997 and a Master of Science in Meteorology in 2000.

After working in Los Angeles for three years, Tanabe returned home. Over the years, he held various positions, before stepping into his current role with the NWS.

Tanabe says he’ll take some credit, but claims the rest was “dumb luck and timing.” He also acknowledges his mentors and opportunities to advance.

He met one of his mentors, possibly one of the most critical persons in his life, while at UH Manoa.

Math was a struggle. Tanabe passed Calculus I on his second attempt, Calculus II on the second attempt, and Calculus III on his third.

“The second time I failed Calculus III, I was on the verge of quitting not just the meteorology program, but college altogether. I credit Dr. Tom Schroeder, a professor (retired) and my undergraduate advisor.

“I still recall vividly, when I walked into his office and told him I wasn’t going to pass Calculus I. He looked me straight in the eye, without emotion or judgement, and simply said, ‘Take it again.’ He would repeat these three words every time I told him I wasn’t going to pass yet another calculus class. Even after failing Calculus III the second time, he refused to give up on this local kid from Waialua, and it kept me from quitting.”

Tanabe says this office visit was a turning point, and it was Schroeder’s confidence in him that propelled him to finish his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, which ultimately led him to the NWS. “Those three words were a lesson in perseverance I will never forget,” he says.

NOAA’s reach is broad. Tanabe explains that its mission is to provide weather, water and climate data, forecasts, warnings and impact-based decision support services for the protection of life and property, as well as the enhancement of the national economy.

“The NWS vision is a Weather-Ready Nation, where society
is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate-dependent events,” Tanabe says. The U.S. and its coastal waters, including international airspace and ocean regions, in partner- ship with other weather and tsunami agencies around the world, fall under NWS. They also have a space weather prediction center which monitors the sun for unusual solar activity that could impact everything from aviation to GPS, to electrical power grids.

The NWS Pacific Region is headquartered in Honolulu, encompassing the largest geographic region (a total of six) of the NWS. As director, Tanabe oversees nearly 200 federal employees and contractors in offices across Hawai‘i, Puerto Rico and Pago Pago in American Samoa, as well as offices in the foreign countries of the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The region spans more than 10,000 miles from Puerto Rico to Palau and covers 11 time zones. It also includes the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which has international responsibility across the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans.

Tanabe has an official job description, but personally, he sees his role as director in the context of two key inspirations — water and people.

“In the Pacific, the ocean connects us, and water security is one of the most important risks we face,” he shares. “This risk includes both security from water such as sea level rise; tsunami, flooding, high surf and security through water, such as avail- ability of fresh water, drought. The Pacific includes a wonderful diversity of people, cultures and traditions. In my own words, if I take care of the water and I take care of the people, I am fulfilling the vision and mission of the NWS.”

Hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30, but the Pacific region staff is on high alert 24/7, 365 days a year, for any type of weather or tsunami event that could impact the area.

Tanabe recalls two events that took everyone by surprise — the first was the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and the heavy rain and severe flash flood event on Kaua‘i in April 2018. He says the latter set the U.S. record for most rainfall in a 24-hour period — a whopping 49.69 inches.

The NOAA is taking climate change seriously. Tanabe says it’s causing more extreme weather events, and trends are showing it’s only going to get worse.

“In the near term, we are experienc- ing extremes being pushed to new levels. Warmer temperatures, longer droughts and heavier rainfall events,” he explains. “In the longer term, sea level rise is one of the most significant challenges facing the Pacific Islands.”

Looking ahead, the NOAA continues to strive toward a Weather-Ready Nation. Weather satellites assist in this endeavor by gathering data on conditions in the vast Pacific, and Tanabe says they hope to launch the next generation of weather satellites early this year.

He also looks forward to welcoming employees back to the office, pandemic permitting; reestablishing a full-time presence on Maui; continuing to take care of water and people; and hopefully, inspiring the next generation of NWS employees.

“The NWS encompasses a diverse set of disciplines,” Tanabe says. “It takes mo- tivation, passion and dedication to this mission in order to be successful. If this is you, give me a call or send me an email, seriously. I am always looking for local kids to recruit. And, yes, for many of these disciplines, you’ll still have to pass calculus.”