Howard McNeil
Encyclopedia
Howard Gilbert McNeil (October 24, 1920–November 27, 2010) was a meteorologist in Dallas
/Ft. Worth, Texas
for more than twenty years from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s. He was affectionately known throughout the Southwest as "The Old Weatherbird" because his broadcasts were seen all over the region as part of the regular programing at the superstation KFJZ, Channel 11.
On February 20, 1943 he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Klaas. They had three sons, Scott, Brian and Bruce.
He was a graduate of The University of Denver
, and was the first member of his family to earn a college degree.
He was an avid genealogist and traced his family back to the Mayflower.
He was a member of The Clan MacNeil of Barra and served as a Chief of the Scottish Clans of Texas and an officer of the Scottish Clans of the United States.
He and Dorothy also served in leadership positions of many volunteer organizations in the DFW Metroplex.
On the beautiful fall day, November 27, 2010, he passed away after a long battle with leukemia.
Since he was not destined to fly he applied to the very selective Air Weather Service. He was accepted, and following extensive training he became a high-altitude forecaster.
On July 16, 1945 he was on board an observation plane flying near the Trinity Site when the first atom bomb was tested. He was to attempt to determine how far the nuclear fallout
would be carried by upper level winds.
He was ordered to Korea at the beginning of the Korean War
, where he served with distinction as a forecaster on the front lines.
Following his return from Korea he was ordered to Kindley AFB in Bermuda
where he developed his reputation as an expert in forecasting the Jet Stream
.
While in Bermuda he also became one of the early Hurricane Hunters
who flew into the eyes of the storms to determine their characteristics.
, the legendary forecaster who helped plan the D-Day
invasion during World War II.
McNeil traveled the world on behalf of the Krick Organization. He negotiated cloud seeding
contracts—an early effort to cause rain in drought affected areas.
During the summer of 1955 he made a presentation to the business and civic leaders of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
The entertainer Bing Crosby
owned a local television station (KFJZ) and was in attendance at that meeting. He asked McNeil if he would join the station as one of the early television weathermen. McNeil accepted and moved his family to Fort Worth.
In the mid-1960s he resigned from KFJZ and joined another local weather personality, Harold Taft
, at WBAP (now KXAS) television. They took turns doing the early and late news broadcasts for more than a decade.
Eventually he returned to Channel 11, which had become KTVT
while he was gone.
's Chief Forecaster during much of the Cold War
.
His primary responsibility was to lead the team that would advise bomber crews what weather conditions they would encounter should they be ordered to attack targets all over Asia, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
Pilots began to realize that the Jet Stream had a major effect on a plane's speed, so McNeil was involved in planning major events such as long flights of Air Force One
as well as most of the B-58 Hustler
's successful attempts to set speed records during the 1960s.
Dorothy continues to reside in Fort Worth.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
/Ft. Worth, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for more than twenty years from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s. He was affectionately known throughout the Southwest as "The Old Weatherbird" because his broadcasts were seen all over the region as part of the regular programing at the superstation KFJZ, Channel 11.
Personal life
McNeil was born October 24, 1920 in Chicago, IL. He was the second of four children of Malcolm Gilbert McNeil and Frances Grant McNeil.On February 20, 1943 he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Klaas. They had three sons, Scott, Brian and Bruce.
He was a graduate of The University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, and was the first member of his family to earn a college degree.
He was an avid genealogist and traced his family back to the Mayflower.
He was a member of The Clan MacNeil of Barra and served as a Chief of the Scottish Clans of Texas and an officer of the Scottish Clans of the United States.
He and Dorothy also served in leadership positions of many volunteer organizations in the DFW Metroplex.
On the beautiful fall day, November 27, 2010, he passed away after a long battle with leukemia.
Military career
He began his career as a pilot trainee, but proved to be too tall (6'4") for the small planes and "washed out" because his legs "fell asleep."Since he was not destined to fly he applied to the very selective Air Weather Service. He was accepted, and following extensive training he became a high-altitude forecaster.
On July 16, 1945 he was on board an observation plane flying near the Trinity Site when the first atom bomb was tested. He was to attempt to determine how far the nuclear fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
would be carried by upper level winds.
He was ordered to Korea at the beginning of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, where he served with distinction as a forecaster on the front lines.
Following his return from Korea he was ordered to Kindley AFB in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
where he developed his reputation as an expert in forecasting the Jet Stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
.
While in Bermuda he also became one of the early Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
who flew into the eyes of the storms to determine their characteristics.
Private sector
Upon returning from Bermuda he left the Air Force to join a firm formed by Dr. Irving P. KrickIrving P. Krick
Dr. Irving P. Krick was an American meteorologist and inventor, the founding professor of Department of Meteorology at California Institute of Technology , one of the U.S...
, the legendary forecaster who helped plan the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion during World War II.
McNeil traveled the world on behalf of the Krick Organization. He negotiated cloud seeding
Cloud seeding
Cloud seeding, a form of intentional weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud...
contracts—an early effort to cause rain in drought affected areas.
During the summer of 1955 he made a presentation to the business and civic leaders of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
owned a local television station (KFJZ) and was in attendance at that meeting. He asked McNeil if he would join the station as one of the early television weathermen. McNeil accepted and moved his family to Fort Worth.
In the mid-1960s he resigned from KFJZ and joined another local weather personality, Harold Taft
Harold Taft
Harold Ernest Taft Jr. , affectionately known as "The World's Greatest Weatherman" and "The Dean of TV Meteorologists", was the first television meteorologist west of the Mississippi River and held the post for a record 41 years.A native of Enid, Oklahoma, he joined the Army Air Corps during World...
, at WBAP (now KXAS) television. They took turns doing the early and late news broadcasts for more than a decade.
Eventually he returned to Channel 11, which had become KTVT
KTVT
KTVT, virtual channel 11, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, and serving the Dallas-Fort Worth designated market area. The station is co-owned with independent station KTXA , and the two stations share facilities in Dallas and Fort Worth...
while he was gone.
Return to the Air Force
Because of his experience and expertise he was asked to return to the Air Force. He accepted and was assigned to Carswell AFB as the Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
's Chief Forecaster during much of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
His primary responsibility was to lead the team that would advise bomber crews what weather conditions they would encounter should they be ordered to attack targets all over Asia, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
Pilots began to realize that the Jet Stream had a major effect on a plane's speed, so McNeil was involved in planning major events such as long flights of Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
as well as most of the B-58 Hustler
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
's successful attempts to set speed records during the 1960s.
Retirement
He retired in the early 1980s and since then he and Dorothy traveled the world and enjoed spending time with their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and hundreds of friends.Dorothy continues to reside in Fort Worth.