Michael Eckert

I am a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service.   I was born in Savannah, GA as an Air Force Brat.  I have called many places home in my life. I now live in northern Virginia.  I have experienced just about every type of imaginable weather from raging blizzards to tornadoes. My love for the atmosphere began when I was 13 years old.  My family moved to Oklahoma and the first thunderstorm we experienced produced Baseball Size Hail. From that moment on I was hooked on weather. After graduating from Carl Albert High School, I entered the University of Oklahoma's Meteorology program to earn my Bachelors Degree. Since graduation I have held several Meteorologist positions in the private sector and the government. One of my career highlights was being selected as a Meteorologist for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA. Currently I am a National Aviation Meteorologist with the Aviation Weather Center. Although the AWC is located in Kansas City, MO, I am detailed to the FAA Air Traffic Control System Control Center (ATCSCC) in Warrenton, VA.

In my spare time I love to fish, hike, and hang out with my family.

I am a Member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) and an Overseer of 1.2 miles of the Lower Jones Mountain Trail from the Stauton River Trail to Bear Church Rock, in Shenandoah National Park.

If you have a weather related question, please email and will do my best to answer it.

I am a volunteer as a speaker for schools, boy & girl scouts, church groups and civic organizations in Fauquier County.  If you need a speaker for your organization, please email and I will try to honor your request.  I usually need some lead time as I work shift work.

I am the sole owner of the photographs on my web site.  Please respect the U.S. copy write laws.

Picture & Video Publications

Cover Photograph, Weather and Climate Extremes, US Army Corps or Engineers, September 1997

Opal Funnel Cloud Video, Storm Stories, The Weather Channel, May 2004

Thanks for visiting my little corner of the world wide web.

1983 B.S. Meteorology, University of Oklahoma
1989-92 Computer Science Classes, Cleveland State University
1995-96 Graduate Meteorology Classes, University of Maryland

Professional Affiliations

American Meteorological Society

National Weather Association

Career History

1981 - Storm Chaser/Data Analyst, TOtable Tornado Observatory TOTO project, NSSL, Norman, OK
1982 - Meteorologist, The Weather Station, Norman, OK
1983-1985 - Meteorologist (TV & Radio), Metracom, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK
1985-1987 - Meteorologist (Observer/Forecaster), Toledo, OH
1987-1992 - Meteorologist (Forecaster/Disaster Preparedness), Cleveland, OH
1992-1999 - Meteorologist (Heavy Rain & Snow), HPC, Washington, DC
1999-2012 - Senior Branch Forecaster, HPC, Washington, DC
2012-Present - National Aviation Meteorologist, AWC, FAA - ATCSSC, Warrenton, VA

1994-2010 - Meteorologist (Instructor) COMET
1996-1999 - Meteorologist (Instructor) - AMS DataStreme Program
Jul-Aug 1996 - Meteorologist - 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, GA
January-February 2001 - Research Meteorologist - PACJET

Certified BSA Weather Merit Badge Instructor - Piedmont District of Nat'l Capital Area