Dr. Neil Frank, 94, KHOU 11 Houston's former chief meteorologist and, before that, the director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC), passed away, the station reported early Christmas Eve morning.
Last night, Channel 11 posted that Dr. Frank entered hospice care.
Dr. Frank, or "Doc" as his colleagues called him on-air, widely regarded as the nation’s foremost authority on hurricanes and tropical storms, served as chief meteorologist at KHOU, anchoring weathercasts weekdays at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. from June 1987 to June 2008.
"When I became chief meteorologist, he continued to return and share his deep well of expertise with me," wrote KHOU 11 chief meteorologist David Paul. "Let me tell you, I was so very grateful to have that pillar of knowledge to lean on when a big storm was coming. I learned something new from him every time. His expertise, concern and care for Houston, and that smile -- that's what we'll miss the most about Dr. Neil Frank."
Known for his signature flat top haircut look, Houston radio listeners of a particular vintage will remember the tribute song "I wish I had a Neil Frank haircut" by John Lander and the Q Morning Zoo on the former 93Q KKBQ.
Television weather was Dr. Frank's second career. He led the National Hurricane Center for 13 years before that.
A central figure in communicating life-saving tropical weather information to meteorologists, government officials, and media outlets nationwide, Dr. Frank began his professional journey in the United States Air Force, where he trained as a weather officer. After leaving the Air Force in 1957, he pursued advanced studies in tropical meteorology at Florida State University, earning both a master’s degree and a Ph.D.
Dr. Frank joined the National Weather Service in 1961 and became a hurricane forecaster at the newly formed National Hurricane Center in 1968. He was appointed director of the NHC in 1974, a role that brought him international recognition. During his tenure, he held several global meteorological assignments, including serving as chairman of the International Hurricane Committee, which coordinated hurricane warning procedures for Central and North American countries. He also participated in an international tropical meteorology experiment off the coast of Africa.
A respected leader in his field, Dr. Frank served on the boards of numerous professional organizations and was elected to a three-year term on the council of the American Meteorological Society in 1989. His expertise was sought by the U.S. Senate, which invited him to testify before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in 1987. He authored numerous professional papers on tropical meteorology and was featured in national publications, including Time, Newsweek, and National Geographic. In 1989, he received first place in the Texas Press Awards for Best Weathercast.
Born in Kansas, Dr. Frank earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Southwestern College. Although he initially planned a career in sports—enrolling in college to play basketball and become a coach—his path shifted toward science after encouragement from faculty, ultimately leading him into meteorology through the Air Force weather program.
He is survived by his childhood sweetheart, Velma, whom he married in 1952. Together, they had three children, ten grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. Among them is singer-songwriter Forrest Frank, his grandson.
* This post has been updated. It initially reported that Dr. Neil Frank had entered hospice care and has been changed to notify readers about his death.
