I knew this was coming, as I had a heads-up from Joe D’Aleo last week that the end was nearing. I knew Dr. Bill Gray through my work in climate, and from attending conferences. He always had a good word for me, and when I encountered him in person, he was fond of parodying the “Wayne’s World” skit where they meet Alice Cooper backstage and get on their knees and chant “I’m not worthy…I’m not worthy”. He’d actually do that with me. It was endearing, yet at the same time a little bit embarrassing, because I was the one who really should be doing that in his presence. I always found myself saying “please Bill, stop that!”, to which he’d get back on his feet and give me a chuckle with that toothy grin of his..
I remember in 2012 2008, I was at a conference, and we were talking about his climate skepticism, and he said to me (from memory) “I don’t care what they think, I’m going to keep doing this until they put me in a box”. A man of integrity and passion, he kept that promise. He will be missed greatly, and I was fortunate beyond words to be able to call him a friend.
UPDATE: Janice Moore points out in comments that my memory of this incident was a little bit off, as I had written about it years ago:
Day 3 of the International Climate Change Conference
“… Bill Gray delivered a wonderful presentation today at breakfast. Afterwards, I was able to meet him and I had a 4-way conversation with him, John Coleman (founder of the weather channel), and Peter Leavitt of Weather Services Corporation. Peter introduced me to Bill Gray, and I was amazed to find that when Peter described my project, Bill’s eyes lit up and he said, “Oh, you’re the fellow!”
It was nice to know that someone of Bill Gray’s stature knew about my work. … John Coleman asked him if he was ever going to retire from the work he was doing, to which Bill quipped, “…not until they put me in a box!” Anthony Watts
Source: (https://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/03/04/day3-of-the-international-climate-change-conference/ )
Meanwhile, there’s the typical ugliness from the left afoot already, as Robert Bradley reports today at Master Resource:
‘Hate Speech’ at Greenwire? William Gray, RIP
By Robert Bradley Jr. — April 18, 2016
Earlier today, the online subscription news service Greenwire published this item:
OBITUARY: Hurricane researcher-turned-climate denier dies at 86
William Gray, who pioneered hurricane forecasting tools as a professor at Colorado State University and voiced skepticism of climate change models, died Saturday.
The university said Gray, 86, died peacefully at home with his family.
Gray and his researchers were among the first to link the El Niño phenomenon to the formation of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea in their predictions.
“He consistently issued these forecasts for over 30 years, a track record unparalleled for university predictions,” said Phil Klotzbach, one of Gray’s researchers.
Gray, a Washington, D.C., native and alumnus of George Washington University, questioned the science of climate change in his later years.
“How can we trust climate forecasts 50 and 100 years into the future (that can’t be verified in our lifetime) when they are not able to make shorter seasonal or yearly forecasts that could be verified?” Gray asked in testimony before a U.S. Senate committee in 2005 (Keith Coffman,Reuters, April 16). — SP
“Hurricane researcher-turned-climate denier” Really? Did Dr. Gray deny climate? Climate change? A human influence on climate?
Or did he just disagree with the human influence as the predominant climate forcing (still an open question), and that anthropogenic warming is a negative and potentially catastrophic one at that? …
Dear SP: Choose a better title or tell your editor that even a Monday is no excuse to denigrate a true scientist in the title of an obituary.
And kudos to William Gray for a professional life well lived. And for having the integrity of thought that is extremely difficult for younger scientists in the fields of oceanography and meteorology who must fight for research grants and contend for favor in their university departments surrounded by Malthusian-driven science investigation and views.
Compare Greenwire’s headline with the Weather Channel:
Esteemed Hurricane Forecast Pioneer William Gray Dies at 86
Very sorry to hear this. A great loss.
Greenwire rightfully deserves to be slammed for their insulting and banal obituary.
RIP Dr.Gray. We in Florida will miss you more than most.
A tribute from Jim Lakely at Heartland here:
http://blog.heartland.org/2016/04/pioneering-hurricane-expert-heroic-skeptic-of-man-caused-climate-change-dr-william-gray-r-i-p/
Thank you for sharing that fitting tribute, Mr. Lakely. Indeed, Bill went where the data led him, …. And it took him into the rabid rat-infested territory of the enemies of science. They snarled and bit his boots. He did not hesitate. To the very end.
I probably met Bill at a hurricane seminar in our home state of Colorado perhaps 35 years ago. I immediately liked his straightforward approach, preferring data and reality over models and fantasy. His back-and-forths with modelers were a wonder to behold. I recall him using the words “model” and “hogwash” in the same short sentence.
A few months ago Bill said to me,
Oh how the historians are going to have such a great time in 20-30 years pointing out how crazy the word went over such foolishness.
So very sad he won’t be around here for that judgement day, but I’m sure he’ll tip one of those colder beers “on the other side” when it happens.
On a lighter note, Bill was a hoot to be around. He wasn’t shy about poking fun at those who deserved to be poked, and even in their presence.
Lots of us will miss the guy. He’s the best.
Anyone that provides forecast day donuts is the man.
There are tears in my eyes. Bill was a hero. Condolences to his family. He fought the bad science of CO2 as the super green house gas behind a run away climate change. He fought with passion and great knowledge. He will be deeply missed. Please young men and woman of climatology come forward to follow in his foot steps. There is no better way to honor Bill Gray’s memory.
A sad, sad, day for skeptics, everywhere. You have earned your peace Dr Gray.
Sad to hear that Bill Gray has died.
Condolences to his family.
He will be missed – https://youtu.be/UL6ZCmmCU7c?t=17s
I attended a talk he gave to the Miami chapter of the AMS a few years ago. The seminar was on some of the flaws in the climate models. It was very specific, almost ‘in the weeds’, but also very reasoned. Yet, there were scientists attending that were determined that anything he had to say was ‘bunk’. During the Q&A they didn’t want to address any of the points he brought up, only to criticize him and his skepticism. It was a clear demonstration that the AGW folks can’t answer the arguments presented against their beliefs only engage in ad hominem attacks.
Bill will be missed by me and all of his colleagues in Miami, where he was a frequent visitor since the 1950s. At least now he and Joanne Simpson can resume their debates.
A true professional in an era of declining professionalism
WaPo’s obit wasn’t bad:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/04/17/eulogy-for-legendary-hurricane-scientist-william-gray-1929-2016/
Thanks so much for the kind words about Dr. Gray. As someone who was privileged to work with him for the past 16 years, I can truly say that he was a one of a kind human being. He was, in my view, one of the most brilliant tropical meteorologists of the past 50 years. He was also incredibly humble, had a great sense of humor and was one of the most generous individuals that I have ever met. I hope to be able to just fill a tiny portion of his shoes and continue the hurricane research legacy that he started. It’s a good thing that he had over 70 graduate students, as it’s going to take all of us to fill his shoes!
Dr. Gray also brilliantly predicted a return to an active era for Atlantic hurricanes in a Science magazine article published in 1990. This forecast proved accurate, as the active Atlantic hurricane era began in 1995. He was also one of the few who diagnosed that this return to an active era and an associated strengthening of the meridional overturning circulation would lead to a suspension of global temperature increase – the so-called “warming hiatus” that has been discussed so much in the literature.
I’m working with a colleague of mine right now on a post for Capital Weather Gang on the more humorous side of Dr. Gray. It should be posted by later this week if you’re interested in more details on just how much of a character Dr. Gray was!
Dear Phil Klotzbach,
Thank you for sharing so candidly and generously with us in your eulogy about Bill Gray, one of those rare individuals, like Abraham Lincoln (alluded to in jorgekafkazar’s echoing above the words Edwin Stanton uttered upon Lincoln’s death), for whom the term, “great,” was simply accurate.
You have been and will be in my prayers in the days to come. This is a deep loss for you. You were more than a colleague, you were family.
And your determination to keep on running with that baton slapped into your outstretched, back-reaching, highly competent (yes — you KNOW he would say so!), hand (you and each of you), is the highest honor you can pay Dr. Gray. Go, Team Gray! You are going to win.
Looking forward very much to reading your next biographical sketch of this fine man — “If you’re interested…, ” — as if we could not be (smile),
Janice
P.S. If you cannot re-publish that next post on Dr. Gray on WUWT, please at least alert Anthony so he can alert us — not many will remember to check Capital Weather Gang’s site (or whatever site you will publish it on). Thanks!
Sure, I’ll be sure to let Anthony and the WUWT team know when the blog is posted.
I just read an excellent paper of his – and was trying to contact him… but alas!
Good man, great man, fine scientist.