Alex DeSmet – National Weather Service
Alex is a native of Southeast Michigan who developed a fascination of Weather at an early age. He made his first forecast in 3rd grade and was briefing teachers and students on impactful weather as early as 7th grade. This fascination for Weather continued through college. Alex attended Central Michigan University for Meteorology with an emphasis on Climate and Geography.
He then got his first real job with a private weather forecasting company in Grand Forks, North Dakota and became all too familiar with Blizzards. While working in North Dakota, Alex developed a knack for risk communication and forecast communication to Department of Transportation decision makers.
This understanding of how weather impacts decision makers and how to best communicate it landed him his dream job with the National Weather Service in Pocatello, where Alex has been stationed since 2014. His roles include risk communication and decision support for key Weather Service partners, climate forecast interpretation, climate studies and traveling around Southeast Idaho training volunteer weather observers and maintaining and repairing weather equipment.
When not at work, you can find Alex spending time at the Disc Golf Course or enjoying many of Southeast Idaho’s fine recreational opportunities.