Local weather guy up for national award

For people who have spent any time in the Rio Grande Valley and tuned into KRGV-TV (local ABC affiliate), they know the face of Tim Smith, the station’s chief meteorologist since 1983, AKA, saner times.

Currently, he’s been named one of the finalists for the 2026 National Weatherperson of the Year by FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes).

Anyone can go online and vote for Tim once a day, every day, until the voting ends Friday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m.

I just cast my vote and will probably do it again tomorrow.

As long as Tim keeps paying me.

Joking. In a world of change, over the past four-plus decades, Tim Smith has remained one of those fixed points in this changing world of ours that we call the Rio GrandeValley.

KRGV’s sports fixture for years, Dave Brown, RIP, is gone, and longtime news anchor Rick Diaz is retired, butTim’s still around.

Besides being a very good meteorologist, Smith also works hard every winter with “Tim’s Coats,” which does all it can to get coats to people, especially children, in need, before the Blue Northers roll in.

It’s a national award, and I say, Tim Smith deserves it. He’s been a part of this community since 1981, after arriving here from cold Indiana (Indiana University).

To go online and vote, either go to flash.org and look for “National Weather Person of the Year,” or follow this link: https://flash.org/nationalweatherpersonoftheyear/#

According to FLASH, Tim Smith was nominated this year for several reasons:

“Tim Smith is a veteran broadcast meteorologist and co-founder of the highly regarded National Tropical Weather Conference. Tim is known for his decades of service delivering trusted weather information and promoting community preparedness. With a career built on clear communication during severe weather events, he has become a respected voice in resilience, helping the public understand risk and take proactive safety measures. Smith’s work emphasizes education, preparedness, and the importance of accurate forecasting to protect lives and property during hurricanes, floods, and other extreme weather events.”

The naming of this year’s winner will coincide with National Weatherperson’s Day, Feb. 5.

Go, Tim. Best of luck.