John E. Hales Jr.

John E. Hales Jr
Jack Hales around 2003
Born(1942-06-11)June 11, 1942
Long Beach, California, United States
DiedMay 20, 2024(2024-05-20) (aged 81)
EducationUniversity of Utah
Known forSevere storms forecasting
SpouseSusan Hales
Children5
AwardsU.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal & National Weather Association Special Lifetime Achievement Award
Scientific career
FieldsMeteorology
InstitutionsNational Weather Service
Storm Prediction Center
Websitewww.starvalleyweather.com

John Ernest Hales Jr. (June 11, 1942 – May 20, 2024) was an American meteorologist who studied severe convective storms and tornadoes.

Hales was a forecaster for large storms at the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma, formerly known as the National Severe-Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) in Kansas City, Missouri. He worked at the National Weather Service (NWS), and then served as an SPC forecaster from 1975 until his retirement in 2011.