The first Bermudian forecaster to qualify in more than a decade has been welcomed to the job by the Bermuda Weather Service.

Troy Anderson is now qualified as a meteorological forecaster after training on the job at BWS and completion of a course at the UK’s Met Office College.

Mr Anderson said his interest in weather dated back to Hurricane Fabian, which struck Bermuda in 2003, when he was 8.

He added: “Shortly after, my mother took me to visit BWS and I’ve been hooked on weather ever since.

“Dr Mark Guishard, the BWS director, has been a mentor to me for many years, for which I am very grateful.

“I enjoy both forecasting and breaking down the science of atmospheric conditions. I love what I do.”

Mr Anderson was congratulated by Neville Tyrrell, the transport minister, Renée Ming, the national security minister, as well as Lawrence Scott, the chairman of the Bermuda Airport Authority and Lester Nelson, the authority’s chief executive.

Ms Ming and Mr Tyrrell were given an overview of the BWS by Dr Guishard and an outline of what is predicted to be a busy Atlantic hurricane season.

September and October are especially critical months in the season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

The ministers were advised on the appearance of Tropical Depressions 13 and 14 to the south of Bermuda. Ms Ming said she would hold a meeting of the Emergency Measures Organisation next Wednesday to examine forecasts and hurricane readiness.

Mr Anderson, a former pupil of the Bermuda Institute, studied at Florida International University and has a bachelor’s degree in geosciences, with a minor in international relations.

His graduate trainee programme with the Bermuda Airport Authority included training with the operational forecasters of BWS, and completion of the operational meteorologist foundation course at the Met Office College, which covered aviation, marine and public weather forecasting.

Mr Anderson’s studies in Britain were cut short when the college closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but he was able to return to the island to finish his studies through distance learning.

He also has a dual certification as a forecaster and a meteorological technician after he was awarded his first qualification as an observer last summer.

Dr Guishard said Mr Anderson had completed his qualifications “just in time for the height of the currently very active Atlantic hurricane season”.

He added: “Last year, he was on-site and training at BWS when Bermuda experienced Hurricane Humberto.

“He produced a number of social-media videos highlighting important aspects of the storm for the public.”