U.S. Senator Mel Martinez briefed at WFO Miami. (L to R) Miami WCM Jim Lushine, Lead Forecaster (sitting) Eric Christensen, NHC Director Max Mayfield, Southern Region Director Bill Proenza, MIC Rusty Pfost and Sen. Martinez.

(Aug. 4, 2005) -- U.S. Senator Mel R. Martinez (Fla.) paid a visit to the collocated National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service Forecast Office in Miami today. Following a tour of the NHC operations area where a variety of satellite loops, radar animations and atmospheric computer projections were used to update him on the latest track for Tropical Storm Harvey and other tropical activity being monitored, the Senator moved on the WFO.

On the WFO side, NWS Southern Region Director Bill Proenza and Meteorologist-in-Charge Rusty Pfost briefed him on the wide range of weather forecast and warnings services provided in Miami and the 121 other WFOs, 13 River Forecast Centers and 21 Center Weather Service Units across the nation. The Senator expressed particular interest in the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards broadcasts.

Senator Martinez was recently sworn in as Florida's 33rd Senator, and the first Cuban-American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Before leaving, he held an "all hands" meeting to express his appreciation for the work of the staffs in Miami, as well as the other offices in Florida and across the nation.