BAMOS June 2017
15
Vale Jim Davidson
Michael Hewson and the AMOS-Q Committee
Let us note with sadness the passing of AMOS stalwart and retired Bureau of Meteorology Queensland Regional Director, Jim Davidson. Jim succumbed to a prolonged illness on the 16th of May 2017. Our thoughts continue to be with his wife Sharyn, his children Dean and Melanie and his grandchildren Jake and Lachlan.
Jim is warmly remembered by his former colleagues, not only for his outstanding efforts in representing the Bureau in Queensland and his contributions to the Bureau’ s national leadership, but also as a compassionate and community building leader. Members of AMOS remember his warmth and friendship and his continued commitment to keeping the collegiate activity of AMOS going.
Apart from his international work on tropical cyclones, Jim made a significant contribution to the WMO Public Weather Services Programme, where his experience and wisdom is a lasting legacy.
Jim spent more than a decade as the Queensland Regional Director and he had indicated that his most treasured role in that time was to serve the public. He recounted a story that just a few months after a Brisbane newspaper ran this article and picture( right) in 2007, the heavens opened over Queensland with five relatively wet seasons to follow...
Jim started a science vocation with the then Defence Science, Weapons Research Establishment on the Skylark Rocket Project before joining the Bureau in early 1969— just as Tropical Cyclone Ada slammed in to the Whitsundays in January 1970. From the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Jim was transferred to Port Moresby for almost three years. Apart from short stints in Darwin and Townsville, Jim was a Queensland Regional Office bench forecaster( as he called it) until 1987. A transfer as inaugural head of the Severe Weather Unit beckoned from which, three years later, Jim was promoted to Queensland Weather Services Manager – a post he held for some 12 years before being appointed Queensland Regional Director in 2002.
Jim remembered with some satisfaction that there was no reported direct loss of life or serious injury when severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi made landfall early 2011. He attributed this to Queensland’ s successful multi-agency approach to disaster management. Jim always warmly acknowledge the ongoing and exceptional work of his colleagues and their contribution to the successes enjoyed by the Queensland Region. In many ways, this sums up Jim’ s character and collegiality.
Image: Michael Hewson