Fox 4 meteorologist Dan Henry speaks with retired Azle teachers about weather, new book
AZLE — As if on cue, the sound of rain on a metal roof accompanied a longtime local meteorologist as he spoke to the Azle Tri-County Retired School Employees Association about the science of extreme weather and the stories of its survivors.
Dan Henry, chief meteorologist at Fox 4 News in Dallas, has spent over three decades forecasting weather, but his passion extends beyond the newsroom. Henry’s fascination with weather first began after he experienced a major blizzard during childhood. Last Tuesday, Jan. 18, it brought him to Azle Deer Cove to promote his new book, “Menacing Skies: Texas Weather and Stories of Survival.”
The book, which took a year-and-a-half to research and write, covers tornadoes, lightning, hail formation and other extreme weather phenomena. What sets it apart is Henry’s commitment to making meteorology accessible to both weather enthusiasts and the general public. To do this, he interviewed more than a dozen storm survivors, including individuals affected by tornadoes, floods and even the tragic Delta 191 plane crash caused by wind shear in 1985.
“I kind of wanted to relate to the everyday people,” Henry said in an interview with the Tri-County Reporter. “These are people that never knew in a million years that they were going to be impacted by a life changing weather event. I found some interesting things. Number one, all of them, to some degree or another, suffered PTSD and their lives, you know, have changed from that day forward.”
Henry’s own life was changed after experiencing the 1979 President’s Day Blizzard just two weeks after moving from California to Delaware as a child. The storm surprised Delmarva area residents by dropping an unexpected two-to-three feet of snow, paralyzing local infrastructure, business and schools for over a week.
“It made a profound impact on me,” Henry said. “It’s just a fascinating storm. That was one of the big childhood moments in weather that steered me to do what I do today.”
During a PowerPoint presentation and Q&A, Henry talked about the ins and outs of a variety of weather phenomenon, touching on recent events and detailing the best practices for storm safety.
Henry was not always the media personality he is today. He described having to overcome major stage fright during one of his first jobs at a small station in Wilmington, North Carolina. Henry was at risk of not being renewed for his 90-day contract, but during the hustle and bustle of hurricane season he got in the reps to make him a more confident competent newscaster. The rest is history. His 35-year career has taken him from North Carolina to Washington, D.C. and eventually Dallas where he has spent the last 23 years at Fox 4. Henry now appears on the screens of millions of DFW area viewers every evening. Covering North Texas weather, Henry said, is fascinating and challenging because it often changes from one minute to the next.
Henry has covered thousands of everyday forecasts as well as major weather events like the deadly 2015 tornado outbreak in Garland and Rowlett the day after Christmas. Reporting on the fatalities from that storm was one of the hardest moments of his career, but it also fueled his desire to connect with survivors and share their stories.
The book also includes insights from top meteorologists, researchers and Texas’ state climatologist. By combining expert knowledge with survivor accounts, Henry aims to deliver scientific depth and human perspective. The book also integrates modern technology, featuring QR codes that link to photos and videos of major weather events, making it an engaging resource for students and teachers.
During conversations with audience members, Henry answered questions about artificial intelligence in weather forecasting, cloud seeding, weather safety regulations and the impact Eagle Mountain Lake can have on Azle weather. On Saturday, Henry attended another talk with Lewisville retired teachers. Former educators, Henry said, are often his favorite groups to speak with. In upcoming months, he will continue reaching out to the public through SKYWARN spotter trainings in Denton, attending Nebraska Furniture Mart’s Severe Weather Awareness Event and experiencing “Weathercon” at Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field. Henry said he enjoys attending events where he gets to interact with people on a personal level and he hopes they walk away with new knowledge and insights.
“(Weather) is an easy topic to talk about. Everybody can relate, because everybody’s impacted by it,” Henry said. “They ask good questions. It’s a way for me to engage with people that have watched me for many years that I’ve never met before. They share their stories and their passion for weather. As meteorologists, most of us knew from a very young age that this is what we wanted to do, so we truly enjoy sharing our passion with others.”
By meeting’s end, Henry had sold several signed copies of his book and exchanged stories with tenured Azle residents. Henry’s appearance is one of many special events hosted by the Azle retired teachers’ group, which meets the third Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. Recent meetings have featured other informational speakers and live music. Phone safety will be the topic of March’s meeting and the “Azle listening guy,” Will Norman is slated to speak at a future event.
“Each meeting, we try to have a speaker or something of interest to the group,” organizer Dana Miller said. “I loved it. I think it’s great. I am a weather fanatic. I’m fascinated by weather every day, all around us, so I’m excited about it.”
Dan Henry stands with his new book at a Jan. 18 Azle retired teachers meeting. ZACH FREEMAN | TRI-COUNTY REPORTER
