About Matt Callihan

How did you become interested in your profession?

I have always been fascinated with weather, even as a child. My interest really sparked one evening when my father and I were sitting on the front porch watching a distant thunderstorm. All of a sudden, a cold breeze began and quickly intensified! My father and I grabbed our folding chairs and tried to get into the front door, but it was so difficult to get into the house that we both lost our hats due to the wind. I was so perplexed as to why the sudden wind gust occurred, that I asked my teacher the next day, and eventually became an expert myself.

What led you to a career with the NWS (National Weather Service)?

I began my meteorology career as a snow/snowpack climate researcher in Fort Collins, CO. I worked on several projects during my time within the Fraser Experimental Forest and the Great Mesa National Park, which included a NASA project to determine snow depth and snow-water-equivalent (SWE) via satellite and snow depth response to beetle kill infections on Lodgepole pines. Upon returning to my home university, I was nominated for a teaching assistantship for the following year which sparked my interest in not just forecasting but communicating and informing. From there I decided to get into broadcasting and gained employment with a news station in Eugene, OR. I then went on to stations in New Bern, NC and Baton Rouge, LA for the following 4 years before joining the NWS in August of 2020. I wanted to play a more critical role in the preservation of life and property, and also have the ability to work with Emergency Managers and decision makers to further public safety.

How did you end up in Pendleton?

I had just finished my broadcasting contract in Baton Rouge, LA, and was looking to get into a NWS office closer to my wife, who was in Seattle, WA at the time. She has since moved to Pendleton and we are excited to build a family here in Eastern Oregon.

What do you enjoy most about working for the NWS?

I love the ability to work one-on-one with communities across the area to ensure preparedness and notification of severe weather events.

What is your favorite type of weather and why?

I enjoy winter, so my favorite type of weather is snow! Most of my career I have been far away from it, so I am ecstatic to be able to forecast here in the Pacific Northwest.

What is the most memorable weather event you've ever experienced?

Being in broadcasting, I have been able to cover extreme events including two landfalling hurricanes, four tropical storms, and various tornado outbreaks across Southern Louisiana and along the North Carolina Coast. The most memorable of these events has to be Hurricane Matthew that rode up the east coast in 2006. We had several areas in our forecast domain that incurred incredible flooding and multiple tornadoes as the system neared our coast.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, mountain biking, soccer, hiking, and camping.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

I would like to continue to enhance my role in the NWS, incorporating new tactics and relationships to further our impact at the local community/neighborhood level.