A Very Sad Day For Science

CgMJJtaUUAE5TE-

Dr. Bill Gray has passed away. He was my hero, and an inspiration.

Besides being a top tropical meteorologist and hurricane forecaster, Bill was a man of the highest integrity and character. Bill had his funding cut off by Al Gore in 1993 for refusing to go along with Gore’s global warming politics. Unlike so many others, Bill chose scientific integrity over politics and money, and fought against climate fraud to his last breath.

I spoke with Bill on Sunday by phone, and his last words to me were “I hear the beer is colder on the other side. We will have to have our next one there.”  He kept his great sense of humor right up to the end.

I look forward to our next pint, but for now I am heartbroken. Bill passed away on a snowy day in Colorado. His late wife Nancy was Mayor of Fort Collins during the 1980’s, and was responsible for the great system of bike trails there.

CgLe1QrUAAA2b1A

Rest in Peace Bill. I will miss you terribly. Bill asked me to carry the climate torch forward for him the next few decades, and I promised him I would.

About Tony Heller

Just having fun
This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

55 Responses to A Very Sad Day For Science

  1. Sorry to learn of the loss of your friend and hero. He sounds like a man of remarkable integrity.

  2. dmmcmah says:

    Sorry to hear about this. A tragic loss for climate science, especially a reasonable voice in this era of politicized madness.

  3. gator69 says:

    Bill was a hero to my father, as well as to me. So glad to have had the opportunity to learn from him, so sorry to know he is gone from this world. God bless you Bill.

  4. Phil Kearney, CSU Physics Dept, emeritus says:

    For some years I have enjoyed meeting and talking with Bill Gray at the CSU Men’s Science club monthly meetings. I learned a lot from him about our climate and the controversies and was advised to keep up with the Steven Goddard posts!

    • We will have to meet up sometime when I am in Fort Collins.

      • Wayne Sallade says:

        My Wife and I had lunch with Bill in the fall on our last trip out West and I was unaware he had been ill. His passing came as a tremendous shock to us, as we loved this man like a grandfather who went out of his way to impart his tremendous wisdom on us. I was a friend for the past 25 years and have stopped numerous times at CSU to just say hello and swap a few yarns, mostly about baseball. I am one of many seasoned emergency managers who believe in Bill (and Phil) and greatly appreciate their science. In fact, Bill was an inspiration to me as embarked at age 60 on a journey to earn a Master’s Degree in emergency management, in order that I might share with others what Bill has tried to teach us all. I will soon complete those studies and move into academia as a college instructor. Dr. Bill will be with me all the way.

  5. kbray in california says:

    Very sad and shocked to hear this. My condolences.
    A great man indeed!

  6. I am sorry for your loss, Tony, and that of all decent people in the world. Bill Gray’s wisdom, integrity and humor give hope to us all. I pray that the beer is colder on the other side.

  7. omanuel says:

    You, Steven aka Tony, are testimony to the fact that Bill Gray’s contributions to society will become more obvious as society’s insanity lifts.

  8. wyoskeptic says:

    I did not know Bill, but what I know of him, I feel the following is apt:

    That man is a success
    who has lived well,
    laughed often and loved much;
    who has gained the respect of intelligent men
    and the love of children;
    who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
    who leaves the world better than he found it,
    whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
    who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty
    or failed to express it;
    who looked for the best in others
    and gave the best he had.

    I do not know who to attribute this to. It is on a simple plaque given me once when I was feeling low. It has helped me before, maybe it will help others now.

    RIP Bill.

  9. Jim Schmidt says:

    Sorry for your loss… It sounds like we lost a good man in a world where good men are an endangered species, with unlimited hunting licenses for the liars, cheats, crooks, and corrupt politicians. But I repeat myself.

  10. Caleb says:

    He stood by the Truth.
    Now Truth will stand by him.
    RIP, Bill Gray. And thank you for the windows you opened for those who love to study the clouds.

  11. Please accept my condolences.

    Carry that torch – will you – no greater carrier there is.

  12. RAH says:

    My condolences for your loss and ours. I really don’t know what else to say.

  13. Med Bennett says:

    Very nice tribute Tony! My condolences.

  14. gregole says:

    Sad news. My condolences to you and to his family.

  15. Sad to hear Steve. My condolences. I’m glad to hear he passed the torch to you, that’s quite an honor.

  16. AndyG55 says:

    The loss of a great mind, and by the sounds of it, an even greater person.

  17. rebelronin says:

    I am sorry for the loss of your friend.
    Holding up that torch is critical.
    At this point, the consequences are far beyond the scientific debate,

  18. Steve Case says:

    Sad news indeed, thank you for taking the time to post it.

  19. Richard Keen says:

    A few months ago Bill said to me,
    Oh how the historians are going to have such a great time in 20-30 years pointing out how crazy the word went over such foolishness.
    So very sad he won’t be around here for that judgement day, but I’m sure he’ll tip one of those colder beers when it happens.
    On a lighter note, Bill was a hoot to be around. He wasn’t shy about poking fun at those who deserved to be poked, and even in their presence.
    Lots of us will miss the guy. He’s the best.

    • Wayne Sallade says:

      He told my Wife and I exactly the same thing just last fall when we met in Ft. Collins for lunch on our way to Wyoming. I was afraid when we left him that I might not see him again and sadly that premonition was correct. He once showed us the cemetery where Nancy is and I promised him then that we will all come out there some day and post a sign on his grave saying, “He was RIGHT!”. We will miss him terribly but know that he’s where the beer is colder and fresher than we can imagine. In fact, I’m set to have a couple of Fat Tire Ambers in his honor this afternoon.

  20. lance says:

    Sad indeed. Circle of Life.

  21. oz4caster says:

    Sorry to hear. I always looked forward to his hurricane season forecasts, which usually were pretty accurate. I will be happy if the beer is even better on the other side as I down a few brews this evening. Cheers to a great career and a great man.

  22. Andy DC says:

    Sorry to hear the sad news

  23. docfjs says:

    He’s probably having a cold one right now with Scalia.

  24. omanuel says:

    I am confident Bill Gray’s life and career will confirm, as did those of my own research mentor: PRINCIPLES OUTLIVE PERSONALITIES

  25. Jerry Kokich says:

    I am very sorry for your loss. I know Mr. Gray will be watching over you.

  26. Barry Schwartz says:

    Bill was a great man with integrity that is most rare and humility unmatched
    by anyone. Bill was interested in getting the scientific truth about climate change out and we must continue his effort in his honor. He was a great friend and will be sorely missed.

  27. ren says:

    Such awareness is not annihilated.

  28. John B. says:

    Tony,
    My sincere condolences.
    Keep carrying the torch.

    Looking forward to Climate Hustle.

  29. Hifast says:

    Reblogged this on Climate Collections and commented:
    My condolences. We have all lost a great man. Thank you for sharing Tony.

  30. nigelf says:

    A giant of a man has passed.

  31. ren says:

    “Had I not spent my whole career (of nearly 60 years) in the meteorology-climate area and knew about AGW only from what I read or heard from the mainstream media, I may have been susceptible to accepting much of the AGW propaganda. This is why so many talented scientists from other fields have been unconsciously sucked into the wide orbit of AGW believers. Very few individuals have the long and broad ranging technical background in meteorology-climate to be able to well understand and attack the basic flaws of the AGW hypothesis. I am surprised at how many of my younger and less experienced meteorology-climate colleagues are willing to accept the science behind the AGW arguments – many just out of mindlessly going along with the consensus, and many out of worry about being typed as an AGW skeptic and losing future research funding opportunities. And not-a-small number of our more experienced meteorology-climate specialists, who should have known better or privately had serious doubts about AGW theory, nevertheless went along with the AGW theory in order to obtain or to continue their research support. This posed a terrible dilemma for many who had to choose between their belief and/or their career.”
    http://icecap.us/index.php/go/new-and-cool/homage_to_the_heartland_institute/

  32. Robertv says:

    Sorry I did not react earlier but my father in law deceased yesterday too. Also an incorruptible man.

  33. ricks2014 says:

    ONE THING [FORES SURE], Dr. Bill Gray won’t see Al Gore again, except for a very brief moment in Time, and then it will “never” happen again !

    Rest in Piece Dr. Gray !!!

    “Al Gore”, get ready for “True” Global Warming, except that for “You”, it will be for eternity…

    That’s Forever !

    1st pit on the Left, it has your Name written on it !!!

  34. Dave N says:

    My condolences, Tony.

    My thoughts are with his family, friends, and yourself.

  35. David Smith says:

    Al Gore – afraid of a man with a brain who has a beer in his hand.

    My condolences.

  36. oz4caster says:

    Just noticed that Jeff Masters posted a lengthy eulogy to Bill Gray on his Wunderground Blog.
    https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/bill-gray-a-towering-figure-in-hurricane-science

    I didn’t realize he once aspired to be a professional baseball player.

    Masters mentioned:

    Dr. Gray did not accept any climate science done using complex computer-based General Circulation Models (GCMs). His belief that “the last century’s global warming of about 1 degree F is not a consequence of human activities” was prominently featured in the media and on the pages of many climate denier websites.

    And surprisingly he included this link to an article for “climate denier websites”:
    http://www.climatedepot.com/2009/12/08/hurricane-expert-rips-climate-fears-there-has-been-an-unrelenting-quarter-century-of-onesided-indoctrination/

    • oz4caster says:

      Here’s here’s the climate change message Marc Morano posted from Bill Gray on the Climate Depot link above.

      Puncturing the Climate Balloon
      By Dr. Bill Gray
      December 8, 2009

      Had I not devoted my entire career of over half-a-century to the study and forecasting of meteorological and climate events I would have likely been concerned over the possibility of humans causing serious global climate degradation.

      There has been an unrelenting quarter century of one-sided indoctrination of the western world by the media and by various scientists and governments concerning a coming carbon dioxide (CO_2 ) induced global warming disaster. These warming scenarios have been orchestrated by a combination of environmentalists, vested interest scientists wanting larger federal grants and publicity, the media which profits from doomsday scenario reporting, governmental bureaucrats who want more power over our lives, and socialists who want to level-out global living standards. These many alarmist groups appear to have little concern over whether their global warming prognostications are accurate, however. And they most certainly are not. The alarmists believe they will be able to scare enough of our citizens into believing their propaganda that the public will be willing to follow their advice on future energy usage and agree to a lowering of their standard of living in the name of climate salvation.

      Rising levels of CO_2 are not near the threat these alarmists have portrayed them to be. There has yet to be a honest and broad scientific debate on the basic science of CO_2 ‘s influence on global temperature. The global climate models predicting large amounts of global warming for a doubling of CO_2 are badly flawed. They should never have been used to establish government climate policy.

      The last century’s global warming of about 1 degree F is not a consequence of human activities. This warming is primarily the result of a multi-century changes in the globe’s deep ocean circulation. These ocean current changes have lead to a small and gradual increase in the globe’s temperature. We are coming out of the Little Ice Age and into a generally warmer climate state. This is akin to the warmer global climate of the Medieval Period. We can do nothing but adapt to such long period natural temperature changes.

      The recent ‘ClimateGate’ revelations coming out of the UK University of East Anglia are but the tip of a giant iceberg of a well organized international climate warming conspiracy that has been gathering momentum for the last 25 years. This conspiracy would become much more manifest if all the e-mails of the publicly funded climate research groups of the US and of foreign governments were ever made public.

      The disastrous economic consequences of restricting CO_2 emissions from the present by as much as 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 (as being proposed in Copenhagen) have yet to be digested by the general public. Such CO_2 output decreases would cause very large increases in our energy costs, a lowering of our standard of living, and do nothing of significance to improve our climate.

      The Cap-and-Trade bill presently before Congress, the likely climate agreements coming out of the Copenhagen Conference, and the EPA’s just announced decision to treat CO_2 as a pollutant represents a grave threat to the industrial world’s continued economic development. We should not allow these proposals to restrict our economic growth. Any United Nations climate bill our country might sign would act as an infringement on our country’s sovereignty.

    • Interesting reading. True to form, even in eulogy Masters could not refrain from calling his opponents “climate deniers”. I wonder if he knows how he sounds and if he thinks it’s effective. I can’t tell with the chosen ones living in the inner chambers of the temple.

      I also noticed he introduced the term climate change specialist and wrote that Bill Gray was not one. Predictably, the climate priesthood gets ever more hierarchical. The computer model entrails won’t talk to someone who just walked in from the street.

      • oz4caster says:

        CW:

        I also noticed he introduced the term climate change specialist …

        I didn’t catch that. I guess he’s right because there are very few true climate scientists anymore. Most are now specialists in promoting what they call “climate change” which is weasel wording for CAGW. Maybe Jeff as vested interests in promoting the agenda of “climate change”? Many such people will go to their graves promoting it to save face even when the evidence is overwhelming against CAGW. Unfortunately, they seem to be brainwashing a whole new crew to replace them as they die out.

  37. ren says:

    Steven
    Is Professor Gray foresaw mediocre hurricane season in the Atlantic in 2016?

  38. For every Bill Gray that dies, another David Apell or Bill McKibben will take his place. That will be right about the time the next ice age starts.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *