William L. Read

William L. Read (born 1949 or 1950) is an American meteorologist who served in the United States Navy, the National Weather Service (NWS), and as consultant for television stations such as KPRC-TV during his career. He has worked at NWS offices in Sterling, Virginia, Fort Worth, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, Silver Spring, Maryland, Houston, Texas, and Miami, Florida over the years, reaching the post of director of the National Hurricane Center from January 25, 2008 until June 2012.

Career Read studied at Texas A&M, getting his B.Sc. in 1971. He then served four years in the U.S. Navy at different bases and as an on-board meteorologist with the Hurricane hunters. Returning for to Texas A&M, he obtained his M.Sc. in meteorology in 1976.

Read was appointed to direct the Houston/Galveston weather forecast office in 1992 and led it through the National Weather Service modernization and restructuring program of the mid-1990s.