Four questions with National Weather Service Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones

What is the best thing about Southwest Louisiana?

The food is second to none. The fusion of traditional Cajun French and Creole cuisine along with Tex Mex influences from the west and the rich New Orleans food culture from the east creates a veritable theme park for the taste buds. The biggest gatherings and festivals across the region always revolve around our wonderful food and nobody ever leaves hungry.

What fuels your passion for meteorology?

The weather is a never-ending physics, chemistry, and biology experiment taking place on scales both atomic and global. It’s also an integral and deeply personal part of the human experience. Want to start an argument? Ask a group of people how they feel about the next cold front. Meteorology offers me the privilege to engage and support the community in a very real way. Sometimes that means being a calm and reassuring voice during dangerous storms and sometimes it means celebrating that first taste of fall after another brutal Louisiana summer. The great thing about the weather is it’s ever changing so each day is a new challenge.

What was your last moment of gratitude?

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit upstate New York a few weeks ago during peak fall foliage. Like most, I often get caught up in the daily grind where very small inconveniences feel like major problems. I’ve discovered that a quiet trail in the middle of a forest is a great place to find perspective on the things that matter most. I came back from that trip with a strong sense of gratitude for my family, friends and place in the world.

What inspired you to become a high school football referee?

I didn’t think “being wrong half the time” as a Meteorologist would subject me to enough criticism. Hang on! That’s a bit cynical. Truthfully, I was just looking for a reason to get out of my apartment when I went to my first referee meeting and now I’ve just wrapped up my 16th season on the field. Officiating football is as much a team sport as the game itself and it introduced me to a very diverse group of people from all walks of life who have become great friends. It also offers a way to get paid to exercise, which is pretty sweet. There’s a constant shortage of officials in all sports and we’re always looking for new ones so give it a look at lhsaa.org/lhsoa