TALLAHASSEE - Florida's new chief meteorologist grew up watching hurricanes on TV.
In fact, Ben Nelson made his career decision when he was a high school freshman in Virginia, following Hurricane Andrew's destructive sweep across the southern tip of Florida.
Nelson, now 27, who became the state's top weatherman July 15, has been responsible for keeping Gov. Jeb Bush and state emergency officials informed about Hurricanes Charley and Frances as they approached and battered the state. Now he's getting ready for Hurricane Ivan, which could hit the Keys early next week.
"He was just the ideal person, the right guy at the right time," said Craig Fugate, state emergency management director.
"He's 27 years old and these are the storms of a lifetime and he's handled it with a lot of grace and he's handled it really well,"said Bush, who sometimes likes to tease Nelson by referring to him as "weatherboy."
Nelson says his calm demeanor belies plenty of nervousness.
"I'm just trying to stay as poised as possible," he said.
Nelson began working for the state as an intern while a student at Florida State University. He then spent five years on the meteorology staff at the state's emergency operations center before getting the top job.
He said he became fascinated with hurricanes as a 12-year-old glued to the television in his Richmond, Va., home as Hurricane Hugo blew into South Carolina. Andrew was three years later.
"Hurricane Hugo really turned me toward hurricanes, away from the winter-type stuff we always had in Virginia."
Nelson spent 12 days in Punta Gorda after Charley and felt for the first time the devastation these storms leave in their wake.
He took Charley's last-minute turn into the southwestern coast personally, after predicting landfall in the Tampa Bay region.
Nelson met his wife, Deborah, from Pittsburgh, at FSU. She is also a meteorologist, in the state's Department of Environmental Protection.
