Overview

Robert Homer Simpson (November 19, 1912 – December 18, 2014) was an American meteorologist best known for his work on tropical cyclones. He served as the first director of the National Hurricane Research Project (1955–1959) and later as director of the National Hurricane Center (1967–1974). Simpson collaborated with engineer Herbert Saffir to produce the Saffir–Simpson scale, a widely used system to categorize hurricanes by their maximum sustained winds and potential for damage. For more on his career and biography see professional profile.

Career and roles

Simpson spent his career in operational and research meteorology, bridging field observations, laboratory study and applied forecasting. He was appointed to lead the National Hurricane Research Project when systematic scientific study of hurricanes was becoming a national priority. Later he directed the National Hurricane Center during a period of growing public interest in hurricane forecasting and warning systems; institutional information is available from the Center itself at NHC resources.

Major contribution: the Saffir–Simpson scale

One of Simpson's most enduring contributions is the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, developed with Herbert Saffir. The scale assigns categories to tropical cyclones based on sustained wind speeds and provides a shorthand for communicating potential wind damage. While it remains widely used for conveying storm intensity, meteorologists and emergency managers emphasize that the scale addresses wind hazards primarily and does not fully represent other threats such as storm surge, rainfall flooding or inland impacts; further discussion can be found at related resources.

Legacy and significance

  • Institutional impact: Simpson helped set research priorities that improved understanding of hurricane structure and intensity change.
  • Public communication: The scale he co‑authored continues to shape how the public and officials prepare for storms.
  • Professional context: His work linked field programs, aircraft reconnaissance, and operational forecasting in efforts to reduce hurricane risk.

Simpson's wife, Joanne Simpson, was also a prominent meteorologist and is widely recognized as one of the earliest women to earn a Ph.D. in meteorology. Robert Simpson lived to 102; he died in Washington, D.C., on December 18, 2014. Notices and tributes to his life and career were published after his death; one such notice is available at obituary and remembrances.

For further reading and archival material on mid‑20th century hurricane research and operational advances, consult institutional histories and collections linked by research libraries and meteorological organizations, including summaries at professional profile and other collections noted above.