David Wright

David was educated in his home country of Sri Lanka, obtain his degree through the University of London. After migrating to Australia he joined the Bureau as a temporary Met. Assistant in 1959, and completed the Meteorologist training course in 1961. He then joined the Central Analysis Office, and specialised in hemispheric analysis when the Southern Hemisphere Analysis Centre was formed in the mid-1960s. He joined the Extended Period Forecasting Sub-Section on its formation in 1968, and had been Section Supervisor since 1972.

In recent years David was selected to make two extended visits to the US National Meteorological Centre in Washington, first in 1976 to take part in tests of data monitoring systems for the Global Weather Experiment, and then in 1979 when he was involved in data evaluation arising from the operational phase of the Experiment. A recent letter to the Bureau from the NMC acknowledged David's outstanding contribution to its work.

David was highly regarded in the meteorological community for his specific expertise and writings in the fields of data monitoring, Southern Hemisphere synoptic climatology, and the development of sea surface temperature analyses.

The very large crowd at David's funeral included colleagues from Head Office, the Victorian Regional Office, and the ANMRC. Former Director Dr Bill Gibbs was also among the mourners. Peter Noar, Superintending Meteorologist in the Analysis Section, who was a fellow trainee with David and a close colleague, spoke on behalf of the Bureau at the service.

The Acting Director, Bob Crowder, sent a message of condolence from interstate to David's widow and three daughters.

Bureau of Meteorology