BOERNE, Texas — When you think of the title "weather veteran," a 12-year-old from Boerne, Texas, would be the last thing you'd think of. But that’s the title that's been given to Jacques F. Dubose, and he’s earned it.
Jacques is providing daily weather forecasts on 103.9FM radio in Boerne, much to the delight of General Manager Baron Wiley. When asked if he thought it was risky to put a 12-year-old on air to handle the daily forecast, Wiley didn't hesitate.
"Not at all," he said. "When I first heard about this then-10-year-old Boerne kid doing weather on YouTube and then saw it, I knew I had something special. He’s a true weather veteran.”
Jacques’ interest in meteorology was born out of a close call with Mother Nature: When he was just 7, a supercell thunderstorm was threatening his neighborhood.
Tornado sirens sounded. To stay safe, Jacques joined his family in the bathtub. The tornado missed Boerne that evening, but it was from that scare that Jacques' interest in meteorology was born.
The preteen also has in his heart a concern for neighbors' safety.
“I wanted to do something that would help people," he says. "I want to be able to warn our neighbors if severe weather is threatening the area."
Jacques’ parents knew their son was born with an extraordinary mind when, at the age of 5, Jacques wrote a note to his parents explaining why he’d prefer a Macintosh computer over a PC.
“It is amazing for me to see him just blossom and do what he is passionate about, pursue different things and interests," said his father, Jacques Dubose Sr. "He is always doing something. I think it is pretty cool."
>WATCH the full interview with Jacques below
The preteen forecaster’s father also said it was pretty nice having a weather forecast on demand.
“I ask him probably every other day what the weather is going to be," he said. "Especially if we are doing something outdoors or if there is some kind of event in Boerne that is outdoors, I’ll ask him. Or if I have plans to do yardwork.
"I will ask him quite a bit. And I rely on his knowledge (so) that way I don’t have to do it."
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