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Matt Lanza, seen here holding weather equipment, is leaving Houston after 15 years of weathering storms and informing communities.<\/p>\n
Courtesy photo, provided by Matt Lanza<\/p>\n
Matt Lanza has spent more than a decade<\/a> helping Houstonians make sense of storms, floods and extreme heat. Now, as he prepares to leave Texas for Connecticut, the Space City Weather<\/a> managing editor is reflecting on how the city\u2019s weather \u2014 and the role of meteorologists \u2014 are changing.<\/p>\n Lanza will continue in his role at Space City Weather and said his move is primarily driven by family. But his time in Houston \u2014 from Hurricane Harvey to increasingly intense heat \u2014 has shaped how he views the city\u2019s future.<\/p>\n HURRICANE NAMES: These are the hurricane names for the 2026 season and why ‘Melissa’ is retired from it<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In a conversation with the Houston Chronicle, Lanza discussed how forecasting has changed, why trust matters now more than ever and what gives him hope for Houston\u2019s climate resilience. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n Q: After more than a decade in Houston, why make the move now?<\/p>\n A: It\u2019s mostly family. My parents are back east, and it\u2019s gotten harder to see them \u2014 some of that is travel challenges, some of that is just where they are physically in life. When you have kids, that weighs on you a little more.<\/p>\n But I\u2019d be lying if I said Houston weather hasn\u2019t factored into it at all. The first five or six years we were here, we were generally fine. We had the Memorial Day flood<\/a>, the Tax Day flood<\/a> \u2014 and then Harvey happened<\/a> and it was like, OK, this is different.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Then there are summers like 2023<\/a>. That was just miserable. I think those kinds of summers are going to become more common, and personally, that\u2019s tough to deal with.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0How did Hurricane Harvey change how you view your role as a meteorologist?<\/p>\n A: It really made me realize that this job is bigger than forecasting.<\/p>\n It\u2019s beyond just a weather forecasting job. It\u2019s really about comforting people and shepherding them through an event that, for some, is going to change their lives.<\/p>\n During Harvey, you\u2019re watching it unfold, and then you start hearing from people: \u201cI\u2019m on my roof,\u201d or from people you know whose homes flooded. That sticks with you. You feel a responsibility to help however you can.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Q: Has forecasting become more difficult in the current media environment?<\/p>\n A: Everything is a threat now. Every little seedling becomes the biggest thing in the world, and you just constantly have to calm people down.<\/p>\n HOUSTON WEATHER: Sign up for texts to get forecasts and extreme weather alerts on your phone<\/a><\/p>\n There\u2019s less downtime, especially during hurricane season. You\u2019re not just dealing with real threats, you\u2019re also managing expectations and trying to prevent panic over things that aren\u2019t actually threats. That wears on you.<\/p>\n Q: Space City Weather has built a loyal following in Houston. Why does that approach work?<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A: Our philosophy has always been: let\u2019s keep it boring until we have to make it not boring.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t answer to anyone but ourselves, so we can take that approach. And I think people trust it.<\/p>\n During Harvey, some readers told us they could tell from the language we were using that this was different. They moved things upstairs, and it saved their belongings. That kind of feedback sticks with you.<\/p>\n Q: Many people only see meteorologists on TV. How is the role changing beyond traditional media?<\/p>\n A: It\u2019s expanding a lot.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n