Tampa meteorologist, beloved community advocate and respected mentor Andy Johnson passes

Andy Johnson, a former meteorologist for Fox 13 in Tampa, passed away Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 68 years old.

Johnson was a beloved and accomplished member of the Tampa community and the broader meteorology community. He was the principal of Johnson Forensic Meteorological Consulting, the Tampa-based firm he founded in 1997. His work in the private sector overlapped for many years with an accomplished career in television meteorology.

He retired in 2013 from WTVT-TV, Fox 13 in Tampa after a 34-year on-air career. Johnson was a trusted source for viewers across the Tampa media market, one of the largest in the nation.

Even in his retirement, Johnson remained a trusted source for weather information, particularly as hurricanes threatened, by cutting through the chatter to deliver his followers no-nonsense information that helped keep people calm and better prepared.

Johnson’s love for meteorology was a lifelong calling that began as a young child when he and his family evacuated their home as a major hurricane approached. It was then he established a personal mission: to help others better understand destructive storms and to provide comfort, education and practical knowledge in moments of uncertainty.

As a child, he built his own weather station at home. At age 7, Johnson was able to visit the WTVT Weather Service where he met his future mentor, Roy Leep. Johnson would go on to attend Florida State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in meteorology with honors distinction.

His meteorological career spanned 43 years, which he approached with both joy and determination, building a remarkable legacy through bridging public, private and academic sectors.

Part of his commitment to the meteorology field came through mentoring others. He frequently met with students, speaking candidly about his own journey and the many paths available within the field. He believed in meeting students where they were, tailoring his mentorship to their goals, and helping guide the next generation of meteorologists with generosity and care.

His dedication received plenty of notice. He was named a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society in 2023, becoming one of only 10 individuals in the world to hold all four American Meteorological Society certifications. His service with the American Meteorological Society included serving as President of one of its most active chapters for nearly two decades.

He also distinguished himself as a pioneer in broadcasting technology, implementing and customizing the first all-digital television computer graphics system in the nation in 1979 under the McIDAS banner developed at the University of Wisconsin.

Before that, then-Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners declared Jan. 29, 2013, to be “Andy Johnson Day.” Later that year, then-Gov. Rick Scott sent Johnson a letter recognizing his decades of contributions and service to the community.

In 2024, the Tampa City Council approved a proclamation recognizing Johnson for his personal forecasting during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The proclamation credited him with saving thousands of lives by providing critical information to help residents make informed decisions about their safety.

Other career highlights include policy advocacy, including through his work on Superstorm Sandy and in coordination with Tampa Electric Company to help develop a system designed to prevent brownouts during Arctic cold outbreaks. He was also a proud advocate for inclusion and community engagement, including speaking to the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Employee Resource Networking Group at JPMorgan Chase.

Johnson is survived by, in addition to his family, his devoted husband, Bryan Farris. Farris is a veteran local political consultant. In recent years, the two had been enjoying retirement, traveling frequently.

Those who follow Johnson on social media will no doubt remember him fondly for his frequent video tours of various accommodations and other notable spots on the couple’s many endeavors across the world. Johnson had a profound appreciation for even the smallest travel touches, remarking with awe on everything from personalized messages on planes and in hotels to concierge services that allowed him and his husband to make the most of their many travels.

His love for exploring and appreciating new places, and the people that inhabited them, was a frequent talking point, punctuating Johnson’s care and compassion for all.

His zest for life will no doubt live on in Farris, who, along with the rest of Johnson’s family, share their deep gratitude for the outpouring of love, prayers and support in Johnson’s final days and upon his passing.

The family asks that Johnson be remembered not only for his distinguished career, but for his kindness, generosity and unwavering commitment to helping others.

In lieu of flowers, Johnson wished for donations to an organization beloved to both him and Farris, Equality Florida, which can be made here.