NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – "We’ve still got some ice ... careful,” 75-year-old Harvey Borgfeld said as he opened his screen door.
On the morning KSAT 12 met with Borgfeld at his New Braunfels home, it was cold.
"It’s 30 degress as of right now,” he said, checking one of his multiple thermometers.
Observing the weather, as it turns out, is a daily routine for Borgfeld. In fact, he collects weather data including cloud cover, barometric pressure and rainfall multiple times a day.
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"It’s kind of automatic,” Borgfeld said. “When I get up in the morning at 8 o’clock, I’m out there getting the low temperature and the 8 o’clock reading."
It is a daily process that has not changed in a long, long time.
"It’s been about 22,100 consecutive days that I've kept these records,” Borgfeld said.
22,000 consecutive days is approximately 60 straight years of reporting weather data; all of which is recorded by putting pencil to paper. Borgfeld said he prefers old fashioned methods, with all of the sheets of data placed in neatly stored binders.
"This is page number one,” Borgfeld said, showing his oldest binder. “[This is] my handwriting from when I was 14 years old."
The fascination started with a junior high science experiment that never ended. Through the years, Borgfeld has witnessed every bit of the crazy weather New Braunfels has endured.
"One of the earliest I remember was Hurricane Carla in 1961,” Borgfeld said.
Borgfeld did spend one year serving in the National Guard. In order to prevent an interruption of data, he taught his mother everything he knew about meteorology and had her keep the records. His wife also helps on days when he is out of town. But there is a clear, looming question, though: Why?
"I guess it’s just a hobby like several others that I have,” Borgfeld said.