BATON ROUGE — For decades, south Louisiana has relied on the steady voice of meteorologist and state climatologist Jay Grymes to help navigate the storms that roll in from the Gulf. But just before the 2025 hurricane season began, Grymes was blindsided by a storm of his own—a diagnosis that tested his strength and resilience.
Fast forward to October 2025 and Grymes says he is now cancer free! Doctors gave him the “clean and clear” on Oct. 8, 2025. He now moves on to voice therapy and swallow tests.
“The good news for me is that the cancer is gone. I’ve still got a few things to deal with as the throat heals from the treatments but these are minor,” Grymes told UWK. “The lesson, especially for all the seniors out there, is don’t ignore nagging paints and discomfort. Not all of it is just a ‘sign of old age.’ Take the time and get it checked out.”
Jay Grymes’ battle with throat cancer
“It started with this cough,” Grymes recalled. “More than a year ago, when I was still at WAFB, I battled it. I figured it was sinuses, allergies, the usual. I spent months with ENT doctors and allergists trying to figure it out. Nobody could flag it. It was more nuisance than problematic, but sometimes it would catch me so hard I couldn’t finish my weather task.”
What Grymes didn’t know was that the cough was only the first gusts of wind before the storm surge. After his retirement from television and move to LSU, a scan revealed a mass at the base of his tongue.
It was cancer.
“That’s when I knew this wasn’t just allergies or a cough” Grymes said. “Once they told me, I said, okay, let’s attack it. Let’s stop this while I can.”
Weathering the Treatment | “I hadn’t been mentally or physically prepared for that”
In June 2025, Grymes began six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation at the Mary Bird Perkins Head and Neck Cancer Center. The treatments wrapped in mid-July, but the eye of the storm proved deceiving.
“I actually expected the treatments to be tougher than they were. What caught me off guard was after,” he admitted. “I rang the bell for chemo and radiation, but the medicine and procedures kept working in my body. The second half of July, the first week of August—that was the roughest stretch. I hadn’t been mentally or physically prepared for that.”
The recovery left him almost 50 pounds lighter and drained of energy. “I lost a lot of muscle. That’s the sad part,” he said. “But I’m finally starting to feel a little rebound. Energy is coming back. Now, it’s as much mental as it is physical.”
An Unlikely Diagnosis | “If something feels off, get it checked”
Throat cancer is typically linked to smoking or heavy drinking, but Grymes had no such history. “I never smoked. And yes, there was cancer in my family, but not throat cancer. So it was a bit unusual. Of course, my first reaction was, ‘Wait a minute—not me.’”
Doctors explained that there are many causes of throat cancer including genetics, nutrition, alcohol, age and other factors. Symptoms often start quietly—with a cough, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or a lump in the neck—making early detection crucial.
“I tell people now, if something bugs you, if something feels off, get it checked,” Grymes urged. “I’m almost 70. These kinds of things happen as we age. But don’t ignore it.”
A Forecast of Hope | “I’m going to be 100% optimistic”
Though the next few months will determine the full effectiveness of treatment, Grymes’ doctors are optimistic. “They’re saying things are heading the right direction, and early signs are positive,” he said. “So I’m going to be 100% optimistic, too.”
Through his battle, Grymes has also gained a deeper empathy for others. “I think about the kids at Children’s Hospital who face this. I can process it as an adult. But how do you explain it to a 5-year-old? That’s been on my mind more than anything.”
As Louisiana heads into the heart of hurricane season, Grymes says he won’t be rushing back into the office just yet. But true to form, he still keeps a watchful eye on the tropics. “There are a couple of features out there in the Atlantic,” he chuckled, “but none threatening the Gulf for now. And honestly, I don’t need the overtime.”
Calm After the Storm | “In time, I’ll be back to 100%”
For a man who’s made a career of predicting the unpredictable, this storm was different—it hit home. But just as he’s guided Louisiana families through hurricanes, Grymes is showing what it looks like to face life’s fiercest storms with courage.
“I never thought I’d have to deal with this,” he said. “But these doctors had a battle plan, and we’ve attacked it. Things look good. I’d say right now I’m at a C-plus, B-minus. But every day is a little bit better. And I know in time, I’ll be back to 100%.”
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