MATT HUGHES, the meteorologist and star of 'Storm Chasers' on the Discovery Channel, has passed away aged 30, reports the Los Angeles Times. Despite his passion for the often dangerous 'Storm Chasing', reports are suggesting that Smith's death was unrelated to his extreme hobby.
Fans only learned of Hughes' death in yesterday's (November 3rd 2010) episode of the show, which featured a dedication to his memory. The 30-year-old passed away on May 26th 2010 in Witchita, Kansas, however, little is known surrounding the cause of death. 'Storm chasing' is essentially the act of pursuing an extreme weather condition for adventure, scientific exploration, or for media coverage. Hughes and his team were particularly drawn to 'chasing' tornados, and in last night's episode Hughes led his team to what the Discovery Channel called 'their best tornado intercept ever'
Hughes was an experienced chaser and joined the team during the 2009 tornado season, he is survived by his wife Kendra and two boys, Hunter and Collin. A memorial fund has been established to benefit Hughes' children.