Understanding of Severe Convective Weather to Improve Hazardous Weather Forecasting
National Severe Storms Laboratory
This research focuses on the understanding of severe convective weather utilizing both state-of-the-art observing systems and numerical model simulations of thunderstorms in order to improve the prediction of hazardous weather. Topics include the full spectrum of severe convective weather, including supercells, tornadoes, long-lived damaging convective windstorms (derechos), large hail, and heavy precipitation. The research can be performed through diagnostic studies using routine operational data and/or data obtained from experimental observing platforms (e.g. NSSL CLAMPS) or those from well-focused field projects. One approach is to assimilate radar data (from WSR-88Ds, fixed and mobile research platforms), along with surface, rawinsonde, and profiler observations into numerical model simulations of thunderstorms and convective systems using an ensemble Kalman filter. Another approach is to composite gridded mesoscale analyses or other observations to refine our knowledge of precursor conditions of severe weather phenomena in the pre-convective and near-storm environments. Emphasis is placed on understanding the dynamics and interaction of severe convective weather events with the environment, including storm-environment feedbacks.
$24,000 Supplement for Doctorates in Electrical Engineering
Experience Supplement: Postdoctoral and Senior Associates will receive an appropriately higher stipend based on the number of years of experience past their PhD.