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Vincent Schaefer's 1955 study on changes in atmospheric conditions between the base of a mountain and its peak was only one small facet of Project Skyfire. Originally aimed at reducing lightning caused fires in timber forests in the western United States, this project created a number of fascinating projects, including Schaefer's extensive research into cloud seeding. 

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather”

-John Ruskin

Those of us who believe the truth of Ruskin’s words may not see all weather phenomena as good, but we do revel in it all, fascinated by the atmosphere’s daily march wherever we live.

This paper from 1948 describes the laboratory experiment that Vincent Schaefer created for seeding a supercooled cloud and converting it to ice crystals. This was part of his work at the GE Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York and provided the foundation for weather modification and cloud seeding experiments.  

A few events to look forward to on weather, weather research, and observation trainings: 

Become a Citizen Scientist

March 4, 7:00-8:00 PM EST

Join the National Weather Service Boston Office for an overview of how to get involved with weather and citizen science initiatives. This is focused on New England, but many of the opportunities apply across the country. You can also contact your local forecasting office for special initiatives in your area, or see below for ongoing events. 

In this fascinating talk, Matthias Steiner and his team take a look at weather hazards for emerging modes of air transportation in urban landscapes, like Uber's proposed aerial taxis, and Airbus' Urban Air Mobility planning. 

Recognizing that this is not something out of a Jetsons' cartoon, the research team has analyzed how current weather observations can support the future of small scale air travel. And whether the capabilities actually exist to bring these futuristic ideas into reality. 

Support STEM education and an amazing weather community resource!

This weekend, Ross Forsyth, a director at the National Weather Museum, will be running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours in a jog-a-thon style fundraiser to raise money to support the museum and their outreach to promote weather safety and the science of weather. The museum, located in Norman, Oklahoma, is home to the T28 storm penetrating radar, the Norman Doppler Radar, one-of-a-kind artifacts, and hands on learning to promote STEM education using weather concepts. They have Tim Samaras' Big Kahuna Camera on display and a flight simulator where visitors can fly a T-28. All proceeds go to supporting this one of a kind museum and their mission.

As World War II progressed, a shortage of technical officers left the U.S. increasingly vulnerable. In an effort to shore up defenses, what was then the U.S. Weather Bureau, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy began to recruit women hydrologists, mathematicians, and meteorologists.

11 March 1888: The Great Blizzard of 1888 paralyzes the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine, dumping as much as 55 inches of snow with wind-whipped drifts of 30 to 40 feet. 

This chart shows the tracks of areas of low pressure from March 1888. The stipples are fog belts and the hash marks show where icebergs or field ice was observed!

Fern Kirkman, a graduate of Hunter College in New York City, had entered NYU's College of Engineering in 1937. Once the Department of Meteorology was created, she immediately enrolled. She received the master's degree in June 1939 and became the first woman in the United States to earn a degree in meteorology.

How does a rocket get to space? For that, it needs the help of a very special team of weather forecasters. 

The 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron (45 WS) provides comprehensive weather services to America’s space program at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Patrick Air Force Base. These services include weather support for pre-launch, launch, post-launch, routine weather forecast, 24/7 watches/warnings, flight briefings, and special missions. 

If you could help get every American to take one preparedness action to protect themselves from extreme weather, what would it be?

Many weather safety experts would say taking the time to identify your safe place is the most essential preparedness activity. All the warnings and emergency kits and communication plans become less important if you don’t know where to go to stay safe. This is true for tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, lightning, tsunamis, rip currents, and every other natural hazard. 

Perhaps one of the most important yet unappealing cloud types is stratocumulus. Although they create overcast skies that impose a sense of gloom, they also serve an important function in the heat balance of the earth. This cloud type covers more of the earth’s surface than any other at approximately 20% on an average annual basis. Small reductions or increases in its coverage can cause changes on the same order as greenhouse gases

AMS Weather Band Advisory Committee member Coral Arroyo speaks with Chris Vagasky of Vaisala and the National Lightning Safety Council about safety for fans and staff during stormy games, lightning safety planning, and, of course, the Detroit Tigers. 

We are in desperate need of better meteorological data around cities. The lack of sufficient, fine scale observations for the urban boundary layer (UBL) region above and close to building height makes it difficult to improve meteorology and numerical weather prediction models for cities. Better data would have impacts for public health, localized flooding, and urban planning. And though much progress has been made in identifying and solving this problem, a number of challenges remain.

April Fool's jokes have been around since the 16th century, even though the origins of the practice are disputed. Whatever the beginnings might be, various people have created some incredible weather related pranks through the years. Here are just a few Weather Band favorites for your reading pleasure. 

Severe cold waves on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico are infrequent but of great moment. Human habitation and dress are not here adapted to extreme cold; cattle and other livestock are inadequately sheltered from winter extremes, and tropical fruits and winter truck are subject to extensive damage and occasional total destruction from abnormally low temperatures. In economic loss and human suffering, a severe cold wave, reaching our southern and southeastern borders, ranks with the hurricane.

While there are many, many apps, I present here the best ones I’ve been able to find after quite a bit of trial and error. I’m sure there are others I’ve left out, but these work best for me.

A very thrilling, nervous, and euphoric moment occurred back on February 18^th with the touchdown of NASA’s Martian Perseverance Rover. The Perseverance Rover is a component of the larger Mars Exploration Program (MEP) and includes a robotic helicopter named Ingenuity. Perseverance confirmed a successful touchdown within the Jezero crater at 3:55 pm EST, ending a 204-day flight from Earth to its new home, Mars. Meteorological instruments, similar to the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) of the Martian rover, Curiosity, have begun recording surface air and ground temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, relative humidity, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

A new target date for the James Webb Space Telescope is set for October 31, 2021 from French Guiana. This telescope will be an unparalleled space science observatory when it launches in 2021. This launch is an international effort, led by NASA together with the ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. The telescope's launch will allow new insights into the mysteries and origins of our universe and our place in it. 

Dive into the fascinating history of weather maps with Barbara Mayes Boustead. In this presentation she reveals the science and process of hand analysis and discusses its relevance in a world of digital maps. 

I am approaching this particular blog post with a bit of consternation and reservation. Most of us are so enthralled by the progression of daily weather that we become amateur weather observers.

Beginning on March 8, 1993, numerical weather prediction (NWP) models consistently predicted a deep winter storm for the eastern United States on March 13. These NWP models gave excellent advance notice and produced accurate forecasts of the storm track location. However, the model runs of March 13 considerably underforecast the deepening of the storm in the northeast Gulf of Mexico.