The CoCoRaHS WxTalk Webinar Bi-Monthly Series

SPECIAL WEBINAR - January 17, 2024

"A Review of Significant Weather Events Occurring in 2023"

Register Here

Greg Carbin
NOAA/Weather Prediction Center
College Park, MD

"Greg will present an overview of hazardous weather episodes impacting life and property within the United States during 2023. Selected events will be presented in quasi-chronological order and described with photos, maps, and loops of satellite and radar data. While many of the events selected for this talk captured the attention of the media and public, some of these "meteorological memories" may have been forgotten as more substantial weather events occurred throughout the year. This review will highlight some of the "big stories", as well as smaller short-term events. The presentation will include descriptions of significant and deadly weather events of the past year including winter storms, tornadoes and floods. Along with the meteorological set-up for each event, an impact summary will also be provided.

Webinar #89 - Thursday,  March 2024

So you want to be a meteorologist - 2024 update

Victor Gensini
Associate Professor
Northern Illinois Univ.
DeKalb, IL

Biography

Dave Changnon
Professor Emeritus
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL

This webinar will provide an updated overview on what you should consider as you think about becoming a meteorologist.  Whether you are in high school, thinking of a second career or have always wondered what does it take to become a meteorologist, this webinar is for you.

Webinar #90 - Thursday,  May 2, 2024 - 1PM EDT

The World Meteorological Organization - An overview

Claire Ransom
World Meteorological Society
Geneve, Switzerland

Biography

Webinar #91 - Thursday,  September  2024

Measuring beyond precipitation.  How is your forest responding to drought? 

Peter Goble
Colorado Climate Center
Colorado State Univ.
Fort Collins, CO

Biography

The US Drought Monitor (USDM) is a critical tool used to assess drought conditions and plan drought responses. However, data collection and monitoring can be challenging, especially in remote locations. Reports in forested areas, both empirical and anecdotal, are often sparse. Consequentially, forest conditions are underrepresented in the US Drought Monitor process, and quality of drought appraisal suffers. Resource managers and professionals working in forested landscapes are often acutely aware of current conditions and are frequently the first to observe drought-related changes in forest/vegetation health, soil moisture, streamflows, and patterns of human use. 

Peter has worked with the US Forest Service to increase CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring in forested areas across Colorado. Targeted outreach raised the number of Colorado CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring reports collected in the months of May-September from 346 in 2021 to 610 in 2022. These additional reports were used in the US Drought Monitor Process to observe progress in forestland health as drought conditions ameliorated during the 2022 monsoon season. Additional Condition Monitoring reports were particularly helpful on the San Juan National Forest. May-September participation increased from 3 to 39 reports in Archuleta County and from 16 to 52 reports in La Plata County.  

In this webinar Peter talks about what we have learned from these additional Condition Monitoring Reports in forested areas so far, and plans to continue to fill the drought impact data gap in forested areas.

Webinar #92 - Thursday,  November  2024

Meteorology and the Law: The Use of Weather Experts in Litigation 

Alicia Wasula
President
STM Weather
Cropseyville, NY

(Biography)

While most people think of meteorologists as scientists who spend their time looking forward into the future to make a forecast, forensic meteorologists spend their time looking backward at weather events that have already occurred.  Many types of litigation involve the weather in some way: personal injury, property damage claims, wrongful death, and even criminal cases.  Forensic meteorologists are retained by attorneys as 'expert witnesses' to explain to them and to the court what the weather conditions were like relating to a particular incident.  Sometimes, expert meteorologists must give opinions as to how the weather conditions played a role in the particular event involved in the lawsuit.  Observational data from many sources, including CoCoRaHS observers, is synthesized into a chronology of weather events.  Although many cases settle outside of court, forensic meteorologists are at times required to appear in court to discuss their research and explain their opinion to a judge or a jury.  Many forensic meteorologists hold the AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist certification, which attests to their knowledge, ethics and experience.  In addition to conducting scientific analysis, forensic meteorologists must be excellent communicators who are able to explain their findings clearly to non-scientists. 

 
In this webinar, we will discuss the long history of the field of forensic meteorology, learn how observational data is used to understand the meteorological conditions, and look at several interesting examples which demonstrate how forensic meteorologists help attorneys understand the weather as it relates to a specific case.

Webinar #93 - Thursday,  February  2025

SNOTEL - SNOpack TELemetry 

Karl Wetlaufer
USDA-NRCS Snow Survey
Denver, CO

Karl's presentation will explain the history, logistics, uses, etc of SNOTEL (SNOpack TELemetry), which is a remote backcountry array of weather station equipment that measures snow and transmits the data wirelessly to scientists.  More information to follow.

Webinar #94 - Thursday,  May  2025

Fog and Dew 

Jeff Collett
Atmospheric Chemistry
Colorado State Univ.
Fort Collins, CO

SEASON TWELVE -- Webinars 2023

Special Webinar - February 2023                                    
"A Review of Significant Weather Events Occurring in 2022"
Greg Carbin
NOAA/Weather Prediction Center
College Park, MD


Webinar #85 - May 2023                                    
"Influences of Thunderstorms on Aviation Turbulence"
Stan Trier
UCAR
Boulder, CO


Webinar #86 - June 2023                                    
"The 420,002,023rd Year of Biomass Burning on Earth"
Tim Brown
Desert Research Institute
Reno, NV


Webinar #87 - October 2023                                    
"Atmospheric Rivers - 2023 update"
Marty Ralph
UCSD/Scripps Institute of Oceanography
La Jolla, CA

Webinar #88 - December 2023                                    
"Bring it on . . . an avalanche of snow musings"
David Robinson
Rutgers Univ.
New Brunswick, NJ

SEASON ELEVEN -- Webinars 2022

Special Webinar - January 2022                                        
"A Review of Significant Weather Events Occurring in 2021"
Greg Carbin
NOAA/Weather Prediction Center
College Park, MD

Webinar #80 - March 2022                                        
"Snow above freezing?  Intriguing phenomena and Mountain Rain or Snow citizen science"
Meghan Collins
Desert Research Institute
Reno, NV 


Webinar #81 -  May 2022
How does the Pacific ocean affect our weather along the U.S. west coast: sea breezes to “ocean-effect” precipitation
Eric Skyllingstad 
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR


Webinar #82 -  July 2022
International Lightning
Ron Holle 
Holle Meteorology & Photography
Oro Valley, AZ


Webinar #83 -   October 2022
The Graphics Boom – How Not to Go Bust
Todd Glickman, Craig Allen 
WCBS Radio
New York, NY

Webinar #84 -   November 2022
Flood Warning Systems
Mark Moore
National Hydrologic Warning Council

SEASON NINE -- Webinars 2020

Webinar #71 - September 2020
NOAA Weather Radio
Bruce Thomas
Weather 2020
Kansas City, MO

SEASON EIGHT -- Webinars 2019

SEASON SEVEN -- Webinars 2018

SEASON SIX -- Webinars 2017

SEASON FIVE -- Webinars 2016

SEASON FOUR -- Webinars 2015

SEASON THREE -- Webinars 2014

SEASON TWO -- Webinars 2013

SEASON ONE -- Webinars 2011 - 2012