Downbursts—an area of strong winds in a thunderstorm—can damage trees and buildings, disrupt air travel, and cause loss of life. Decades of work by scientists has revealed a lot of information about downbursts including certain…
New Release: Pod-Sized Science Podcast
The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory is excited to share with you its first podcast! Researchers at NSSL are using Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) to study storm damage in rural areas.
New video: Studying tornado damage with Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
Researchers at the NOAA National Severe Storms Lab are using Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) to study storm damage in rural areas .Learn about the multispectral camera on the UAS, and how it provides important imagery for researchers.
Researchers studying impacts of severe weather threats on community assets, including critical infrastructure
Severe weather hazards such as hail, high wind speeds, and tornadoes, can impact essential community infrastructure. Researchers are studying the impacts of severe weather threats on a range of community assets.
WoFS in the virtual NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed
The first week of April concluded the 2021 Warn-on-Forecast Testbed Experiment as part of the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed. Like many scientific activities, this experiment was delayed and then moved virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Leader, engineer, and innovator in Doppler radar passes away
Richard “Dick” Doviak, a renowned radar engineer and professor, passed away recently. Research conducted by Doviak and others at the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory helped convince the NOAA National Weather Service of Doppler radar’s…
Researchers developing experimental winter forecasting tools
Last month, millions of people across the United States were impacted by several inches to feet of snow and the coldest temperatures in decades. Thousands lost power and water, and travel was treacherous as multi-vehicle…
New rating system charts a path to improved tornado forecasts
All tornadoes — whether small or large — originate from thunderstorms, but not all thunderstorms are the same. Different environments and situations create forecasting challenges.
WoFS at the AMS, and the 2020 Iowa Derecho
The Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society is the largest recurring conference in our field. In January 2021, the 101st AMS took place virtually, but that didn’t stop the experimental Warn-on-Forecast System from taking center stage.
New data product offers a more complete picture of storms
Researchers are excited to announce the release of a new, extensive data product that combines a multitude of data sources to help researchers, forecasters, and weather enthusiasts.