NSSL Staff Profiles

Kent is a Research Physical Scientist focusing on science-driven data management for the NSSL.  His tasks include developing and implementing a comprehensive, accessible data management strategy tailored to scientific research needs, leading and modeling a strong collaboration and communication with scientists across organizational boundaries, and acting at the primary liaison between NSSL and NSSL-affiliate scientist and NSSL IT, ensuring technical infrastructure aligns with research goals.

Kent will work to transition data operations and tools to cloud environments, such as AWS and Azure.  He will collaborate with scientists on publications and the creation of DOIs for datasets to meet NOAA Open Data requirements and combine data management expertise with the development of innovative tools to enhance data collection and analysis.

Clark, A. J., I. L. Jirak, T. J. Galarneau, T. A. Supinie, K. H. Knopfmeier, D. Harrison, J. Vancil, M. Silcott, D. Jahn, C. D. Karstens, E. D. Loken, A. R. Wade, J. M. Milne, K. A. Hoogewind, S. Ernst, J. C. Picca, M. E. Baldwin, M. Flora, J. Martin, B. Matilla, 2026: Results and Insights on Next-Generation Models from a Real-Time Severe Weather Forecasting Experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, online, E880–E883, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0323.1.

Burke, P. C., R. Hepper, M. Silcott, J. Lind, S. Avey, A. Cross, H. Reeves, J. Scheck, K. Knopfmeier, P. L. Heinselman, N. Starzec, B. Matilla, 2026: The Warn-on-Forecast System Demonstration at the Aviation Weather Center. Journal of Operational Meteorology, 14, 220–237, doi:10.15191/nwajom.2026.1414.

Carpenter, N. T., J. Gao, A. J. Clark, P. C. Burke, P. S. Skinner, Y. Wang, K. H. Knopfmeier, S. Pan, B. C. Matilla, J. J. Martin, 2025: Evaluation of 0–6-Hour Forecasts from the Experimental Warn-on-Forecast System and the Hybrid Analysis and Forecast System for Real-Time Cases in 2021. Weather and Forecasting, 40, 3, 451–469, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-24-0143.1.

Britt, K. C., P. S. Skinner, P. L. Heinselman, C. K. Potvin, M. L. Flora, B. Matilla, K. H. Knopfmeier, A. E. Reinhart, 2024: Verification of Quasi-Linear Convective Systems Predicted by the Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS). Weather and Forecasting, 39, 155–176, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-23-0106.1.

Clark, A., I. Jirak, T. Supinie, K. Knopfmeier, D. Harrison, J. Vancil, D. Jahn, C. Karstens, E. Loken, M. Silcott, R. Martz, N. Dahl, D. Imy, A. Wade, J. Milne, K. Hoogewind, S. Ernst, J. Picca, M. Flournoy, M. Baldwin, P. Heinselman, M. Flora, J. Martin, B. Matilla, K. Calhoun, T. Galarneau, D. Stratman, C. Potvin, P. Skinner, P. Burke, 2024: Advancing Hazardous Weather Prediction in the 2024 NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecasting Experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 105, 11, E2180–E2183, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0249.1.

Clark, A., I. Jirak, T. Supinie, K. Knopfmeier, J. Vancil, D. Jahn, D. Harrison, A. Brannan, C. Karstens, E. Loken, N. Dahl, M. Krocak, D. Imy, A. Wade, J. Milne, K. Hoogewind, P. Heinselman, M. Flora, J. Martin, B. Matilla, J. Picca, P. Skinner, P. Burke, 2023: The First Hybrid NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecasting Experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 104, E2305–E2307, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0275.1.

Clark, A. J., I. L. Jirak, B. T. Gallo, B. Roberts, K. H. Knopfmeier, J. Vancil, D. Jahn, M. Krocak, C. D. Karstens, E. D. Loken, N. A. Dahl, D. Harrison, D. Imy, A. R. Wade, J. M. Milne, K. A. Hoogewind, M. Flora, J. Martin, B. C. Matilla, J. C. Picca, C. K. Potvin, P. S. Skinner, P. Burke, 2023: The Third Real-Time, Virtual Spring Forecasting Experiment to Advance Severe Weather Prediction Capabilities. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 104, E456–E458, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0213.1.

Clark, A. J., I. L. Jirak, B. T. Gallo, K. H. Knopfmeier, B. Roberts, M. Krocak, J. Vancil, K. A. Hoogewind, N. A. Dahl, E. D. Loken, D. Jahn, D. Harrison, D. Imy, P. Burke, L. Wicker, P. S. Skinner, P. L. Heinselman, P. Marsh, K. A. Wilson, A. Dean, G. J. Creager, T. A. Jones, J. Gao, Y. Wang, M. Flora, C. K. Potvin, C. A. Kerr, N. Yussouf, J. Martin, J. Guerra, B. C. Matilla, T. J. Galarneau, 2022: The 2nd Real-Time, Virtual Spring Forecasting Experiment to Advance Severe Weather Prediction. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103, E1114–E1116, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0239.1.

Galarneau, T. J., L. J. Wicker, K. H. Knopfmeier, W. J. Miller, P. S. Skinner, K. A. Wilson, 2022: Short-Term Prediction of a Nocturnal Significant Tornado Outbreak Using a Convection-Allowing Ensemble. Weather and Forecasting, 37, 6, 1027–1047, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-21-0160.1.

Gallo, B. T., K. A. Wilson, J. Choate, K. Knopfmeier, P. Skinner, B. Roberts, P. Heinselman, I. Jirak, A. J. Clark, 2022: Exploring the Watch-to-Warning Space: Experimental Outlook Performance during the 2019 Spring Forecasting Experiment in NOAA’s Hazardous Weather Testbed. Weather and Forecasting, n/a, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-21-0171.1.

Guerra, J. E., P. S. Skinner, A. J. Clark, M. Flora, B. Matilla, K. Knopfmeier, A. Reinhart, 2022: Quantification of NSSL Warn-on-Forecast System Accuracy by Storm Age using Object-based Verification. Weather and Forecasting, EOR, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-22-0043.1.

Miller, W. J., C. K. Potvin, M. L. Flora, B. T. Gallo, L. J. Wicker, T. Jones, B. Matilla, K. Knopfmeier, P. Skinner, 2022: Exploring the Usefulness of Downscaling Free Forecasts from the Warn-on-Forecast System. Weather and Forecasting, 37, 181–203, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-21-0079.1.

Knopfmeier, K. H., D. J. Stensrud, 2013: Influence of mesonet observations on the accuracy of surface analyses generated by an Ensemble Kalman Filter. Weather and Forecasting, 28, 815–841, doi:10.1175/WAF-D-12-00078.1