Abstract

Computer weather models have been steadily improving in their ability to predict precipitation over the past few decades.  Most of the world's weather forecast centers gauge model performance by verifying quantitative precipitation forecasts versus observations whereas detailed inspections of cloud phase is essentially overlooked.  With concerns of aircraft or ground/structural icing, water phase is of paramount importance since liquid droplets below zero Centigrade freeze rapidly when coming in contact with below freezing surfaces.
 
Scientists at the Research Applications Laboratory of NCAR have developed a cloud physics module that incorporates all fundamental physical processes of water in the atmosphere with a specific focus on application to aircraft icing.  More recently, the bulk microphysical parameterization (BMP) has been adapted and used to study wind turbine icing events.  This talk will give a background to the development and testing of the scheme and show case study examples of both aircraft and wind turbine icing.  Discussion will also address the limitations and shortcomings of weather models in these applications.

Bio

Greg Thompson grew up in Baltimore, MD and attended Penn State University from 1987 to 1990, graduating with a B.S. degree in Meteorology.  Then, in 1993, he received a M.S. degree in Atmospheric Science under the guidance of Dr. Wm. Cotton in 1993.  Mesoscale computer models were starting their rise to center stage as PSU's MM4 model and CSU's RAMS model were producing semi‐operational real‐time weather forecasts on workstation computers.  Greg helped kick off CSU's effort in this arena before landing a job at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in 1993 and switching to the dark side, MM5.

His career remains focused on numerical modeling with specific attention on cloud physics and application to aircraft and  ground/structural icing.  Most recently, he and his colleagues have developed a cloud physics module for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.  In his leisure time, he likes to participate in triathlons and take photographs, mostly of weather‐related nature.