A simulated supercell forming in the composite environment of tornadic storms from VORTEX2. The cloud outline is white, the strongest updraft is red, and the surface radar reflectivity is shaded. 		The Convective Storms Group
Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
North Carolina State University


Our research group was established at NC State in 2005, and is under the direction of Dr. Matthew Parker.


   

Welcome! Our current research focuses on the dynamics of convective storms, including tornadic supercells and mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Such storms and systems have great impact upon our society owing to the hazardous weather they produce, and owing to their copious precipitation (which is critical to the water budget in large parts of the Americas). Some meteorological topics of ongoing interest to our group include: impacts of low-level wind and thermodynamic profiles upon supercells and tornadogenesis (including in landfalling hurricanes); effects of gravity waves on the environments of supercells and MCSs; storms' sensitivities and interactions in the high-shear regime that spans the MCS-supercellular spectrum; low-level kinematics and dynamics of elevated convection; and, climatology of convective storms in the eastern U.S.

To pursue these research goals, we utilize idealized numerical simulations (with the benefit of NCSU's supercomputer facilities), conventional observations (e.g. from the National Weather Service), and data from field projects such as the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment ("BAMEX") and the Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2 ("VORTEX2").

To see our currently funded grants and information for prospective graduate RAs, please visit our Project Summaries page. For a bit more on our recent and ongoing efforts, see "What's New" below.

NC State is a great place to study Mesoscale Meteorology, and North Carolina's Research Triangle is a great place to live! Interested in joining us? Contact Dr. Parker for more information.

The Convective Storms Group is...

Dr. Matthew D. Brown Parker faculty advisor
Brice Coffer graduate research assistant and M.S. candidate
Johannes Dahl post-doctoral research scholar
Jason Davis graduate research assistant and M.S. candidate
Chris MacIntosh graduate research assistant and M.S. candidate
Keith Sherburn graduate research assistant and M.S. candidate
Most recent group photo

Alumni

Adam Baker B.S. (2007) went on to: M.S. program, NC State
Ben Baranowski Ph.D. cand. (2006-8) went on to: Warning Decision Training Branch
Jerilyn Billings M.S. (2007) went on to: National Weather Service, Wichita, KS
Billy Booth M.S. (2008) went on to: Northrop-Grumman
Adam French M.S., Ph.D. (2011) went on to: faculty, SD School of Mines and Tech.
Mike Kiefer Ph.D. (2009) went on to: research scientist, Mich. St. U./US Forest Service
Casey Letkewicz M.S., Ph.D. (2013) went on to: faculty, Air Force Academy
Matt Morin M.S. (2011) went on to: High Performance Tech. Inc./Geophys. Fluid Dyn. Lab.

What's New:   (current and recent group members in bold)

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2013: The role of ambient horizontal vorticity in near-ground rotation of supercells. 7th European Conference on Severe Storms, 3-7 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland.

Davis, J. M., K. D. Sherburn, and M. D. Parker, 2013: Investigation of high-shear, low-CAPE severe convection in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. 7th European Conference on Severe Storms, 3-7 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland.

Parker, M. D., and J.M.L. Dahl, 2013: Toy model simulations of baroclinic and barotropic processes in downdrafts. 7th European Conference on Severe Storms, 3-7 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland.

Parker, M. D., 2013: Composite VORTEX2 supercell environments from near-storm soundings. Mon. Wea. Rev., submitted May 2013.

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2013: The roles of ambient and storm-generated vorticity in the development of near-ground rotation within a simulated supercell. J. Atmos. Sci., submitted April 2013.

Sherburn, K. D., and M. D. Parker, 2013: Climatology and ingredients of significant severe convection in high shear, low CAPE environments. Wea. Forecasting, submitted April 2013.

Parker, M., B. Coffer, and C. MacIntosh, 2013: Composite VORTEX2 supercell environment from mobile soundings. VORTEX2 Science Workshop, 9-11 April 2013, Balcones Springs, TX.

Yuter, S. E., M. A. Miller, M. D. Parker, P. M. Markowski, Y. Richardson, H. Brooks, and J. M. Straka, 2012: Comment on "Why do tornadoes and hailstorms rest on weekends?". J. Geophys. Res., in press.

Letkewicz, C. E., A. J. French, and M. D. Parker, 2013: Base-state substitution: An idealized modeling technique for approximating environmental variability. Mon. Wea. Rev., in press.

Coffer, B. E., L. C. Maudlin, P. G. Veals, and A. J. Clark, 2013: Dryline position errors in experimental convection-allowing NSSL WRF Model forecasts and the operational NAM. 12th Annual Student Conference, AMS, 5-6 January 2013, Austin, TX. Awarded best graduate student poster presentation!

Sherburn, K. D., and M. D. Parker, 2013: The high-shear/low-CAPE problem: Improving detection of significant weather events in marginally unstable environments. 12th Annual Student Conference, AMS, 5-6 January 2013, Austin, TX.

Coffer, B. E., L. C. Maudlin, P. G. Veals, and A. J. Clark, 2012: Evaluating dryline position errors in convection-allowing WRF model forecasts. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2012: Baroclinic and barotropic vorticity in simulated near-surface mesocyclones. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Davis, J. M., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Radar climatology of tornadoes occurring in high shear/low CAPE environments in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

French, A. J., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Idealized simulations of mergers between squall lines and isolated supercell thunderstorms. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Letkewicz, C. E., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Idealized simulations of supercell demise based on VORTEX2 observations. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Parker, M. D., B. Coffer, and C. MacIntosh, 2012: Composite supercell environments from VORTEX2. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Parker, M. D., and J. M. L. Dahl, 2012: Toy model simulations of horizontal momentum surges in supercells. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Sherburn, K. D., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Identifying discriminating environmental features between high shear/low CAPE severe convection and null events. 26th Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 5-8 November 2012, Nashville, TN.

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2012: Uncertainties in trajectory calculations within near-surface mesoscyclones of simulated supercells. Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 2959-2966.

French, A. J., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Observations of mergers between squall lines and isolated supercell thunderstorms. Wea. Forecasting., 27, 255-278.

Billings, J. M., and M. D. Parker, 2012: Evolution and maintenance of the 22-23 June 2003 nocturnal convection during BAMEX. Wea. Forecasting., 27, 279-300.

Parker, M. D., 2012: Impacts of lapse rates upon low-level rotation in idealized storms. J. Atmos. Sci., 69, 538-559.

Parker, M., J. Blaes, G. Lackmann, and S. Yuter, 2012: Central North Carolina tornadoes from the 16 April 2011 outbreak. Special Symposium on the Tornado Disasters of 2011, AMS, 25 January 2012, New Orleans, LA.

Burleyson, C., C. Letkewicz, and D. McConnell, 2011: Graduate student experiences in a geoscience teaching and learning research seminar. Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Forum, 10-11 October, Madison, WI.

Dahl, J. M. L., H. Holler, and U. Schumann, 2011: Modeling the flash rate of thunderstorms. Part I: Framework. Mon Wea. Rev., 139, 3093-3111.

Dahl, J. M. L., H. Holler, and U. Schumann, 2011: Modeling the flash rate of thunderstorms. Part II: Implementation. Mon Wea. Rev., 139, 3112-3124.

Letkewicz, C. E., and M. D. Parker, 2011: Impact of environmental variations on simulated squall lines interacting with terrain. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139, 3163-3183.

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2011. On the development of large surface vorticity in high-resolution supercell simulations. Sixth European Conference on Severe Storms, 3-7 October 2011, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Dahl, J. M. L., M. D. Parker, and L. J. Wicker, 2011. On the development of large surface vorticity in high-resolution supercell simulations. 14th Conference on Mesoscale Processes, AMS, 1-4 August 2011, Los Angeles, CA.

French, A. J., and M. D. Parker, 2011: A numerical investigation of convective storm evolution in cases of mergers between squall lines and isolated supercells. 14th Conference on Mesoscale Processes, AMS, 1-4 August 2011, Los Angeles, CA.

Letkewicz, C. E., and M. D. Parker, 2011: Comparison of supercell maintenance and dissipation processes observed during VORTEX2. 14th Conference on Mesoscale Processes, AMS, 1-4 August 2011, Los Angeles, CA.

Letkewicz, C. E., and M. D. Parker, 2011: Idealized simulations of supercell demise based on VORTEX2 observations. 14th Conference on Mesoscale Processes, AMS, 1-4 August 2011, Los Angeles, CA.

Morin, M. J., and M. D. Parker, 2011: A numerical investigation of supercells in landfalling tropical cyclones. Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, doi:10.1029/2011GL047448.

Links:

The Convective Storms Group's data and software help page

last updated 17 June 2013