SEA-POL radar completes winter deployment in Steamboat Springs, CO

2025-04-14

Snow is an important part of the water cycle in the west. The recent NSF-sponsored field campaign Snow Sensitivity to Clouds in a Mountain Environment (S2noCliME) collected data during the 2024-2025 winter season around Steamboat Springs, CO to better understand winter cloud and precipitation processes in an orographic environment. Seven members of the Bell group including Instrument PI Brenda Dolan and Co-PI Michael Bell, Research Scientist Jen DeHart, graduate students Delián Colón-Burgos, Lauren Beard, Nick Mesa, and Meghan Stell. Other members of the Atmospheric Science Department and CIRA (Olivia Lee, Anastasia Tomanek, Marie McGraw, and James Larson) helped to keep the radar running and clear of snow over the 16 week season with engineering support from Professor V. Chandraskar and Radar Engineer Jim George in the ECE Department.

Seasonal hurricane forecast team, led by Phil Klotzbach, releases the first forecast for the upcoming 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season.

2025-04-12

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be above-normal. The Atlantic basin Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) and Net Tropical Cyclone (NTC) activity are predicted to be about 125% of their long-term averages (1991-2020). The forecast team is forecasting 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes, and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy of 155 (the average is 123). Because of the anticipated active season, there is a higher than average probability of major hurricanes making landfall. There is a 51% probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the U.S. coastline and a 56% probability for a major hurricane tracking through the Caribbean.

Tyler Barbero is awarded the William M. Gray Award!

2024-12-03

Tyler Barbero, a PhD candidate in Professor Bell’s Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS) was awarded the William M. Gray award for the best technical manuscript submitted for publication during the previous 18-month period on research advancing understanding of the physics and dynamics of the tropical atmosphere and ocean.

Congratulations Tyler!

The William M. Gray award was established in 2023 to honor the substantial contributions the late Bill Gray made to tropical meteorolgoy and hurricane research. William ‘Bill’ Gray was a professor at CSU from 1961 until his retirement in 2005. The Gray award includes scholarship funding that has been provided through an endowment from Gray’s family.
His legacy goes far beyond the seminal research papers that he published and includes the many graduate students he mentored and the more than 30 years of seasonal hurricane forecasts that he made for the Atlantic.

Angelie Nieves-Jimenez successfully defended her research for a Master of Science in Atmospheric Science degree

2024-12-03

Angelie Nieves-Jimenez defends her research with the title, “Extreme Rainfall Mechanisms in Hurricane Fiona (2022)”.

Angelie’s research elucidated the complex physical processes that led to the extreme flooding in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Fiona. Angelie has been an active member of the Bell research group while at CSU. Angelie worked as a SOARS protege as an undergradauate and since then was awarded an NSF Graduate Fellowship. She also flew into Hurricane Franklin for a reconnaissance mission with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Nick Mesa and Delián Colón Burgos Present Research at the Graduate Student Showcase

2024-11-20

Both Delián Colón Burgos and Nick Mesa participated in the CSU Graduate Student Showcase. This year’s showcase provided them with the opportunity to present their research to a wide range of graduate students and judges while networking with other researchers. Nice work Nick and Delián! Nick Mesa earned the Excellence in Research Award. Congratulations Nick!

Brenda Dolan and Jen DeHart present research at the European Radar Conference in Rome

2024-09-17

Research Scientists Brenda Dolan and Jen DeHart, both members of the Bell research group (Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS)) presented recent work related to SEA-POL (Sea-Going Polarimetric radar), INCUS (Investigation of Convective Updrafts), LROSE (Lidar Radar Open Software Environment), and PRECIP (Prediction of Rainfall Extremes Campaign In the Pacific). They also co-led a short course on LROSE at the Open Radar Science Workshop.

Welcome to new students!

2024-08-20

This Fall the Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS) welcomes three new graduate students. Wa are excited to welcome Lauren Beard, Chandler Jenkins, and Meghan Stell into the M.S. program. Meghan Stell is an Associate Scientist at NCAR and has spent two summers working on research projects with the NSF SOARS program. Meghan has a passion for field projects and is eager to continue developing as a scientist. Chandler “CJ” Jenkins is passionate about tropical cyclones and weather and has also spent time doing research through the NSF SOARS program. Chandler will be using a numerical model to simulate individual hurricanes and investigate the mechanisms that are critical to formation and lifecycle. Lauren Beard has pursued various lines of research focused on clouds and how we can observe them. Lauren’s initial research will use polarimetric radar data to explore the links between aerosol concentration, microphysical processes and precipitation.

The Bell Research Group Begins field campaign in the tropical Atlantic Ocean

2024-08-12

Professor Michael Bell and graduate student Delián Colón-Burgos embarked on a multi-week field campaign to study tropical cloud systems and how they are organized. The tropical Atlantic, and particularly the region known as the Atlantic Intertropical Convergence Zone is a critical region of the planet where storms, hurricanes, and cloud systems spawn. The goal of this campaign is to facilitate multiple types of observations within the environment that creates cloud systems of interest.

CSU Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS) at the AMS 36th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology

2024-06-29

During the second week of May, the 36th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology provided a perfect venue for 8 different members of the CSU Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS), led by professor Bell, to present numerous research projects. The conference allowed for the sharing of current research as well as the ability to reunite with former group members.

Seasonal hurricane forecast team, led by Phil Klotzbach, releases the first forecast for the upcoming 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season.

2024-05-01

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be extremely active. The Atlantic basin Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) and Net Tropical Cyclone (NTC) activity are predicted to be about 170% of their long-term averages (1991-2020). The forecast team is forecasting 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes, and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy of 210 (the average is 123). Because of the anticipated active season, there is a higher than average probability of major hurricanes making landfall. There is a 62% probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the U.S. coastline and a 66% probability for a major hurricane tracking through the Caribbean.

Alex DesRosiers defends his Ph.D.

2024-04-30

Congratulations to Alex DesRosiers who successfully defended his Ph.D. entitled, “From Surface to Tropopause: On the Vertical Structure of the Tropical Cyclone Vortex” on April 30th!!

Alex will continue his research at the US Naval Research Lab in Monterey, CA with a Fellowship from the National Research Council. His initial focus will be on the vertical structure of vortices and the mechanisms that drive changes of intensity.

Delián Colón Burgos discusses Hurricanes to Puerto Rican middle school

2024-03-07

Delián Colón Burgos gave a talk on hurricanes to middle school students at Radians School in Cayey, Puerto Rico! She was invited as a guest speaker as part of the school’s Science Week focused on the theme of the four elements: earth, fire, water, air.

Angelie Nieves Jiménez wins first place for her talk at the 104th AMS Annual Meeting.

2024-02-01

Angelie Nieves Jiménez won first place in the Student Oral Presentation at the Sixth Special Symposium on Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones at the 104th AMS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. Her presentation was titled, ‘Extreme Rainfall and Intensification Mechanisms in Hurricane Fiona (2022)’.

Alex DesRosiers first recipient of the William M. Gray Award

2023-11-10

Graduate student Alex DesRosiers was honored on November 3 as the first recipient of the William M. Gray Award, a newly established honor that recognizes outstanding published research into fundamental tropical meteorology and climate. Alex received the award at a special department event and presented his recognized research. He is a Ph.D. candidate advised by Michael Bell entering the final year of his research, which involves the vertical structure of tropical cyclones and how that relates to their intensity as well as their intensification rate. Sarah and Janet Gray attended the ceremony, where Bill Gray’s legacy in tropical meteorology research and contributions to the department were also discussed. Congratulations Alex!

Angelie Nieves Jiménez is awarded a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

2023-04-06

Angelie Nieves Jiménez was one of fifteen Colorado State University students recognized by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, one of the country’s top STEM fellowship programs.

Eight CSU students received graduate research fellowships from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and seven garnered honorable mentions. The prestigious program recognizes and supports high-performing students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Michael Bell, Kristen Rasmussen lead PRECIP campaign to study extreme rainfall

2022-06-09

In many parts of the world, heavy, frequent rainstorms are catastrophic events that cause mudslides, flooding and loss of life.

An international team of experts led by Colorado State University atmospheric scientists are spending this summer getting to the bottom of how and why the most violent rainstorms in the world occur. By identifying the key physical processes and environmental ingredients that cause high-intensity, long-duration rain events, their goal is to improve models for forecasters and eventually save lives.

The team is led by Michael Bell and Kristen Rasmussen, both faculty members in the Department of Atmospheric Science, and includes collaborators from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, seven other U.S. academic institutions and several international partners in Taiwan, Japan and Korea. The $6 million-plus field campaign is supported by the National Science Foundation and is called PRECIP, or Prediction of Rainfall Extremes Campaign in the Pacific. Data collection began in late May and will continue through August.

https://engr.source.colostate.edu/csu-atmospheric-scientists-lead-summer-field-campaign-in-taiwan-to-study-extreme-rainfall/

Alex DesRosiers wins AMS Outstanding Oral Presentation Award

2022-05-18

Alex DesRosiers received an Outstanding Oral Presentation Award from the 35th AMS Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology for his talk, “Characterization of the Tropical Cyclone Vortex Height and Intensity Relationship in Observations.”

DesRosiers’ work used a large airborne radar dataset to quantify the strong relationship between vortex height and tropical cyclone intensity. He found differences in vortex height when accounting for current intensity were related to the rate at which the storm intensifies.

“The work motivates continued research to see if vortex height observations can be of use to tropical cyclone intensity forecasting,” he said.

Ting-Yu Cha receives department honors for student research

2022-05-10

Kevin Yang and Ting-Yu Cha were honored for outstanding student research in a ceremony May 6. Yang received the Herbert Riehl Memorial Award, and Cha received the Alumni Award.

The Alumni Award recognizes outstanding Ph.D. research by a senior student.

Professor Michael Bell, Cha’s adviser, nominated her for the paper, “Polygonal Eyewall Asymmetries During the Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Michael (2018).”

“This was outstanding work both in terms of observational analysis and theoretical analysis,” Bell said.

Ting-Yu Cha receives NCAR Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellowship

2022-04-25

Ph.D. student Ting-Yu Cha has been selected for a National Center for Atmospheric Research Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellowship. Following her graduation in the fall, Cha will move to Boulder in January 2023 to work with the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory, where she will investigate the asymmetric mechanisms that impact tropical cyclone intensity and structure changes using observations and numerical models. Cha, who is advised by Professor Michael Bell, hopes this research ultimately will enable improved prediction and lead to better risk communication and weather warnings to the public.

“I am truly honored to be selected as an ASP postdoctoral fellow,” Cha said. “The program gives me the flexibility to conduct research I’m passionate about and an opportunity to grow independently. I am looking forward to collaborating with NCAR scientists and learning new science and skills!”

Ting-Yu Cha receives third place in Wagner Memorial Award competition

2021-08-24

Ph.D. student Ting-Yu Cha received third place in the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences competition. The paper she submitted, “Polygonal Eyewall Asymmetries During the Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Michael (2018)”, highlights the importance of coastal radar observations with high temporal resolution and the single Doppler radar wind retrieval algorithm, which can help to improve tropical cyclone intensity forecasts and investigate real-time TC intensity and structure changes.

This paper also was selected as an Editors’ Highlight by Eos in 2020. Cha’s co-authors on the paper were her adviser, Professor Michael Bell, Wen-Chau Lee and Alex DesRosiers.

Chelsea Nam wins presentation award at international conference

2021-05-25

Ph.D. candidate Chelsea Nam received the Best Student Oral Presentation Award from the 14th International Conference on Mesoscale Convective Systems and High-Impact Weather in East Asia (ICMCS-XIV). Nam’s presentation, “Bifurcation Points for Tropical Cyclone Genesis in Sheared and Dry Environments,” was co-authored by her adviser, Professor Michael Bell, and Dandan Tao, a former research scientist in the Bell group.

Naufal Razin and Jon Martinez earn awards at AMS conference

2021-05-18

Naufal Razin and Jon Martinez received awards at the 34th AMS Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology on May 14. Razin won the first-place student poster award for “Tropical Cyclone Precipitation, Infrared, Microwave, and Environmental Dataset (TC PRIMED).” Martinez won the second-place student poster award for “Characterizing the Nature and Evolution of Asymmetric Structures in Idealized Simulations of Rapidly Intensifying Tropical Cyclones,” as well as the conference’s top award, the Max Eaton Student Prize for “On the Contributions of Incipient Vortex Circulation and Environmental Moisture to Tropical Cyclone Expansion.”

Researchers predicting above-average 2021 Atlantic hurricane season

2021-04-08

Colorado State University hurricane researchers are predicting an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in 2021, citing the likely absence of El Niño as a primary factor. Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are near their long-term averages, while subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are much warmer than their long-term average values. The warmer subtropical Atlantic also favors an active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.

Note to reporters: You can get the PDF directly.

Ting-Yu Cha awarded Taiwan Ministry of Education graduate fellowship

2020-06-08

Ph.D. candidate Ting-Yu Cha, advised by Associate Professor Michael Bell, has received a two-year fellowship from the Taiwan Ministry of Education to study heavy rainfall in Taiwan.

Cha’s proposed project is “Examination of Dynamic and Thermodynamic processes of Heavy Precipitation over Taiwan with the upcoming PRECIP field campaign observations.” PRECIP, the Prediction of Rainfall Extremes Campaign in the Pacific, aims to improve understanding of the multi-scale processes important for generating extreme rainfall in the moisture-rich environment of Taiwan and the western North Pacific.

Increasing forecast slightly, CSU researchers predict very active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season

2020-06-04

Colorado State University hurricane researchers have increased their forecast slightly and now call for a very active Atlantic hurricane season in 2020, citing the likely absence of El Niño as a primary factor. Sea surface temperatures averaged across portions of the tropical Atlantic are somewhat above normal, while the subtropical Atlantic is much warmer than average. This type of sea surface temperature configuration is also considered favorable for an active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

Note to reporters: You can get the PDF directly.

Researchers predicting above-average 2020 Atlantic hurricane season

2020-04-02

Colorado State University hurricane researchers are predicting an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in 2020, citing the relatively high likelihood that El Niño conditions will not be present as a primary factor. Tropical and subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are currently warmer than their long-term average values and are consequently also considered a factor favoring an active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

Note to reporters: You can get the PDF directly.

Jon Martinez awarded prestigious NCAR Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellowship

2020-03-24

After defending his Ph.D. in May, Jon Martinez will continue his tropical cyclone research thanks to an Advanced Study Program postdoctoral fellowship from the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

For more information on the NCAR/UCAR Advanced Study Program : https://asp.ucar.edu/

Ben Trabing awarded for poster presented at AMS Annual Meeting

2020-01-20

The AMS Committee on Weather Analysis and Forecasting honored Ph.D. candidate Ben Trabing with an award for the poster he presented at the 100th American Meteorological Society meeting in Boston this month.

Trabing’s poster, “Understanding Rapid Intensity Changes in Official Hurricane Intensity Forecast Error Distributions,” exhibited how well forecasters predict rapid changes in hurricane intensity and how forecasts have improved with time.

https://www.atmos.colostate.edu/2020/01/ben-trabing-awarded-for-poster-presented-at-ams-annual-meeting/

Rung Panasawatwong receives ASCENT scholarship

2019-12-13

Four atmospheric science graduate students received scholarships this year from a department fund established to enrich the graduate experience. Jingyuan Li, Rung Panasawatwong, Kathryn Moore and Michael Cheeseman all are applying their Assisting Students, Cultivating Excellence, Nurturing Talent (ASCENT) awards to international research opportunities.

https://engr.source.colostate.edu/ascent-scholarships-fund-graduate-students-international-research/

Tropical Meteorology Project was close on 2019 Atlantic hurricane numbers

2019-11-20

The 2019 hurricane season ended up slightly above average than waht was predicted by the CSU Tropical Meteorology Project forecast team’s issued in June, July and August, and somewhat more active than was predicted in April. .

https://engr.source.colostate.edu/researchers-were-close-on-2019-atlantic-hurricane-numbers-but-under-predicted-named-storms/

Ali Cole joins the CSU Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS)

2019-10-04

Ali Cole is a first year M.S. candidate. Prior to attending Colorado State University, Ali received a Bachelor of Science in Geography (Meteorology-Climatology) and a Bachelor of Science in Computational Mathematical Sciences from Arizona State University, where she researched gravity wave propagation at the tropopause.

https://www.atmos.colostate.edu/2019/09/welcome-to-our-new-students-2/

Chelsea Nam selected to attend NCAR’s Advanced Study Program Colloquium

2019-06-27

The NCAR/UCAR Advanced Study Program offers graduate students cutting-edge atmospheric science crash courses in communicating severe weather. Organizers of this gathering bring together leading researchers and graduate students from multiple disciplines to address unique weather related challenges. Three CSU atmospheric science students, Sam Childs, Faith Groff and Chelsea Nam, were among the 25 chosen for this Advanced Study Program colloquium.

https://engr.source.colostate.edu/colloquium-offers-grad-students-cutting-edge-atmospheric-science-crash-course-in-communicating-severe-weather/

Ben Trabing receives department honors for student research

2019-04-19

Ben Trabing and Kai-Chih Tseng were honored for outstanding student publications. Trabing, advised by Associate Professor Michael Bell, received the Riehl Memorial Award for his paper, “Impacts of Radiation and Upper Tropospheric Temperatures on Tropical Cyclone Structure and Intensity,” based on his M.S. research.

https://www.atmos.colostate.edu/2019/04/ben-trabing-and-kai-chih-tseng-receive-department-honors-for-student-research/

9 News Interview about Hurricane Irma

2017-10-06

Colorado State Atmospheric Science Associate Professor Michael Bell joined 9NEWS Mornings today to give us some perspective on the extreme intensity of Hurricane Irma.

Hurricane Irma has produced the highest wind speeds in the Atlantic Ocean (185 mph) and the second highest in the Atlantic Basin (including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico).

https://www.9news.com/article/weather/what-we-know-about-hurricane-irma-and-its-path/47156861

Forecasting the Atlantic Hurricane Season (from 'The Conversation')

2017-05-24

Annually, June 1 marks the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through the end of November. The Tropical Meteorology Project in Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science issues forecasting predictions at the beginning of April, June, July and August.

https://theconversation.com/scientists-at-work-forecasting-the-atlantic-hurricane-season-77232

Dr. Michael Bell has been awarded the highly competitive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

2017-01-09

Colorado State University associate professor Michael Bell has been awarded the highly competitive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for his groundbreaking work observing and modeling tropical cyclones.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR), who named Bell an ONR Young Investigator in 2015, nominated him for the award. Bell has a longstanding research collaboration with the ONR on tropical cyclone formation and evolution. “Tropical cyclones are a big problem for the U.S. Navy, but also for the coastal residents of the U.S. and around the globe,” Bell noted.