Triple G Colloquium | Smoke Forecasting | Dr. Joseph Charney

Fri, October 20, 2023 3:00 PM at Geography Building, Rm 126

Join the Geography Graduate Group as they welcome Dr. Joseph Charney on Friday, October 20, 2023, at 4 p.m. for a presentation entitled "Smoke Forecasting: Spring/Summer 2023 and Beyond."

Abstract: In the spring and early summer of 2023, smoke from wildland fires severely impacted regions of North America that rarely experience it. Millions of people in the northeast United States and eastern Canada were affected by smoke in a manner that is much more familiar to residents of western North America, contributing to disruptions to outdoor activities and widespread adverse health effects. This presentation will review the events of this spring, discuss the precursors and drivers of the 2023 smoke event, highlight existing and emerging smoke forecasting technologies, and discuss how changes in climate and society could play a role in smoke from wildland fires in the future.

Bio sketch: Dr. Joseph Charney is a Research Meteorologist with the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station based in Lansing, MI. He received a Ph.D. in Meteorology from Penn State University in 1997, and has worked for the US Forest Service since 2001. His research focuses on the weather conditions that affect wildland fire behavior and smoke dispersion. Dr. Charney uses complex numerical models to investigate basic science questions and to develop tools that enable fire weather forecasters, fire managers, and smoke managers to better predict wildland fire conditions and manage impacts.