Curriculum Vitae - Roger Edwards

Storm Prediction Center
120 Boren Blvd. #2300
Norman OK 73069

Place of Birth

Dallas TX.

Employment History

1996-present: Meteorologist, Storm Prediction Center, Norman OK.

1993-1996: Meteorologist, National Severe Storms Forecast Center (Severe Local Storms unit), Kansas City MO.

1990-1993: Meteorologist, National Hurricane Center, Miami FL.

1989-1990: Graduate research assistant, University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology, Norman OK.

1985-90: Meteorological aide, National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman OK.

1986 (summer): Baggage and freight agent, Trailways Inc., Dallas TX.

Education

B.S., Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, 1989.

Graduate studies, Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, 1989-90.

NWS courses: Enhanced F-Scale (2007), Warning Decision Making (2001), WSR-88D (1993), Forecaster Development (1990).

Honors and Awards

NCEP/SPC Cash Performance Awards (annually, 1998-2007)

McGraw-Hill and Bonus.com online awards for scientific service to children via the SPC Cool Image website (1998-99).

DOC Unit Service Medals: Gold (May 2003 tornadoes), Storm Prediction Center, 2004; Gold (Hurricane Andrew), National Hurricane Center, 1992; Silver (Birmingham tornado), Storm Prediction Center, 2001; Bronze (Kansas City to Norman transition), Storm Prediction Center, 1997.

Outstanding performance awards, National Hurricane Center, 1990, 1991, 1992.

University of Oklahoma Scholarship, 1986.

Dallas Morning News Outstanding Dallas-area HS Senior, 1985.

National Merit, 1984.

Professional Certifications

NOAA Enhanced F-Scale damage assessor, January 2007

NEXRAD/WSR-88D radar operator, February 1993

Memberships

Electronic Journals of Meteorology (Co-Founder)

American Meteorological Society

Texas Severe Storms Association

Service

AMS Severe Local Storms Conference Committee (Co-Chair, 2004-2006)

Chief Editor, Electronic Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology, 2005-present

AMS Severe Local Storms Conference Committee (2001-2002, 2007-2009)

AMS Severe Local Storms Committee (STAC, 2002-2005)

Reviewer, Weather and Forecasting and Monthly Weather Review (intermittent, 1995-present), J. Climate and Appl. Meteorology (2006-present).

Scientific Papers

Cerveny, R.S., J. Lawrimore, R. Edwards, and C. Landsea, 2007: Extreme Weather Records: Compilation, Adjudication, and Publication. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 88, 853-860.

Thompson, R.L., C.M. Mead and R. Edwards, 2007: Effective storm-relative helicity and bulk shear in supercell thunderstorm environments. Wea. Forecasting, 22, 102-115.

Edwards, R., and S.J. Hodanish, 2006: Photographs and analysis of an intense, anticyclonic supercell on the Colorado plains. Mon. Wea. Rev, 134, 3753-3763.

Doswell, C.A. III, R. Edwards, R.L. Thompson, J.A. Hart, and K.C. Crosbie, 2006: A simple and flexible method for ranking severe weather events. Wea. Forecasting, 21, 939-951.

Edwards, R., 2006: Supercells of the Serranias del Burro (Mexico). Preprints, 23nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, St. Louis MO, CD-ROM.

Edwards, R., and A.E. Pietrycha, 2006: Archetypes for surface baroclinic boundaries influencing tropical cyclone tornado occurrence. Preprints, 23nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, St. Louis MO, CD-ROM.

Thompson, R.L., C.M. Mead, and R. Edwards, 2006: Effective storm-relative helicity and bulk shear in supercell thunderstorm environments. Accepted to Wea. Forecasting.

Rao, G.V.*, J.W. Scheck, R. Edwards, and J.T. Schaefer, 2005: Structures of mesocyclones producing tornadoes associated with tropical cyclone Frances (1998). Pure Appl. Geophys., 162, 1627-1641.

Edwards, R., R.L. Thompson and C.M. Mead, 2004: Assessment of anticyclonic supercell environments using close proximity soundings from the RUC model. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Thompson, R.L., C.M. Mead, and R. Edwards, 2004: Effective bulk shear in supercell thunderstorm environments. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards, and C.M. Mead, 2004: Effective storm-relative helicity in supercell thunderstorm environments. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Edwards, R., and S.J. Hodanish, 2004: Environmental analysis and photographic documentation of an intense, left-moving supercell on the Colorado plains. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Edwards, R., R.L. Thompson, K.C. Crosbie, J.A. Hart, and C. A. Doswell III, 2004: Proposals for modernizing the definitions of tornado and severe thunderstorm outbreaks. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards, and C.M. Mead, 2004: An update to the supercell composite and significant tornado parameters. Preprints, 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms, Hyannis MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Rao, G.V., K. Santhanam, J.W. Scheck, S.M. Spratt, B.C. Hagemeyer, R. Edwards, J.T. Schaefer, J.L. Case and E. Kemp, 2004: MM5 Simulations of Precipitation and Mesocyclone Dynamics Associated with TC Gabrielle (2001) Using High Resolution Data of East Central Florida. Preprints, 26th. Conf. on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Miami.

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards, J.A. Hart, K.L. Elmore and P.M. Markowski, 2003: Close proximity soundings within supercell environments obtained from the Rapid Update Cycle. Wea. Forecasting, 18, 1243-1261.

Markowski, P.M., C. Hannon, J. Frame, E. Lancaster, A. Pietrycha, R. Edwards and R.L. Thompson, 2003: Characteristics of vertical wind profiles near supercells obtained from the Rapid Update Cycle. Wea. Forecasting, 18, 1262-1272.

Rao, G.V., K. Santhanam, D. Gallagher, J.W. Scheck, R. Edwards, J.T. Schaefer, S.M. Spratt and B.C. Hagemeyer, 2003: Radar Characteristics of Mesocyclones Associated with Tropical Cyclones and Simulation of the Mesocyclonic Characteristics Using MM5. Preprints, 10th. Conf. on Mesoscale Processes, Portland, P2.10.

Edwards, R., 2003: Rating tornado damage: An exercise in subjectivity. Preprints, Symposium on F-scale and Severe Weather Damage Assessment, Long Beach CA, Amer. Meteor. Soc. (CD ROM).

Rao, G.V., J.W. Scheck, and R. Edwards, 2002: Radar derived structures of tornadic mesocyclones from Tropical Cyclone (TC) Frances (1998) in Texas and Louisiana. Preprints, 25th Conf. Hurricanes and Tropical Meteor., San Diego, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 617-618.

Edwards, R., and L.R. Lemon, 2002: Proactive or reactive? The severe storm threat to large event venues. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 232-235.

Markowski, P.M., C. Hannon, J. Frame, E. Lancaster, A. Pietrycha, R. Edwards and R.L. Thompson, 2002: Characteristics of RUC vertical wind profiles near supercells. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 599-602.

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards and J.A. Hart, 2002: Evaluation and interpretation of the supercell composite and significant tornado parameters at the Storm Prediction Center. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., J11-J14.

Edwards, R., R.L. Thompson, and J.A. Hart, 2002: Verification of supercell motion forecast techniques. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., J57-J60.

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards, J.A. Hart and K.L. Elmore, 2002: RUC-2 model analysis soundings as a surrogate for observed soundings in supercell environments. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 591-594.

Scheck, J.W., R. Edwards, and G.V. Rao, 2002: Radar examination and analysis of a bow echo in South Carolina within the remains of Tropical Cyclone Danny, 1997. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 571-574.

Thompson, R.L., R. Edwards and J.A. Hart, 2002: An assessment of supercell and tornado forecast parameters with RUC-2 model close proximity soundings. Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 595-598.

Edwards, R., S.F. Corfidi, R.L. Thompson, J. S. Evans, J. P. Craven, J. P. Racy, D. W. McCarthy, and M. D. Vescio, 2001: Storm Prediction Center forecasting issues related to the 3 May 1999 tornado outbreak. Wea. Forecasting, 17, 544-558.

Thompson, R.L., and R. Edwards, 2000: An overview of environmental conditions and forecast implications of the 3 May 1999 tornado outbreak. Wea. Forecasting, 15, 682-699.

Edwards, R., 2000: Book Review: Natural Disasters: Hurricanes, by Patrick J. Fitzpatrick. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 81, 1618-1619.

Edwards, R., R.L. Thompson, and J.G. LaDue, 2000: Initiation of storm A (3 May 1999) along a possible horizontal convective roll. Preprints, 20th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 60-63.

Edwards, R., G.V. Rao and J.W. Scheck, 2000: Examination of tornadic supercells in Tropical Cyclone Earl (1998) using conventional and WSR-88D data suites. Preprints, 20th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 97-100.

Rao, G.V., R. Edwards and J.W. Scheck, 2000: Case studies of tornadoes associated with tropical cyclones based on conventional and WSR-88D data. Preprints, 24th Conf. on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL., Amer. Meteor. Soc., 306-307.

Thompson, R.L., and R. Edwards, 2000: A comparison of Rapid Update Cycle 2 (RUC-2) model soundings with observed soundings in supercell environments. Preprints, 20th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 551-554.

Thompson, R.L., and R. Edwards, 2000: RUC-2 supercell proximity soundings, Part I: An examination of storm-relative winds normalized to supercell depth. Preprints, 20th Conf. on Severe Local Storms , Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 431-434.

Edwards, R., and R.L. Thompson, 2000: RUC-2 supercell proximity soundings, Part II: An independent assessment of supercell forecast parameters. Preprints, 20th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 435-438.

Schaefer, J.T., and R. Edwards, 1999, The SPC tornado/severe thunderstorm database. Preprints, 11th Conf. on Applied Climatology, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 603-606.

Edwards, R., and R.L. Thompson, 1998: Nationwide comparisons of hail size with WSR-88D vertically integrated liquid water and derived thermodynamic sounding data. Wea. Forecasting, 13, 277-285.

Edwards, R., 1998: Storm Prediction Center forecast support for landfalling tropical cyclones. Preprints, 23rd Conf. on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Dallas, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 53-56.

Edwards, R., 1998: Tornado production by exiting tropical cyclones. Preprints, 23rd Conf. on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 485-488.

Edwards, R., and S. J. Weiss, 1996: Comparisons between Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperature anomalies and southern U.S. severe thunderstorm frequency in the cool season. Preprints, 18th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, San Francisco, CA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 317-320.

Martin, P.L., and R. Edwards, 1995: A severe weather, hurricane, and flood climatology for the Austin/San Antonio WFO County Warning Area. NOAA Tech. Memo. NWS SR 167, National Weather Service, Southern Region Headquarters, Ft. Worth, TX, 27 pp.

Edwards, R., and J. A. Hart, 1994: Using SHARP workstation to analyze soundings from the FSL/NCDC CD-ROM database. NSSFC Operational Notes - Mar. 1994, National Weather Service, National Severe Storms Forecast Center, Kansas City, MO, 2-4.

Edwards, R., 1992: Tornadic supercell over Dade and Broward Counties (Florida) on January 15, 1991. NOAA Tech. Memo. NWS SR 140, National Weather Service, Southern Region Headquarters, Ft. Worth, TX, 21 pp.

* Lead author deceased by press time.

Invited Presentations

NOTE: These are talks, seminars or workshops presented only as an invited speaker. The list doesn't include numerous other professional presentations, sessions and seminars, either in-house or of material from papers submitted to scientific meetings.

Mar. 2008, Orlando FL, National Hurricane Conference (with Chris Landsea): "Tropical Cyclone Winds and Tornadoes"

Mar. 2008, Beaufort NC, Southeastern Severe Storm Conference, NOAA/NOS Marine Research Laboratory: "Tropical Cyclone Tornado Prediction: Past, Present and Future"

Mar. 2008, Newport NC, NWS Forecast Office: "SPC Products and Web Services"

Feb. 2008, College Station TX, Texas A&M University, TAMSCAMS (student AMS chapter) and TASC (Texas Aggie Storm Chasers): "Safe and Sane Storm Observing" and "The Beauty of Atmospheric Violence"

Feb. 2008, College Station TX, Texas A&M University, Department of Atmospheric Science seminar: "Tropical Cyclone Tornado Prediction: Past, Present and Future"

Mar. 2007, Lincoln NE, Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium: "Storm Spotting in Low Visibility Environments" and "Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Large-Event Venues"

Mar. 2007, Wheaton IL, Northern Illinois Multi-County Skywarn Advanced Spotter Training: "Storm Spotting in Low Visibility Environments" and "Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Large-Event Venues"

Apr. 2006, Columbus OH, Central Ohio Severe Weather Network Spotter Training: "Storm Spotting in Low Visibility Environments"

Apr. 2006, Columbus OH, Ohio State Severe Weather Symposium: "Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Large-Event Venues"

Jan. 2006, Mammoth Lakes CA: "Tropical Cyclone (TC) Tornadoes: A Chronology of Understanding" and "Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Large-Event Venues"

Mar. 2005, Elkhart IN, Indiana-Michigan-Ohio Advanced SKYWARN Spotter Training: "Anticipating Storm Structure and Behavior."

Mar. 2005, North Webster, IN, National Weather Service: "About the SPC and its Products."

Mar. 2005, Jacksonville FL, OFCM Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference: "The Past, Present and Future of Tropical Cyclone Tornado Prediction."

Mar. 2005: Midwest City OK, National Severe Weather Workshop: "Rating Tornado Damage: An Exercise in Subjectivity."

Feb. 2005, Arlington TX, Texas Severe Storms Association: "Anticipating Storm Structure and Behavior" and "The Beauty of Atmospheric Violence."

Mar. 2004, Wakefield VA, Southeast Virginia Severe Weather Workshop: "SPC Operations Overview," "Low-topped Supercells and How to Predict Them," and "Tropical Cyclone Tornado Concepts."

Dec. 2003, Key West FL, NWS Forecast Office: "Probabilistic SPC Outlooks."

Nov. 2003, St. Louis MO, Greater St. Louis Chapter of AMS: "Proactive or Reactive? The Severe Storm Threat to Large Event Venues."

Oct. 2003, Tulsa OK, Northeast Oklahoma Chapter of AMS: "Proactive or Reactive? The Severe Storm Threat to Large Event Venues."

Mar. 2003: Norman OK, National Severe Weather Workshop: "Rating Tornado Damage: An Exercise in Subjectivity," and "Proactive or Reactive? The Severe Storm Threat to Large Event Venues."

Feb. 2003, Long Beach CA, AMS Annual Meeting and Fujita Scale Symposium: "Rating Tornado Damage: An Exercise in Subjectivity."

Feb. 2003, Independence MO, Kansas City Area Chapter of AMS: "Proactive or Reactive? The Severe Storm Threat to Large Event Venues."

Dec. 2002, Norman OK, Joint Meeting of the Central Oklahoma Chapters of the AMS and NWA: “Adventures in Storm Observing.”

Mar. 2002, Bloomington IL, State Farm Central Illinois Severe Weather Seminar: "Observed Storm Structures and Basic Meteorology of the 3 May 99 Tornado Outbreak," and "Using SPC Probability Outlooks in Storm Spotting."

Mar 2002, Lincoln IL, NWS Forecast Office: "Probabilistic SPC Outlooks."

Mar. 2002, Decatur IL, Central IL AMS Chapter: "Forecasting and Observing the 3 May 1999 Tornado Outbreak."

Feb. 2002, Denver CO, Colorado Storm Chaser Convention: "Images of Atmospheric Violence."

Dec. 2001, Ruskin FL, NWS Forecast Office: "Probabilistic SPC Outlooks."

Jul. 2001, Boulder CO, NWS Warning Decision Worskhop: "Probabilistic SPC Outlooks."

Apr. 2001, St. Charles MO, NWS Forecast Office: "Mesoscale Overview of the 3 May 1999 Tornado Outbreak " and "Probabilistic SPC Outlooks."

Apr. 2001, St. Louis MO, St. Louis University: "Mesoscale Analysis Workshop."

Mar. 1998, Wheaton IL, Northern Illinois Multi-County Skywarn Advanced Spotter Training: "SPC Forecasts and Storm Spotting"

Apr. 1997, Norman OK, Central OK AMS Chapter: "Storm Chasing on the Great Plains."

Mar. 1997, Garland TX, Texas Severe Storms Association: "SPC Forecast Products and Storm Spotters."

Mar. 1996, Wheaton IL, Northern Illinois Multi-County Skywarn Advanced Spotter Training: "Forecasting Supercell Storm Type" and "Spotting HP Supercells"

Feb. 1994, Kansas City MO, Kansas City AMS Chapter: "Storm Chasing on the Great Plains."

Nov. 1991, West Palm Beach FL, South Florida AMS Chapter: "Miami-based Tornado Chasers' 1991 Highlights."

Field Research Programs

May 2008: TWISTEX (Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling in/near Tornadoes EXperiment): Mobile mesonet and tornado probe deployment

April 1994: VORTEX (Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment): Forecaster and nowcaster for field coordinators (FC).

March-June 1989: NSSL - NEXRAD IOT&E2 (Initial Operational Test and Evaluation, phase II): Storm intercept team leader, driver, photographer, videographer, event logs

March-June 1987: NSSL - DOPLIGHT-87 (DOPpler and LIGHTning program, 1987): Storm intercept driver, photographer, event logs, TOTO (Totable Tornado Observatory)

March-June 1986: NSSL - Spring Program: Storm intercept driver, photographer, event logs, TOTO (Totable Tornado Observatory)