10/22/2026
Join us this Friday for Andrew Moore’s talk on severe weather forecasting. With the Storm Prediction Center right here on campus, we have a great opportunity to learn from Andrew how these forecasts are made. Hope to see you there!
Title:
The Modern Severe Thunderstorm Forecast Process
Abstract:
Severe weather forecasting has come a long way over the past 70 years at the Storm Prediction Center. What began as basic pattern recognition techniques in the 1950s has evolved to high-resolution numerical weather simulations and AI-generated forecasts that demonstrate remarkable accuracy. But how are tornado, hail, and severe wind forecasts actually made? In this discussion, we'll dive deep into modern severe thunderstorm forecasting techniques, including the recent rise of machine-learning forecasts and how they're challenging the human role in the forecasting process. Finally, we'll explore how human forecasters can still find an edge over quantitative methods, and why incorporating decision-making psychology may play a crucial role in finding that edge.
Speaker Bio:
Andrew Moore is a forecaster with the Storm Prediction Center, a forecasting office within the National Weather Service responsible for issuing severe thunderstorm forecasts for the United States. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in 2016 and 2018, respectively, before working for nearly three years at the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Andrew returned to Norman to join the Storm Prediction Center in early 2020.
