2024 Central Iowa Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference
The Central Iowa Chapter of the National Weather Association is hosting the 26th Annual Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference on March 27-29, 2024 in Ankeny, Iowa.
The following speakers are confirmed for this year's conference:
- Dr. Greg Forbes, retired severe weather expert from The Weather Channel, will look back on the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Super Outbreak of tornadoes, and compare and contrast with the 2011 Super Outbreak.
- Gayland Kitch, emergency manager for the city of Moore, OK, will look back on the 25th anniversary of the May 3, 1999 F5 tornado strike in Moore, and discuss how that event shaped response for the 2013 EF5 tornado and current policy.
- Jason York, Kentucky Emergency Management, will discuss how the Weather-Ready Nation program is reaching vulnerable populations like the Amish through innovative new weather radios.
- Dr. Aaron Hill, University of Oklahoma, will discuss the increasing use of Machine Learning for severe weather prediction.
- Dr. Jana Houser, The Ohio State University, will discuss the latest ideas on tornadogenesis.
- Zach Hiris, NWS-Boulder, will speak about the Red Rocks Amphitheater hailstorm and challenges of keeping people safe at large venue events.
- Eldridge Walker, mayor of Rolling Fork, MS, will talk about the high-end EF4 tornado that struck his city on March 24, 2023.
- In addition, there will be several speakers discussing the March 31, 2023 tornado outbreak.
Abstract submission deadline is Thursday, February 29, 2024. Abstracts are encouraged on all aspects of severe weather. Please send abstracts to Dr. William Gallus at wgallus@iastate.edu. Please indicate if you would prefer an oral or poster presentation.
Please visit https://www.iowa-nwa.com/conference/ for more information about the conference and to register! Students can apply for scholarships that will be awarded at the conference that will include funding to attend. Information about these scholarships will be listed elsewhere in this newsletter until March 1st.