Contacts: John Doherty, DRI PIO doherty@dri.edu Reno: (775) 673-7313
Dr. David Kingsmill, Workshop Co-Coordinator davidk@dri.edu Reno: (775) 674-7071
Arlen Huggins, Workshop Co_Coordinator huggins@dri.edu Reno: (775) 674-7140
All DRI News Releases available at: http://news.dri.edu/

NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY

October 24, 2003

Meteorology of the Sierra Nevada theme of November 6 Weather Forecasting Workshop in Reno

Reporters, Weather Anchors,Forecasters, and News Editors, Please Note:
Winter is coming!

Tenth Annual Workshop on Weather Prediction in the Intermountain West will include a wide range of Sierra Nevada weather topics.
Will your weather forecaster be there?

There is NO CHARGE for News Media reporters, Weather forecasters and anchors to attend the workshop.

When: Thursday November 6, 2003
Where: Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada
Online Map/Directions: http://conferences.dri.edu/WxPrediction/reno_map.pdf
Online Resources: http://conferences.dri.edu/WxPrediction/
Workshop Agenda: http://conferences.dri.edu/WxPrediction/wkshp10_program.pdf

Presentations include forecasting, flooding, snowfall estimates, precipitation patterns, air quality impacts, assessment of new and experimental weather technologies.


Sample of workshop topics:

• Hydroclimatology of Sierra Nevada Precipitation. Dan Cayan, Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
• Operational Hydrometeorology at the California-Nevada River Forecast Center. Robert Hartman, NWS/CNRFC Sacramento.
• The Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project: Overview of Significant Findings. David Reynolds, NWS/WFO Monterey.
• A Proposed Hydrometeorological Testbed for the Sierra Nevada. David Kingsmill, DRI, F. M. Ralph, B. Martner, and A. B. White.
• Precipitation Patterns for Sierra Nevada Snowfall with Forecasting Applications. Alexander Tardy, NWS/WFO Sacramento.
• Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX). Vanda Grubišic, DRI.
• Local and Remote Effects of the Sierra Nevada on Frontal Evolution. W. J. Steenburgh, Univ. Utah.
• The Realtime Weather Research and Forecasting Model for the Western United States at the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Regional Prediction. William Cheng, Univ. Utah, and W. J. Steenburgh.
• An Evaluation and Discussion of Overestimated Snowfall Amounts Associated with a Winter Storm in the Northern and Central Sierra on March 14-15, 2003. Mark Deutschendorf, NWS/WFO Reno, and B. O’Hara.
• Snowmelt in the River Basins of Western Nevada: The Effects on Runoff during the 1997 Floods. Steve Goldstein, NWS/WFO Reno.
• Sierra Front Flooding. Dan Gudgel, NWS/WFO Hanford, and Jim Bagnall.
• An Assessment of Multisensor Rainfall Estimates in Radar-Poor Coverage Areas of California and Western Nevada during the 2002-2003 Cool Season. Alan Haynes, NWS/CNRFC Sacramento, D. Kitzmiller and J. J. Gourley.

The objectives of this annual workshop are to discuss major issues related to operational meteorology over the western United States and to foster interactions between researchers, applied meteorologists and other professionals who rely on operational weather forecasts or data.

This year marks the first time that the workshop will be held in Reno, along the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. With such a backdrop, the theme of the workshop will be “Meteorology of the Sierra Nevada”. Presentations on operational meteorology issues relevant to both the western and eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and other regions in the west whose weather is impacted by the Sierra Nevada, are encouraged.

Relevant topics include, but are not limited to hydrometeorology, streamflow forecasting, orographic precipitation, frontal modification by orography, upslope and downslope winds, fire weather, road weather, snow and avalanche studies, hydrologic cycle and local forecast problems. Presentations may be requested to be given orally or as a poster. Since the workshop is restricted to one day only, the number of oral presentations may be limited. Ample time will be allotted for attendees to discuss posters with the presenters.

A nonprofit, statewide division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, DRI pursues a full-time program of basic and applied environmental research on a local, national, and international scale. Nearly 500 full- and part-time scientists, technicians, and support staff conduct some 150 research projects at DRI annually. More than 85 percent of DRI's annual $37 million operating budget consists of research grants and contracts obtained by its scientists. The balance is received from the state of Nevada for administrative costs.

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