
Dr. Mike Kaplan
Hourly - Research Professor
Phone
775-300-8181
E-Mail
Full Resume / CV
Division
Atmospheric Sciences
Professional Interests
Over 40 years of experience in synoptic and dynamical meteorology and mesoscale numerical weather prediction with emphasis on problems in mesoscale meteorology including: severe convective storms, mesoscale convective complex systems, terrain-induced windstorms, lakeeffect snowstorms, sea-breeze convection, gravity waves, frontogenesis, and jet streak dynamics.
Research Areas
- Mesoscale Modeling
- Synoptic Meteorology
- Dynamic Meteorology
- Mesoscale Meteorology
- Aviation Meteorology
- Fire Meteorology
Education
Degree | Year | Institution | Area |
---|---|---|---|
Ph.D. | 1972 | State University of New York, Albany | Atmospheric Sciences |
M.S. | 1968 | Rutgers University | Meteorology |
B.S. |
1967 | Rutgers University | Meteorology and Geography |
Keywords
weather, forecasting, jets, ageostrophy, duststorms, floods, convection, mesoscale, microscale, adjustment, stability, regional, modeling, dynamics, topography, snow, rain, thunderstorms, windstorms
Publications
2023
Convective Density Current Circulations that Modulated Meso-γ Surface Winds Near the Yarnell Hill Fire, Fire, 6 (4), 130. 14th AMS Conference on Forest and Fire Meteorology: Minneapolis, MN, May 1, 2023-May 4, 2023
https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6040130
, , , , , (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6040130
2022
The Extreme North African Haboob in October 2008: High-resolution Simulation of Organized Moist Convection in the Lee of the Atlas, Dust Recirculation and Poleward Transport, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035858
, , , (2022). Formation Mechanisms of the Mesoscale Environment Conducive to a Downslope Windstorm over the Cuyamaca Mountains Associated with Santa Ana Wind during the Cedar Fire (2003), Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 10.1175/jamc-d-22-0025.1
https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/aop/JAMC-D-22-0025.1/JAMC-D-22-0025.1.xml
, , (2022). https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/aop/JAMC-D-22-0025.1/JAMC-D-22-0025.1.xml
2021
Poleward Transport of African Dust to the Iberian Peninsula Organized by a Barrier Jet and Hydraulic Jumps: Observations and High-Resolution Simulation Analyses, Atmospheric Environment, 261, Article No. 118574. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2021.118574
, , , (2021).
, (2021). The Multi-Scale Dynamics Organizing a Favorable Environment for Convective Density Currents that Redirected the Yarnell Hill Fire, Climate, 9 (12), 170, 10.3390/cli9120170
, , , , , , , , (2021). 2020
Large scale upper-level precursors for dust storm formation over North Africa and poleward transport to the Iberian Peninsula. Part I: An observational analysis, Atmospheric Environment, 237, Article No. 117688. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117688
, , , (2020). Atmospheric Dynamics of a Saharan Dust Outbreak Over Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands, Preceded by Rossby Wave Breaking: Multiscale Observational Analyses and Simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 10.1029/2020JD032975
, , , (2020). 2018
Characteristics of Sundowner winds near Santa Barbara, CA from a dynamically downscaled climatology. Part I. Environment and effects near the surface, Journal of Meteorology and Climatology, 57, 589-606, 10.1175/JAMC-D-17-0162.1
, , (2018). Brief Communication: Differences Between Sundowner and Santa Ana Wind Regimes in the Santa Ynez Mountains, California, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 18, 419-427. European Geophysical Union, 10.5194/nhess-18-419-2018
, , , (2018). Sensitivity of a western Great Basin terminal lake to winter northeast Pacific storm track activity and moisture transportChapter : . In Starratt, S. W., Rosen, M. R. (Eds.), From Saline to Freshwater: The Diversity of Western Lakes in Space and Time. Geological Society of America, https://doi.org/10.1130/2018.2536(05)
, , , , , (2018). Characteristics of Diablo-like wind conditions in Northern California based on a climatology from surface observations, Fire, 1, 25, 10.3390/fire1020025
, , (2018). Impact of the North American Monsoon on wildfire activity in the southwest United States, International Journal of Climatology, 10.1002/joc.5899
, , , , (2018). Characteristics of Sundowner winds near Santa Barbara, CA, from a dynamically downscaled climatology: Environment and effects aloft and offshore, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 123 (23), 13,092-13,110, 10.1029/2018JD029065
, , (2018). 2017
Impact of regional meteorology on ozone levels in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, 129 (3), 297-308, 10.1007/s00703-016-0471-z
, , , , , (2017). Avalanche Fatalities During Atmospheric River Events in the Western United States, J. Hydrometeorology, 18 (5), 1359–1374, 10.1175/JHM-D-16-0219.1
, , , , , (2017). Dust Climatology of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) in Lancaster, California, USA, Climate, 5 (1), 18 p., Article No. 15. 10.3390/cli5010015
, (2017). Rain or Snow: Hydrologic Processes, Observations, Prediction, and Research Needs, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21 (1), 1-22, 10.5194/hess-21-1-2017
, , , , , , , (2017). Foehn-induced effects on dust pollution, frontal clouds and solar radiation in the Dead Sea valley, Geophysical Research Abstracts, 19 (EGU2017-2450)
, , , (2017). Foehn-Induced Effects on Dust Pollution, Frontal Clouds and Solar Radiation in the Dead Sea Valley, Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, 1-15, 10.1007/s00703-017-0521-1
, , , , (2017). Subtropical Dust Storms and Downslope Wind Events, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122, 15 pp. 10.1002/2017JD026942
, , (2017). The Record Los Angeles Heat Event of September 2010: 1. Synoptic-Scale-Meso-β-Scale Analyses of Interactive Planetary Wave Breaking, Terrain- and Coastal-Induced Circulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122, 10,729-10,750, 10.1002/2017JD027162
, , , , , , (2017). Multi-scale dynamics resulting in the February 11-12, 2010 deep south U.S. snowstorm event, Advances in Meteor., 26 p., Article No. 6301026, 10.1155/2017/6301026
, , (2017). The response of a Great Basin terminal lake to winter North Pacific atmospheric circulations, Geological Society of America Special Papers
, , , , , (2017). The role of jet adjustment processes in subtropical dust storms, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122, 18 pp. 10.1002/2017JD026672
, , (2017). Synoptic conditions associated with cool season post-fire debris flows in the Transverse Ranges of southern California, Natural Hazards, 88 (1), 327-354, 10.1007/s11069-017-2867-6
, , , (2017). Examining the North American Monsoon’s impact on wildfire activity in the southwest United States, International Journal of Climatology
, , , , (2017). Weather Modification Feasibility Study – Laramie Range Siting and Design, Level III Study, April 30, 2017, Project report prepared for the Wyoming Water Development Office, Cheyenne, WY.
, , , , , , , , , , (2017). 2016
Chapter 15. Multi-scale Observational and Numerical Modeling Studies of the Turbulence EnvironmentChapter Chapter 15: . In , Aviation Turbulence: Processes, Detection, Prediction, Part IV, pp. 299-316. Springer International Publishing: Edited by R. Sharman and T. Lane
(2016). Monsoon-extratropical circulation interactions in Himalayan extreme rainfall, Clim. Dyn., 46, 3517-3546, 10.1007/s00382-015-2784-x
, , , , , , , , (2016). Magnitude and frequency of wet years under a megadrought climate in the western Great Basin, USA, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 152, 197-202, 10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.09.017
, , , , , (2016). Foehn-Induced Effects on Dust Pollution, Frontal Clouds, and Solar Radiation in the Dead Sea Valley, Meteorol. Atmos. Phys, MAAP-S-16-00073
, , , , (2016). 2015
A Climatology of the Vertical Structure of Water Vapor Transport to the Sierra Nevada in Cool Season Atmospheric River Precipitation Events, J. Hydrometeor., 16 (3), 1029-1047 , 10.1175/JHM-D-14-0077.1
, , , (2015). The importance of Harmattan surges for the emission of North African dust aerosol, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 9495-9504, 10.1002/2015GL065925
, , (2015). Superstorm Sandy: An Example of Future Hybrid Tropical/Extratropical Storm Systems, 28 pp.. Institute Project Assignment Final Report
, (2015). 2014
, , , , , , , (2014). 2013
Re-examination of the I-5 dust storm., J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 627-642
, , , , , , (2013). Subtropical-polar jet interactions in Southern Plains dust storms, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 1-22, 10.1002/2013JD020345,2013
, , , , , , , (2013). They just don’t make storms like this one anymore: Analyzing the anomalous record snowfall event of 1959, J. Operational Meteor., 1 (5), 52-65
, , , , , , (2013). A forecast procedure for dry thunderstorms, J. Operational Meteor., 1 (17), 200-214
, , , (2013). 2012
Upstream midtropospheric. circulations enabling leeside (spillover) precipitation over the Sierra Nevada ? Leeside adjustments to upslope diabatic heating, J. Hydrometeorology, 13, 1372-1394
, , , (2012). The Role of Windward-Side Diabatic Heating in Sierra Nevada Spillover Precipitation, J. Hydrometeorology, 13 (4), 1172-1194
, , , (2012). 2011
, , , (2011). Dust storm over the Black Rock Desert: Larger-scale dynamical signatures, J Geophys Res, 116, doi:10.1029/2010JD014784.2011
, , , , , (2011). 2009
Synoptic-Scale and Mesoscale Environments Conducive to Forest Fires during the October 2003 Extreme Fire Event in Southern California, J Appl Meteor Clim, 48 (3), 553-579, 10.1175/2008JAMC1818.1
, , , (2009). The role of upstream midtropospheric circulations in Sierra Nevada leeside (spillover) precipitation – Part II – A secondary atmospheric river accompanying a mid-level jet, J Hydrometeor, 10, 1327-1354
, , , , , (2009). Synoptic climatological analyses of extreme snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Wea Forecasting, 24, 1610-1624
, , (2009). The role of upstream midtropospheric circulations in Sierra Nevada leeside (spillover) precipitation – Part I – A synoptic climatological analysis of flood precursor conditions, J Hydrometeor, 10, 1309-1326
, , (2009). 2008
The Development of Extremely Dry Surface Air Due to Vertical Exchanges under the Exit Region of a Jet Streak, Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 102 (1-2), 63-85, 10.1007/s00703-008-0004-5
, , , (2008). 2007
Targeted GOES satellite observations to improve hurricane track forecast: A case study of Hurricane Floyd, Pure and Appl. Geophys, 164, 1-18
, , , , (2007). 2006
Characterizing the severe turbulence environments commercial aviation accidents. A real-time turbulence model (RTTM) designed for the operational prediction of hazardous aviation turbulence environments, Meteorol Atmos Phys, 94, 235-270
, , , , , , , , , , (2006). 2005
Cold-air cyclogenesis along the Gulf Stream front: Investigation of diabatic impacts on cyclone development,frontal structure and track, Meteor Atmos Phys, 88, 65-90
, , , (2005). Characterizing the severe turbulence environments associated with commercial aviation accidents. Part 2: Hydrostatic mesoscale numerical simulations of supergradient wind flow and streamwise ageostrophic frontogenesis, Meteor Atmos Phys, 88, 153-173
, , , , , , , (2005). Characterizing the severe turbulence environments associated with commercial aviation accidents. Part 1: A 44-case study synoptic observational analyses, Meteor Atmos Phys, 88, 129-152
, , , , , (2005). Conference Proceedings
2022
Large-scale forcing of extreme African dust storms by double Rossby wave breaking. EGU General Assembly 2022: Vienna, Austria, April 3, 2022-April 8, 2022
, , , (2022). : CREST, A field campaign designed to improve forecasts of orographic convection during the North American Monsoon. AMS 20th Conference on Mountain Meteorology: Park City, Utah, June 27, 2022-June 1, 2022
, , , (2022). Complex interactions between convective density currents, terrain heating, channelling, and blocking leading to erratic wildfire motions, AMS 20th Conference on Mountain Meteorology: Park City, Utah, June 27, 2022-July 1, 2022
, , , , , , (2022). Multi-scale analysis of the mountain wave dynamics conducive to intensification and propagation of the Tubbs Fire (2017), AMS 20th Conference on Mountain Meteorology: Park City, Utah, June 27, 2022-July 1, 2022
, , (2022). Upstream mountain ranges’ impacts on the formation of the mesoscale environment conducive to the Cedar Fire over the leeslope of the Cuyamaca Mountains, AMS 20th Conference on Mountain Meteorology: Park City, Utah, June 27, 2022-July 1, 2022
, , (2022). The Multi-Scale Dynamics Organizing a Favorable Environment for Convective Density Currents that Redirected the Yarnell Hill Fire. 102nd AMS Annual Meeting, 31st Conf on WAF/27th Conf. on NWP: Houston, TX, January 23, 2022-January 27, 2022
, , , , , , , , (2022). 2020
Poleward Transport of African Dust to the Iberian Peninsula Organized by Multi-scale Terrain-Induced Circulations: Observations and High-Resolution WRF-Chem Simulation Analyses. AGU Fall Meeting 2020: Virtual , A007-0008
, , , (2020). 2019
A Multi-Scale Dynamical Analysis of the Saharan Dust Outbreak Towards the Cape Verde in Early November 2017. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2019: San Francisco, December 12, 2019, A41N-2827
, , , (2019). 2018
Observational analysis of dust-convection interaction over the Sahara and its transport to the Iberian Peninsula, 29-30. 9th International Workshop on Sand/Duststorms and Associated Dustfall: Tenerife, Spain, May 22, 2018-May 24, 2018
https://dustworkshop9.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/abstracts-dw9.pdf
, , (2018). https://dustworkshop9.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/abstracts-dw9.pdf
Observational Analyses of Multi Scale Interactions Among Baroclinic Waves, Complex Terrain, and Moist Convection Recirculating Saharan Dust to Spain, 22-23. 9th International Workshop on Sand/Duststorms and Associated Dustfall: Tenerife, Spain, May 22, 2018-May 24, 2018
https://dustworkshop9.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/abstracts-dw9.pdf
, , (2018). https://dustworkshop9.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/abstracts-dw9.pdf
2017
Southern California “Sundowner” events, 2017: Simulation studies and conceptual models. 18th Annual WRF Users’ Workshop: Boulder, CO, June 12, 2017-June 16, 2017
, , , (2017). Multi-scale simulations of the dynamics associated with the 27 September 2010 Los Angeles/Southern California extreme heat event. 18th Annual WRF Users’ Workshop: Boulder, CO, June 12, 2017-June 16, 2017
, (2017). Influence of the California Coastal Jet on Analysis of Sundowners from a dynamically downscaled climatology. Meteorology and Climate — Modeling for Air Quality (MAC-MAQ), UC Davis: Davis, CA, September 13, 2017-September 16, 2017
, , (2017). Dynamics of Sundowner winds of Santa Barbara, CA from a downscaled climatology. Desert Research Institute Division of Atmospheric Sciences Meeting: Reno, NV, May 17, 2017
, , (2017). Southern California ‘Sundowner’ events: simulation studies and conceptual models. 97th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting: Seattle, WA, January 25, 2017
, , , (2017). 2016
The Multi-scale Dynamics of an Extreme “Heat Burst” Event in the Los Angeles Basin. American Meteorological Society Mountain Meteorology Conference: Burlington, VT, June 27, 2016-July 1, 2016
, , , (2016). A Climatology of Extreme Heating “Sundowner” Events near Santa Barbara (CA) Based on Surface Observations. American Meteorological Society Mountain Meteorology Conference: Burlington, VT, June 27, 2016-July 1, 2016
, , , (2016). Multi-scale Simulations of the 2010 Los Angeles/Southern California Heat Burst Event. American Meteorological Society Mountain Meteorology Conference: Burlington, VT, June 27, 2016-July 1, 2016
, , , (2016). On the Search for Dynamical Commonalities Among Southern California “Sundowner” Events: Simulation Studies of Several Events. American Meteorological Society Mountain Meteorology Conference: Burlington, VT, June 27, 2016-July 1, 2016
, , (2016). The Contributions of Atmospheric Rivers to Avalanche Fatalities in the Western United States. International Conference on Atmospheric Rivers: San Diego, CA, August 8, 2016-August 11, 2016
, , , , (2016). Atmospheric Rivers as a Trigger for Post-fire Debris Flows in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. International Conference on Atmospheric Rivers: San Diego, CA, August 8, 2016-August 11, 2016
, , , , (2016). Synoptic and mesoscale controls on Sierra Nevada rain shadow intensity. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA, December 12, 2016-December 16, 2016
, , , (2016). Some characteristics of upside-down storms in the northern Sierra Nevada, California-Nevada, USA, Proceedings of the 2016 International Snow Science Workshop, 1-8
, , (2016). Atmospheric Conditions Associated with Post-Fire Debris Flows in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. International Atmospheric Rivers Conference: La Jolla, CA, August 10, 2016
, , , (2016). Atmospheric Conditions Associated with Post-Fire Debris Flows in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. Nevada NASA Space Grant Annual Meeting: Reno, NV, April 29, 2016
, , , (2016). Atmospheric Dynamics of the Harmattan Surge on March 2, 2004, ProScience, 3, 84-93. Proceedings, 2nd International Conference on Atmospheric Dust: Taranto, Italy, 10.14644/dust.2016.014
, , (2016). A numerical study of the 06/2016 Sherpa fire and the relative role of internal gravity wave and shallow water dynamics during Sundowner events. Invited talk. Fire Weather and Sundowner Winds in Santa Barbara: Observing, Modeling and Forecasting Workshop: Ucen Lobero Room, UC Santa Barbara, CA, October 21, 2016
, , , (2016). The massive space and time scale of atmospheric processes that create localized extreme heat bursts, dry lightning, fire weather, and debris flow in the Western US. Restoring the West Conference: Climate, Disturbance, and Restoration in the Intermountain West: Utah State University, Logan, UT, October 19, 2016
, , , , , (2016). Observational analysis of the multi-day and multi-scale forcing organizing the 2010/09/27 Los Angeles Basin heat burst event. 17th Conference on Mountain Meteorology: Applications of Mountain Meteorology: Burlington, VT, June 20, 2016
, , , (2016). Revisiting the Sundowner Winds of Santa Barbara, California through observations, reanalysis, and high resolution modeling. Invited talk. Fire Weather and Sundowner Winds in Santa Barbara: Observing, Modeling and Forecasting Workshop: Ucen Lobero Room, UC Santa Barbara, CA, October 21, 2016
, , , (2016). On the Search for Dynamical Commonalities Among Southern California “Sundowner” Events: Simulation Studies of Several Events. Invited talk. Fire Weather and Sundowner Winds in Santa Barbara: Observing, Modeling and Forecasting Workshop: Ucen Lobero Room, UC Santa Barbara, CA, October 21, 2015
, , (2016). 2015
What is the impact of Harmattan surges on desert dust emission in North Africa. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2015: Vienna, Austra, April 12, 2015
, , (2015). How important are large-scale storms for desert-dust emission in North Africa, submitted abstract. European Aerosol Conference: Milan, Italy, September 6, 2015
, , , , , (2015). Multi-scale dynamics resulting in the February 11-12, 2010 south central U.S. snowstorm. AMS 16th Conference of Mesoscale Process: Boston, MA, August 2, 2015
, , (2015). Analysis of the Los Angeles 2010 extreme heating event. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA, December 14, 2015
, , , (2015). Characterizing synoptic conditions that produce extreme precipitation in the Transverse Ranges of southern California. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA, December 14, 2015
, , (2015). A medieval perspective of historical California and Nevada droughts. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA, December 14, 2015
, , , , (2015). Atmospheric Conditions Associated with Post-Fire Debris Flows in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. 48th Annual Fall Meeting, American Geophysical Union: San Francisco, CA, December 14, 2015-December 18, 2015
, , , (2015). 2014
Diagnosing the tropical-extratropical pre-superstorm environment over the Northern Hemisphere. 94th AMS Annual Meeting: Atlanta, GA, February 2, 2014
, (2014). Dust storm organization in high Rossby number flows. Dust 2014 International Conference on Dust: Castellaneta, Italy, June 1, 2014
, , , , , , , (2014). Differentiating sundowner from Santa Ana wind events. Presentation at the 12th Symposium on the Coastal Environment, 94th AMS Annual Meeting: Atlanta, GA, February 2, 2014
, , (2014). Evidence for sensitivity of a terminal lake to storm track position. Comer Conference on Abrupt Climate Change (Paleoclimatic Focus): Madison, WI, October 20, 2014
, , , , (2014). 2013
Combined effect of mid-level jets and atmospheric rivers on winter precipitation in the eastern Sierra Nevada, Vol. 1, p. 1281. Proceedings, In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts: San Francisco, CA, December 9, 2013
, , , , (2013). 2012
Graduate Field Courses at Storm Peak Laboratory. Presentation, 15th Conference on Mountain Meteorology, August 20, 2012
, , , (2012). Midtropospheric Response to a Siberian Cold Air Outbreak over the Kuroshio Current in the Pacific Basin, Dynamics and Predictability of Midlatitude Storms in a Changing Climate. Presentation at AGU Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA, December 3, 2012
, , , , , , , (2012). 2011
Air pollution dispersion forecasting: A climatological study of Cape Canaveral tropospheric wind patterns.. American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting: Seattle, WA
, , , (2011). 2010
Playing CSI: A case study of the November 12, 2009 Bozeman, Montana Snow Event, Proceedings of the 2010 International Snow Science Workshop
, , , (2010). Other
2017
Hurricane Sandy (2012). Part II: The dynamics within the local environment preceding rapid development, in revision mode for resubmission
, , (2017). Hurricane Sandy (2012). Part I: The tropical-extratropical environment preceding incipient development, in revision mode for resubmission
, , (2017).