Department ofAtmospheric and Climate Science

In the recently released Global Ranking of Academic Subjects the University of Washington was selected as the #1 school in the world for Atmospheric Science.
The 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities placed the University of Washington 17th overall, an improvement from 19th place in 2021. 

Congratulations to Professor Dale Durran for receiving the Jule G. Charney Medal from the American Meteorological Society.  Professor Durran was cited for “fundamental contributions to mountain meteorology through the understanding and numerical simulation of orographically modified flow.”
  

Atmospheric Sciences Professor and Chair Cecilia Bitz was recently interviewed in the Live Science article Which is colder: The North or South Pole? The article discusses differences in the Arctic and Antarctic ice extent, sun exposure, and temperatures, as well as the effects of global warming on the two regions of the earth. 

Research Scientist Rob Jnglin Wills was featured in the recent Popular Science article “Climate change is making the ocean lose its memory. Here’s what that means.” The article discussed the findings of a research study published May 6th in Science Advances. 

Two members of our Atmospheric Sciences Department received awards from the College of the Environment’s annual recognition: Hettie Scofield received the Distinguished Staff Award and Tyler Cox received the Graduate Dean’s Medal on May 3, 2022. 

The Atmospheric Life Cycle of Pollen
May 12, 2022  7:00-8:30 pm
Kane Hall, Room 110
Abstract: Understanding atmospheric aerosol particles has long been a research focus in both atmospheric chemistry and climate, as they can influence climate, alter the formation of clouds and precipitation, and drive air quality.  

A recent UW News article written by Atmospheric Sciences alumni Hannah Hickey “Ice shards in Antarctic clouds let more solar energy reach Earth’s surface” highlights the current research of lead author Rachel Atlas, a doctoral student in the Department, and co-authors Professor Emeritus Chris Bretherton and Research Scientist Peter Blossey. 

Staring into the Fire: Using Observations to Understand Wildfires and Smoke
April 7, 2022  7:00-8:30 pm
Kane Hall, Room 110
Event Registration
Abstract:
Recent increases in western U.S. wildfire activity have made wildland fires and the associated smoke a significant challenge for society. 

Atmospheric Sciences graduate student Daniel Lloveras received an Outstanding Student Presentation Award for his talk at the fall AGU meeting “Mesoscale Predictability in Moist Mid-Latitude Cyclones Is Not Sensitive to the Slope of the Background Kinetic Energy Spectrum.” His research was recently published in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences January 2022 edition with co-authors Lydia Tierney and Dale Durran. 

UW Atmospheric Sciences Assistant Professor Edward Blanchard-Wigglesworth was featured in the February 23 issue of the New York Times. The article: “Sea Ice Around Antarctica Reaches a Record Low” discusses the latest Antarctic sea ice data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, CO.