Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: May 16th, 2025

CIRA researcher Ryan Lagerquist is working on making weather predictions that provide multiple potential outcomes and their likelihoods – or uncertainty – using machine learning. A typical weather forecast, in contrast, only provides one answer, such as that tomorrow’s high temperature will be 84 degrees.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: May 9th, 2025

About a dozen CIRA researchers and staff sit in the Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Pilots, traffic flow managers and passengers benefit from a slew of the center’s resources. CIRA personnel based at the center share their passion for keeping skies safe.

Author: Dr. Matthew A. Rogers Posted: May 1st, 2025

He’s been maintaining CIRA’s computer systems since October 2009 – before that, he had a long and varied career in private industry, working with forecast models (remember RAMS?), email archival systems, and more. 

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: April 29th, 2025

CIRA has been heavily involved with developing new tools for characterization of fire. What’s important for us is learning from the past, applying science and research toward new tools that can help avoid repeating history in the future.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: April 24th, 2025

This year, a program called Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments, also known as IMPROVE, celebrates 40 years of monitoring to protect visibility in the country’s most pristine locations.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: April 24th, 2025

CIRA researchers have developed AI to forecast rapid intensification of hurricanes. The research could support hurricane forecasts in the future to better protect homes and lives in the Southeastern United States.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: April 10th, 2025

Paul Hamer reflected positively on his colleagues at CIRA and NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory. “Who, I’m sure, will continue to make huge contributions to the weather enterprise,” said Hamer.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: April 8th, 2025

Software developers received outstanding feedback on their latest efforts to support severe storm warnings, Convective Hazard Services. The software, still in a testing phase, is currently experiencing threats to completing the process to full adoption due to staffing and funding limitations.

Author: Dr. Matthew A. Rogers Posted: March 24th, 2025

CIRA research, along with all research done by NOAA Cooperative Institutes, is a force multiplier for NOAA and provide valuable, cost-saving products that improve our national forecast abilities, help American industries, and save lives. Learn more about some of these research areas and what is needed to continue this valuable partnership.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 13th, 2025

Weather forecasts support transportation in the United States, enhancing decisions around safety. CIRA researchers pulled together some relevant numbers from past U.S. research on aviation and driving.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 13th, 2025

Weather forecasts support the U.S. energy industry for both renewable production estimation and load demand forecasting — predicting electricity need. CIRA researchers pulled together some relevant numbers from past U.S. research on load forecasting, hydroelectricity and solar electricity.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 12th, 2025

Weather forecasts support decision-making in agriculture. CIRA researchers pulled together some relevant numbers from past U.S. research for three agricultural products: raisins, lettuce and wine.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 12th, 2025

The increase in severe fires, especially along the wildland-urban interface, continues to be a massive impact on the national economy; the LA fires alone caused in excess of $164 billion in damages. Currently, use of satellite data in fire forecasting is limited. Hilburn and fellow CIRA researchers forecast wildland fire behavior using satellite information and machine learning.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 12th, 2025

Multiple Colorado State University researchers work on an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional effort to support decision-making related to wildfires. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established a Fire Weather Testbed in 2023 based at the Global Systems Laboratory in Boulder, CO. The Fire Weather Testbed fosters collaboration between researchers and operations teams.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: March 12th, 2025

Colorado State University researchers are working collaboratively to evaluate emerging AI weather forecast models and provide resources to help other researchers investigate their usefulness.  While they’re enthusiastic about the future of AI weather forecasting, they also agree that AI cannot replace traditional forecasting at this time.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: February 28th, 2025

Building out software displaying three-dimensional clouds across the world requires interagency cooperation and bringing multiple sources of information together into one spot. Researchers said the work is well worth the effort to help airline pilots chart safe courses.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: February 25th, 2025

Researchers at NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere know the importance of color and have worked to make the vibrant satellite imagery that often appears in news outlets possible. CIRA’s GeoColor product provides a standard form of imagery.

Author: Theresa Barosh Posted: February 21st, 2025

During Hurricane Helene, the weather forecast office in Charleston, South Carolina successfully tested software built in collaboration with CIRA researchers to issue 67 warnings, including 39 for tornadoes.