Welcome to the Northeast Ohio Chapter
of the American Meteorological Society
The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (NEOCAMS) was founded in 1984. It serves as a local, autonomous chapter of the national American Meteorological Society.
The mission of this local chapter is to promote meteorology, hydrology, climatology and related sciences through educational and informative meetings and social functions. We will also attempt to be available to provide some local expertise in meteorology and related sciences.
Persons, especially those ages 16 and older living anywhere in Ohio or northwest Pennsylvania, are welcome to join the chapter. The only prerequisite is an interest in meteorology/climatology. This chapter is comprised of weather enthusiasts, National Weather Service personnel, the media, and professionals teaching and working in meteorology and related fields. High school and college students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in meetings. Those in the field may be able to claim continuing education by attending some of the presentations.
In a typical year, the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the AMS holds meetings every other month or so including social events and field trips. Meetings are held at various locations across northeast Ohio, including Kent State University (in Kent), the Cleveland National Weather Service Office (in Cleveland), and local libraries. There is never a charge to attend a meeting (unless there is a fee involved in the activity) but since this chapter operates as a non-profit organization, it is requested that members contribute annual dues of $10.00 per person to maintain funding for mailings, speakers, supplies, and activities.
Speakers for meetings have come from a variety of professional backgrounds including the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma; the National Weather Service; climatology professors as well as students completing Master's theses in climatology at Kent State University; emergency management agency and red cross directors; hydrologists conducting fieldwork; and television meteorologists. A real time weather map discussion is usually held at each meeting.
The local chapter has organized large scale events in the past. For example, the chapter developed and sponsored the `Tornado Symposium: The United States - Canada Tornado Outbreak of May 3l, 1985 in Review." This 1995 symposium, held on the tenth anniversary of this historic severe weather outbreak, drew 80 weather enthusiasts from several states along with media coverage and an extensive list of speakers.
Winter Meeting
Topic: Human Fatalities From Wind-Related Tree Failures in the United States, 1995-2007.
Speaker: Dr. Tom Schmidlin, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
Date/Time: Saturday, 11 AM, March 14th, 2009
Meeting Location: 309 McGilvrey Hall, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.
Directions: Downtown Kent is near the intersection of Ohio State Routes 43 and 59 in northern Portage County. McGilvery Hall is at the corner of South Lincoln and East Summit Streets. From the south (and from I-76) take Route 43 north for 4 miles into town. Turn right onto East Summit Street by the CVS. From the north and Route 59, head south on Route 43 (called South Water Street in Kent) and make the first left at the light onto East Summit Street.
Once on East Summit, turn left at the first light and park in the parking lot on your right. The parking lot is at the rear of the DuBoise Bookstore and is usually free on the weekend. McGilvery Hall is across the street from the bookstore.
On Line Directions.
Spring Meeting
Topic: Weather Radar: A to dBZ.
Speaker: Mark Thornton, 2006 graduate of the Penn State University Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting.
Date/Time: Saturday, May 16th at 10 AM.
Location: Brunswick Library, Sycamore Meeting Room.
Directions: Brunswick Community Library, 3649 Center Road, Brunswick, OH 44212. From I-71 exit west at Route 303. Turn right (north) on Center Road at a traffic light after just a few minutes on Route 303 west. The Sycamore Room is immediately on your right upon entering the library.
Summer Meeting
Topic: To Be Scheduled.
Speaker: To Be Announced.
Date/Time: Typically a tour/field trip in June or July.
Location: To Be Announced.
Directions:
Fall Meeting
Topic: To Be Scheduled.
Speaker: To Be Announced.
Date/Time: Typically in October.
Location: To Be Announced.
Directions: To Be Announced.
Christmas Get Together
Topic: Social Gathering/Dinner, no chapter business.
Date/Time: Typically a Friday Evening in early December.
Location: To Be Announced.
Directions: To Be Announced.
Winter Meeting
Topic: 30th Anniversary, the Blizzard of 1978 Revisited
Speaker: Kirk Lombardy, Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Cleveland
Date/Time: Saturday, 1 PM, February 2, 2008,
Meeting Location:Orange Branch, Cuyahoga County Public Library, James Garfield Meeting Room. 31300 Chagrin Boulevard, Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124.
Directions: I-271 to Chagrin Boulevard east. About 5 minutes, the library is just past the traffic circle (stay on Chagrin Blvd) on the right.
30th Anniversary of the 1978 Blizzard, on line.
Click Here for Information on the Orange Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library.
Spring Meeting
Topic: Tour/Presentation, Lorain County Emergency Services.
Speaker: Tom Kelly, Emergency Management Director.
Date/Time: May 3rd, 11 AM..
Directions: 322 Gateway Boulevard North.
Information on The Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
Information on Tom Kelly, Emergency Management Director, Lorain County.
Summer Meeting, part 1
Topic: Tennessee Destruction in the Feb 5-6 Tornado Outbreak (a damage survey/pictures).
Speaker: Christopher Redmond, junior, Ohio University
Date/Time: Saturday, June 21st at 11 AM
Location: Richfield Branch, Summit County Library (large meeting room).
Directions: The Richfield Branch is in "downtown" Richfield. From interstate 77 southbound, exit at Rt 176. From northbound I-77 exit at Wheatley Rd. Follow Broadview Rd. (Rt 176) west/north to S. Grant St., and turn right.
Summer Meeting, part 2
Topic: Tour- Ohio Weather Library.
Speaker: Ron Hahn - Director, Ohio Weather Library
Date/Time: Saturday, August 9th. Time to be determined.
Location: Ohio Weather Library, P.O. Box 1 Kidron Ohio (Wayne County) 44636
Ohio Weather Library Web Page.
Directions: From Route 30 (between Wooster and Massillon) turn south onto Kidron Road (County Rd 52). As you enter Kidron, look for the Central Christian School on your left. Across the street (on the right) look for a sign for Gardner Press (a sign for the Ohio Weather Library is coming). Turn right on the driveway. The Ohio Weather Library is the second building on the left.
Fall Meeting
Topic: ODOT Utilization of Weather Sensor Data and Weather Information in Planning Snow and Ice Removal
Speaker: Alan Moore, ODOT District Manager
Date/Time: 11 AM, Saturday, November 1st, 2008.
Location: Chagrin Falls Branch, Cuyahoga County Public Library, 100 East Orange Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022-2799.
Directions:We will be in the downstairs meeting room. The library is in downtown Chagrin Falls and is easy to get to. From I-271 take Chagrin Boulevard east which turns into West/East Orange Street. From Route 422, exit south at SOM Center Road and turn left onto Solon Road which connects to Main Street in Chagrin Falls. Turn right from Main Street onto East Orange.
Click Here for Information on the Chagrin Falls Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library.
Christmas Get Together
Topic: Social Gathering/Dinner, no chapter business.
Date/Time: Friday, December 5th, 7 PM.
Location: Ramano's Macaroni Grill - 41 Springside Drive, Akron, OH 44333.
Directions: Fairlawn/Montrose area. Exit off I-77, east on Route 18. After about a block, the Macaroni Grill is on the south (right) side in a shopping plaza named "Market Square at Montrose" which also includes a Staples.
Winter Meeting
Topic: The Truth About Climate Change - What it Means to You
Speaker: Dr. Jenny Baeseman,Professor of Biology, Kent State University, Kent Ohio
Saturday, 11 AM, February 17, 2007, Kent State University, 302 McGilvrey Hall
Click Here to View the Meeting Announcement.
Spring Meeting
Topic: National Weather Service Skywarn Training.
Speaker: Jim Kosarik, NWS Cleveland.
Date/Time: Saturday, April 14, 2007, 11 AM. Sleep Inn Meeting Room, 1435 South Carpenter Road Brunswick, Ohio 44212. .
Directions: The Sleep Inn is at 1435 S. Carpenter, off Route 303, just west of the I-71, in Brunswick. From I-71, take exit 226 to Route 303 west. South Carpenter is immediately on the south side of 303 after the interchange (behind Bob Evans). The meeting room is through the lobby.
Summer Meeting
Tour: The Ohio Seismic Network - Kent Office.
Speaker: Dr Earnest H. Carlson Ph.D. - Kent State University. He will show us the equipment and explain more about the Ohio Seismic Network and how it fits into the national network. Dr Carlson, an Associate Professor, teaches mineralogy as well as Geology of Ohio..
Date/Time:Saturday, 11 AM, June 16th, 2007. Kent State University, 303 McGilvery Hall.
Directions: Kent is near the intersection of Ohio State Routes 43 and 59. McGilvery Hall is at the corner of South Lincoln and East Summit Streets. From the south (and from I-76) take Route 43 north for 4 miles into town. Turn right onto East Summit Street by the CVS. From the north and Route 59, head south on Route 43 (called South Water Street in Kent) and
make the first left at the light onto East Summit Street. On East Summit, turn left at the first light and park in the parking lot on
your right. The parking lot is at the rear of the DuBoise Bookstore and is usually free on the weekend. McGilvery Hall is across the street from the bookstore.
On Line Directions.
Fall Meeting
Speaker: Mark McKinley, Meteorologist in Charge, Center Weather Service Unit, Air Route Traffic Control Center, Oberlin, Ohio.
Topic: Tour of Center Weather Unit and Overview of Weather Operations.
Date/Time: Saturday, October 27th. Two tours, one at 9:30 AM and the second at 10:30 AM. Maximum 10 persons per tour.
Additional Important Information: You must make a reservation to attend since attendance is limited. Email Jim Kosarik (James.Kosarik@noaa.gov) or call 440-886-0914 by October 1st. Give your name and names of all in your group. Provide a description of your car and license plate number. Indicate your tour preference (9:30 or 10:30). Also let me know if you want to attend an organized lunch after the 10:30 tour. I will get back to you soon after October 1st and confirm your tour time as well as directions and lunch information.
Holiday Get-Together
Christmas Dinner: No Speaker, Social Function - Christmas dinner at a local restaurant.
Date/Time: December 7th, 7 PM.
Location: Damon's Grill, Twinsburg.
Each person is responsible for the cost of his/her meal.
Winter Meeting
Speaker: Peter Manousos,Science Officer, NOAA, National Center For Environmental Prediction, Camp Springs, MD
Topic: Status and Update of NCEP Models
Saturday, 11 AM, February 25, 2006, Kent State University, 302 McGilvrey Hall
Click Here to View the Full Winter Meeting Summary
Spring Meeting
Speaker: Rick McCoy, Director, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Van Wert County, Ohio
Topic: The F4 Van Wert Tornado of November 10, 2002, A Community Prepared.
Saturday, 11 AM, May 6, 2006 Brunswick Library Community Room, Brunswick Ohio
Summer Meeting
Field Trip: Tour of WKYC-TV Channel 3 Cleveland
A.J. Colby, WKYC Staff Meteorologist, will conduct the tour.
Saturday, 10:30 AM, August 12th, 2006
Meet in the lobby, 1333 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland.
Directions: I-90 east to Superior. Stay left on the ramp and then left (west) on Superior. Several blocks, then right on East 13th. The studio is at the end of East 13th.
Click Here to View the Full Meeting Announcement
Click Here to View the Full Summer Meeting Summary
Fall Meeting
Speaker: Andrew VanLoocke - Ohio State Meteorology Student.
Topic: Observed Characteristics of Land-Modified Lake-Effect Boundary Layers.
Saturday, 11 AM , October 21st, 2006 Kent State University, Room 302, McGilvrey Hall. Kent, Ohio.
Click Here to View the Full Meeting Announcement
Holiday Get-Together
Christmas Dinner: No Speaker, Social Function
Stancato's Cafe of Richfield. Friday Evening, 7 PM December 1st, 2006.
Each person is responsible for the cost of his/her meal and 20% gratuity.
Directions: I-77 to Wheatley Road. Head west - Wheatley turns into Broadview Road. Stancato's is on the left just after crossing route 303 (only a few minutes from I-77). From the north or west, it is best to also take I-77. You could come south all the way on Broadview. You could take Route 303 east from I-71. From the turnpike, exit at I-77 and then south to Wheatley.
Structure for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the AMS
The chapter is made up of members who have an interest in the weather, no experience or specific education required, just your enthusiasm and participation. Officers consist of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Elections are held annually in the spring. Five or six meetings are held each year. A winter and spring meeting will normally feature a guest speaker. The summer meeting will often be a field trip to a weather related business or educational opportunity. The fall meeting(s) will feature guest speakers, and in early December, the members get together for a holiday dinner at a local restaurant. It is an active chapter, always striving to provide interesting and timely weather topics as well as education and interaction among members.
Description of the Current AMS Chapter Officers
President - Jim Kosarik - Jim Kosarik has been attending NEOCAMS meetings since 1994. He served as the chapter’s Vice President since 2002 and the President since 2004. He moved to Cleveland to work at the local National Weather Service (NWS) office in 1992 and very much enjoys forecasting the weather in northeast Ohio. At the Cleveland NWS, Jim has filled the position of forecaster, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, and in late 1994, was promoted to Senior Meteorologist. He is also the local union vice steward. Before Cleveland, Jim worked in Washington, D.C. at the NWS headquarters in the software development lab and at the Youngstown-Warren Airport as a meteorologist intern. Before joining the NWS, Jim worked for the Bureau of Land Management as a fire-weather forecaster in Fairbanks, Alaska, and in State College, Pennsylvania at Accu-Weather. Jim has a meteorology degree from Penn State (1983) and has been a member of the national AMS since 1980.
Vice President - Ron Hahn - Ronald Hahn has been the chapter Vice President since 2004. Ron first became interested in weather while in the fifth grade. He established his weather station in April 1963. From 1964-1969, Ronald was involved in a dense network rainfall project of the Soil and Water Conservation Research Division of the USDA run from Coshocton, and later was a volunteer observer for the Akron-Canton Weather Service Office. He was a writer of the “Weatherwise” column in the Wooster Daily Record newspaper from 1970-1987 and spoke at numerous schools. He was also the weather resource person for several years at Camp Luz for Central Christian School’s Mini Term. Ronald was involved in the Ohio Agricultural Weather Program sponsored by the National Weather Service, Ohio Cooperative Extension Service and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), was a member of the Association of American Weather Observers and the Appalachian Weather Network, and has been an Associate Member of the American Meteorological Society continuously since 1969. Currently, he is publisher of the Ohio Weather Journal as well as a volunteer snowfall observer for the Cleveland National Weather Service Forecast Office. Ronald has been a member of NEOCAMS for several years and is one of Dick Goddard’s Woollybear Watchers.
Treasurer - Dick Vader - Dick Vader has served as the NEOCAMS chapter treasurer for a number of years. Dick has had an interest in weather since junior high school. While other children were out playing baseball, he was reading weather books. Dick was a member of an early local AMS chapter in the 1960s and has helped to judge science fairs. Over the years, he has been a Skywarn storm spotter and a long time member and supporter of NEOCAMS. Dick has also been a regular contributor to the Ohio Weather Observer Network.
Secretary - Candace Olszak - Candace Olszak has finished her senior year at Kent State majoring in geography with a concentration in the environment. Candace will continue work on her masters degree. She has participated in the Kent State Weather Forecasting Team in the National Forecasting Contest and has had fun trying to predict the weather for specified cities around the country.
Services That Can Be Provided by the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the AMS
Judging of science fairs
Skywarn severe weather training
Observation network featuring local weather data
TV presentations and media interviews
Availability for educational presentations
Anyone wishing to learn more about the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the AMS can correspond via e-mail.
Jim Kosarik, President
Northeast Ohio Chapter of the AMS