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Palmetto Chapter of the


American Meteorological Society



Originally established in South Carolina in the the mid 1960s, the Palmetto Chapter of the American Meteorological Society was reactivated in 1988. Our chapter's primary goal is to help foster better communication and understanding of the atmosphere between interested groups and individuals. Local chapter meetings are usually held two to four times a year with officer elections conducted during our annual conference, typically held at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. At our annual conference, members from various disciplines of meteorology present their current research to the group.

2021-2022 Officers


President
Arelis Rivera
SRNL
arelisrivera@srnl.doe.gov
Vice President
Ryan Gallagher
SCDHEC
(803) 898-4088
gallagrl@dhec.sc.gov
Secretary/Treasurer
Pending

 

1997-2020 Officer Roster


Term
President
Vice President
Secretary/Treasurer
2020
Arelis Rivera
2019
Grace Maze
Christine Boucher
Arelis Rivera
2018
Chris Rohrbach
Grace Maze
Christine Boucher
2017
Steve Weinbeck
Chris Rohrbach
Grace Maze
2016
Andrew Kingston
Steve Weinbeck
Chris Rohrbach
2015
Whitney Smith
Andrew Kingston
Steve Weinbeck
2014
Dan Miller
Whitney Smith
Andrew Kingston
2013
Brian Viner
Jordan Payne
Kelly Scott
2012
Wes Behrend
Brian Viner
Jordan Payne
2011
Dan Miller
Wes Behrend
Wes Behrend/CarlMazzola
2010
Steve Chiswell
Dan Miller
Erik Kabela/Carl Mazzola
2009
Erik Kabela
Steve Chiswell
Steve Chiswell/Carl Mazzola
2008
Dave Werth
Erik Kabela
Erik Kabela/Carl Mazzola
2007
Greg Quina
Dave Werth
Erik Kabela/Carl Mazzola
2006
Allen Weber
Greg Quina
Carl Mazzola
2005
Steve Smutz
Allen Weber
Greg Quina
2004
Buffy Summer
Steve Smutz
Allen Weber
2003
Paul Martin
Buffy Summer
Steve Smutz
2002
Andy Million
Paul Martin
Buffy Summer
2001
Robert Addis
Andy Million
Paul Martin
2000
Clay Lawson
Robert Addis
Andy Million
1999
Robert Buckley
Clay Lawson
Amanda Clarke
1998
Jim Gandy
Robert Buckley
Clay Lawson
1997
Sandi St.Claire
Jim Gandy
Robert Buckley

Membership

Interested in joining our chapter? Please send us an email (palmettochapterams@gmail.com) and provide your name, organization and e-mail address. Come to our next scheduled meeting. Annual dues are $15.

Tributes

To Allen Weber - May 19, 2005

To Bernard Palmer - March 15, 2006

To Matt Parker - March 15, 2006

  • Officers
  • Membership
  • Tributes

Our History


The historical state of South Carolina is home for the Palmetto Chapter of the American Meteorological Society. Like its host state, the local chapter of the American Meteorological Society has a unique past. The state's oldest chapter was located in Charleston. Many interested meteorologists, climatologists, and weather hobbyists traveled to the lower part of the state to participate in the Charleston Chapter. In the mid-1960's the Midlands weather enthusiasts formed a separate chapter located in Columbia. The chapter held monthly meetings. Participants included representatives from the National Weather Service, University of South Carolina, Savannah River Site, Shaw Air Force Base, and the Department of Health and Environmental Control. This phase of the chapter lasted nearly two decades.

Unfortunately, in the early 1980's attendance dwindled and the chapter disbanded. This inactive period was short-lived and in 1988 the chapter was reactivated as the Palmetto Branch of the American Meteorological Society. A constitution was created stating that the association was established to organize and bring together a unified body of those individuals and entities of South Carolina and surrounding areas that worked or were interested in the fields of meteorology or climatology. The objective was to promote, encourage, improve, advance and strengthen the field of meteorology through and all lawful avenues and opportunities available.

Three meetings were held each year with officer elections conducted during the first regular meeting of any calendar year. The gatherings usually were in the form of a dinner meeting. The chapter drew participants from the Midlands and Upstate of South Carolina. Meeting locations rotated between Sumter, Columbia and Aiken. In the early 1990's, persons from the Upstate broke away to organize their own chapter.

Today the Palmetto Chapter primarily covers west central and central South Carolina. Attendance ranges from 25 to 45 people, with participants from Savannah River National Laboratory, WIS Television, Shaw Air Force Base, University of South Carolina, Southeast Regional Climate Center, South Carolina State Climatology Office, Department of Health and Environmental Control, National Weather Service, South Carolina Emergencey Preparedness, South Carolina Emergency Management Division and weather hobbyists. The meetings offer diverse topics pulling from local speakers to speakers from around the region. A special vote was conducted the numbers of meetings each year to four.

One very unique event sponsored by the Palmetto Chapter is an Annual Mini-Technical Conference dedicated to local chapter meteorological and climatological topics. The event solicits papers from the local chapters in and around South Carolina. Presentations on meteorological or climatological concerns or events in the Southeast are encouraged, but the overall goal is to increase awareness communication between local chapter participants. This conference and dinner meeting was a big success last year with more than 16 presenters and 45 interest participants.

The chapter plays an important role in the professional lives of those involved. The chapter brings together many diverse groups studying the weather and managing the Earth's environment. The over-25-year-old chapter looks to the future with the primary goal to help foster better communication and understanding of the atmosphere between interested groups and individuals.

Meteorological Sites of Interest to South Carolina

    NOAA HOME
  • National Center for Environmental Prediction (where the models are run)
  • Air Resources Laboratory / READY (One of the best interactive data sites on web, includes HYSPLIT Dispersion Model)
  • Weather Prediction Center (Lots of satellite and model data)
  • Storm Prediction Center
  • Climate Prediction Center (Good long-range data)
  • National Hurricane Center
  • NOAA Geostationary Satellite Server
  • NWS HOME
  • NASA Earth Science Office Weather Satellite Images
  • DiFax Maps & Products Server
  • NOAA's Weather-Ready Nation
    SC National Weather Service Forecast Offices:
  • Columbia, SC
  • Greer, SC
  • Charleston, SC
  • Wilmington, NC
    Educational Institutions Providing Models & Other Weather Data:
  • College of DuPage (This is a very good, comprehensive site)
  • Lyndon State College
  • Ohio State (All-in-one site for comprehensive data, including ECMWF & UKMET model availability)
  • Penn State University
  • SUNY-Albany
  • Texas A&M (Interactive text-weather database & ECMWF model availability)
  • University of Hawaii
  • University of Michigan
  • University of North Carolina - Asheville (Good for quick look at text-based data)
  • University of Oklahoma
  • University of Wyoming
    Commercial Sites:
  • Unisys Weather
  • Weather.com
  • WSI Intellicast Forecasts / Radar Data
  • Accu-Weather
  • Weather Underground
    Other Prognostic Model Sites:
  • UCAR Real-time Weather Data (Another excellent interactive site)
  • IGES Models Page
  • COOLWX.com
    Satellite Data From U of Wisconsin
  • Latest GOES Eastern Visible Satellite Image
  • Latest GOES Eastern Infrared Satellite Image
  • Latest GOES Eastern Water Vapor Satellite Image
    Air Pollution Agencies:
  • SCDHEC Bureau of Air Quality
  • SC DHEC Ozone Forecasts
  • NC Division of Air Quality Ozone Forecasts
  • GA Dept. of Natural Resources Ambient Air Monitoring Program
  • EPA AirNOW Page (Air Pollution Forecasts & General Info)
    AMS Headquarters and NC/SC Local AMS Chapters:
  • American Meteorological Society Homepage
  • Upstate South Carolina Chapter
  • College of Charleston (SC) Chapter (no website)
  • Asheville Chapter (NC)
  • Central North Carolina Chapter
  • North Carolina State Student Chapter
  • University of North Carolina - Charlotte Student Chapter
    Miscellaneous Links:
  • SRNL Atmospheric Technologies Group Website
  • Southeast Regional Climate Center
  • South Carolina State Climatology Office
  • Air Force Weather Observer
  • WIS TV-10 Weather Page
  • WLTX TV-19 Weather Page
  • National Weather Association
  • Hurricane Zone
  • Weather Photography
  • Family Tornado Safety

2019 Events

· 25th Annual PAMS Allen Weber Mini-Technical Conference - March 6, 2019
    · Presentations
    · Meeting Photo

2018 Events

· Fall Meeting and Tour of the South Carolina Forestry Commission
    · Meeting Photo
    · SCFC Fire Table
· 24th Annual PAMS Allen Weber Mini-Technical Conference - March 22, 2018
    · Presentations
· PAMS Booth at SC Weatherfest - March 10, 2018
    · Weatherfest Photo

2017 Events

· Palmetto Chapter Makes 2015-2016 Honor Roll
· 23rd Annual PAMS Allen Weber Mini-Technical Conference - March 2, 2017
    · Meeting Photo

2016 Events

· SC Emergency Management Division Field Trip - July 28, 2016
    · SCEMD Flooding Fact Sheet
    · SCEMD Presentation
· PAMS support of USC Science Fair 2016 - March 11, 2016
· 22nd Annual PAMS Allen Weber Mini-Technical Conference - March 4, 2016

2015 Events

· Fall Meeting and Tour of the Lake Murray Dam and Hydroelectric Plant - November 10, 2015
    · Fall Meeting Group Photo
· 21st Annual PAMS Mini-Technical Conference - March 31, 2015
· PAMS support of USC Science Fair 2015 - March 13, 2015

2014 Events

· 2014 Fall Meeting - Thu Oct 2 2014
· 20th Annual PAMS Mini-Technical Conference - March 27, 2014
· 2014 PAMS Winter Meeting - Jan 30, 2014

2013 Events

· 2013 PAMS Fall Meeting - Oct 10, 2013
· 19th Annual PAMS Mini-Technical Conference - March 21, 2013

2012 Events

· 2012 Fall Meeting - Nov 1, 2012
· IHBS Field Trip - July 25, 2012
· 18th Annual PAMS Mini-Technical Conference - March 14, 2012
· PAMS Winter Meeting - Jan 18, 2012

2011 Events

· PAMS Fall Meeting Minutes - Oct 25, 2011
· 2011 Mini-Technical Conference - March 24, 2011

2010 Events

· 2010 Mini-Technical Conference - March 25, 2010

2009 Events

· 2009 Mini-Technical Conference - April 3, 2009

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