Ken Pryor

Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division

Operational Products Development Branch
Research Scientist

Ken Pryor photo Ken Pryor received a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Tech in 1989, a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University in 1995, and an M.S. degree in Meteorology from University of Maryland in 2004. He served four years in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 1993, including duty as Weather Officer on the USS San Diego (AFS-6). After his naval service, Ken was employed as a weather observer and forecaster for the National Weather Service and U.S. Air Force. In NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research since 2000, Ken has persued interests in severe convective storms and downbursts.

Product Development, Validation, and Training

Ken has developed Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) sounder-derived index products to assess the potential severity of convective downbursts. The Wet Microburst Severity Index (WMSI) indicates the potential magnitude of downbursts over the eastern United States. The Hybrid Microburst Index (HMI) and Microburst Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI) assess the potential for convective downbursts over the United States Great Plains and intermountain western U.S. Ken has conducted product validation and investigation of operational applications of the GOES Wind Index (WINDEX), the Wet Microburst Severity Index (WMSI) , the Hybrid Microburst Index (HMI) , and Microburst Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI). Ken has also developed a multi-index technique to forecast downburst potential over the Great Plains and intermountain western U.S. In addition, Ken has developed a web-based teletraining module Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products and has trained over 650 forecasters in *techniques for predicting downburst risk using GOES sounder derived product data.

Recent Presentations

Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products, presented at the 7th Southeast Severe Storms Symposium at Mississippi State University on 5 April 2008.

An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index, presented at the 5th GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.

GOES-R Applications for the Assessment of Aviation Hazards, presented at the 5th GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.

The GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index, (PDF, 238KB) Presented at the Annual GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Annual Meeting in Lansdowne, VA on 15 May 2007.

Electrical Behavior of Downburst-Producing Convective Storms over the High Plains. (PDF, 238KB) Presented at the 23rd Conference on Severe Local Storms in St. Louis, MO on 8 November 2006.

GOES Aviation Products: Progress and Recent Developments. (PDF, 1.5MB) Presented at NOAA Science Center in Camp Springs, MD on 20 October 2006.

The GOES Hybrid Microburst Index. (PDF, 130KB) Presented at the 14th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Atlanta, GA on 1 February 2006.

GOES WMSI-Progress and Developments (PDF, 365KB). Presented at the 21st Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting in Washington, DC on 1 August 2005.

Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products (PDF, 818 KB). Presented at the National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma on 3 May 2005.

The Development of the College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001. (PDF, 3.3MB) Presented at University of Maryland, College Park on 28 October 2004.

An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index (PDF, 229KB). Presented at the 5th GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.

GOES-R Applications for the Assessment of Aviation Hazards (PDF, 425KB). Presented at the 5th GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.

Publications

Pryor, K. L., 2008: An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index. Preprints, 5th GOES Users' Conf., New Orleans, LA, Amer. Meteor. Soc.

Pryor, K. L., 2007: An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index. arXiv:0710.0603v2 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2007: The GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index. arXiv:physics/0703162v4 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: A Numerical Model-derived Boundary Layer Turbulence Product. arXiv:physics/0612189v3 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: The Development of the College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001. arXiv:physics/0610217v1 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: Electrical Behavior of Downburst-Producing Convective Storms over the High Plains. arXiv:physics/0608218v5 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: Tropical Cyclone Forecasting Applications of the GOES WMSI. arXiv:physics/0604070v3 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: The GOES Hybrid Microburst Index. Preprints, 14th Conf. on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Atlanta, GA, Amer. Meteor. Soc.

Pryor, K. L., 2006: The Role of Downward Momentum Transport in the Generation of Convective Downbursts. arXiv:physics/0602074v1 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2006: A Study of a Dryline Convective Downburst. arXiv:physics/0601094v2 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2005: GOES WMSI-Progress and Developments. Preprints, 21st Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Washington, DC, Amer. Meteor. Soc.

Pryor, K. L., 2005: Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Over The United States Great Plains. arXiv:physics/0511245v3 [physics.ao-ph]

Pryor, K. L., 2004: The Development of the College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001. Department of Meteorology, University of Maryland, Theses Archive.

Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2004: Recent Improvements to the GOES Microburst Products. Weather and Forecasting, 19, No. 3 (June), 582-594.

Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2004: WMSI - A New Index for Forecasting Wet Microburst Severity. NWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology.

Pryor, K. L., G. P. Ellrod and A. A. Bailey, 2003: Recent Improvements to the GOES Wind Index. NWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology.

Pryor, K. L., G. P. Ellrod and A. A. Bailey, 2002: Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products. NWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology.

E-mail: Ken.Pryor@noaa.gov