NOAA Science Seminar Series

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Drought, El Niño, and California - NOAA Drought Seminar Series

Presenter(s): Michael Anderson, California State Climatologist; Principal Engineer Specialist, Water Resources

Sponsor(s): NOAA Research's Physical Science Laboratory and National Integrated Drought Information System, and the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center

Seminar Contact(s): Andrew.Hoell@noaa.gov

Remote Access:
Register before the seminar at:
https://noaaresearch.webex.com/weblink/register/rca6066f1b86ead3a1fb85d1e6160d129

Accessibility: Live closed captioning

Abstract: When El Niño is mentioned with respect to California, images of extreme storms from the winters of 1983 and 1998 often come to mind. Although El Niño does shift the distribution of precipitation outcomes towards wet, dry outcomes do occur. Of the seven events where the Relative Niño Index exceeded 2.0 during winter in California, three ended up with below average precipitation and below average snowpack. In this presentation, comparisons are made between the 7 very strong El Niño events exploring factors that separate wet and dry outcomes in California’s water year.

Slides, Recordings, Other materials: Available after the talk at https://psl.noaa.gov/drought/seminarseries.html

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NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Revisiting Historical Airborne Radar Datasets

Presenter(s): Aaliyah Perez, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Earth Systems Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) in Cohort 4 at Hampton University

Sponsor(s): NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/nnp-hfix-eko

Or dial: (US)+1 901-646-0558 PIN: 673 440 370#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/nnp-hfix-eko?pin=9493019565737

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: Tropical Cyclone Radar Archive of Doppler Analyses with Re-centering (TC-RADAR) is a database containing deficiencies in software, coverage, and methodology for cases prior to 2010 that must be revisited. This pilot, multi-case project investigated: (1) reprocessing pre-2010 Major Hurricane cases using NOAA’s current automated airborne radar processing software to address deficiencies; and (2) comparing original and reprocessed analyses to previous literature and flight-level winds to TDR winds, to qualitatively and quantitatively note improvements in vertical wind motion and wind speed. In total, 13 tropical cyclone analyses were produced (10 were major or near-major hurricanes). Results show using current NOAA airborne radar processing software corrects pre-2010 deficiencies and improves winds in major hurricanes in terms of: reduced occurrence of anomalous vertical winds and wind speeds, peak (0.2%frequency) value (25-30%), and 99.9th percentile value (2-3 m/s). After reprocessing Major Hurricane Wilma, distributions between flight-level and TDR vertical velocity are in better agreement as anomalous vertical velocities are reduced in the TDR. Contoured Frequency by Altitude Diagrams (CFADs) containing all original analyses had its vertical winds reduced from approximately ± 6 m/s to ± 2 m/s in the reprocessed CFAD. At the 99.9th percentile for major hurricanes, results are similar to those in previous literature through 10 km, concluding that previous literature rightly excluded the pre-2010 deficient cases. Comparisons of TDR-based vertical velocity to flight-level instrument data with results of recent studies demonstrate that the reprocessed data is now suitable for research.

The results presented are from the NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunity (NERTO) graduate internship project conducted with NOAA mentor, Dr. Paul Reasor (OAR, AOML, HRD). This NERTO experience aligns with the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in CESSRST-II, supporting the Center’s goal of conducting NOAA mission-aligned collaborative research. This project, titled Revisiting Historical Airborne Radar Datasets, addressed the research question: how can software, coverage, and methodology deficiencies in TC-RADAR be addressed for pre-2010 Major Hurricane cases using NOAA’s current automated airborne radar processing software? The work provides value to the scientific community and program stakeholders by improving the processing of historical airborne reconnaissance radar datasets for research use that can be transitioned into National Weather Service operations to improve forecasts and ultimately increase weather-readiness. Through this internship, the student deepened their understanding of NOAA mission areas and gained enhanced skills in modifying and compiling airborne radar processing code, learning to critically assess the products derived from radar processing software, and communicating research results to mixed audiences within the NOAA community.

For more information access the webpage for the Cooperative Science Centers, https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/20212022-awards and NERTO, www.noaa.gov/eppnerto/.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov withthe word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Retrieval Assessments for Different Microwave Sounder Configurations: Examining the Impact of Radio Frequency Interference on the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder

Presenter(s): Michelle Wagner, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Earth Systems Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) Cohort 3 - at The City College of New York

Sponsor(s): NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ycu-uqay-kxm

Or dial: (US)+1 502-791-5493 PIN: 876 479 227#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ycu-uqay-kxm?pin=5537211641817

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: NOAA’s Low earth orbit satellite sensors provide more than 80 percent of data assimilated into numerical weather prediction models and are critical for producing timely and accurate weather forecasts. Recent expansion of 5G wireless technology could impact weather forecasting by introducing unwanted radio signals or radio frequency interference (RFI) to temperature and moisture sounding channels used by passive satellite microwave radiometers. In this project a new method for assessing radio frequency interference impact across globally diverse environmental conditions for the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) 50 - 53 GHz channel measurements is suggested. The method is based on the analysis of the ATMS brightness temperatures simulated using the Community Radiative transfer model (CRTM) and Radiative Transfer for the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (RTTOV). Synthetic noise equivalent delta temperature (NEDT) (i.e. per channel brightness temperature uncertainty due to instrument noise), and a spectrally non-uniform radio frequency interference (RFI) - induced brightness temperature perturbation were applied to evaluate the impact of sensor noise and RFI on the simulated observations. Different combinations of ATMS channels were excluded from a machine-learning based retrieval algorithm predictor set to evaluate the impact of channel-specific information loss on retrieved satellite soundings. Comparison with retrievals derived from observed ATMS brightness temperatures showed the best agreement for atmospheric temperature using noise with a standard deviation of 1 times the nominal NEDT while those for humidity showed the closest agreement with 3 times the nominal NEDT. The ATMS configuration comparison demonstrated slight degradation with removal of channels 3, 4 and 5 with the exclusion of channel 5introducing the largest impact among the three. The exclusion of the full V-band introduced a degradation of approximately 2 K near the surface and 5K in the upper troposphere The inclusion of a 10 K RFI perturbation resulted in a drastic degradation of the retrieval error in the mid troposphere when applied to channels 5-6 and near the surface when applied to 3 4. These results support the need for RFI detection capability in order to preserve observation accuracy for the ATMS and future microwave sounder satellites.

The results presented are from the NOAA Experiential Research Training Opportunity (NERTO) graduate internship project conducted under the mentorship of Lihang Zhou, LEO Satellite Product Manager at NOAA NESDIS, JPSS. This NERTO experience aligns with the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in CESSRST-II, supporting the Center’s goal of conducting NOAA mission-aligned collaborative research to understand and predict changes in weather and atmosphere, land and water, oceans and coasts. This project, titled Retrieval Assessments for Different Microwave Sounder Configurations: Examining the Impact of Radio Frequency Interference on the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder addressed the research question: what is the potential impact radio frequency interference from recent FTU allocations on ATMS temperature and humidity sounding data products. The work provides value to the scientific community and program stakeholders by creating a rapid assessment methodology to support the development of next generation technology for microwave sounders in support of emerging architectures that emphasize rapid sensor development and deployment while still preserving data integrity of data products while applying the methodology to a real world case study that provides direct support to current NESDIS priorities. Through this internship, the student deepened their understanding of NOAA mission areas and gained enhanced skills in atmospheric retrievals, algorithm development, satellite mission operations, JPSS mission science, model simulations, calibration and validation processes and algorithm development.

For more information access the webpage for the Cooperative Science Centers, https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/20212022-awards andNERTO, www.noaa.gov/eppnerto/.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov withthe word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Modeling Mangroves as Nature-Based Coastal Flood Defenses

Presenter(s): Rik Gijsman (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, the Netherlands)

Sponsor: NOAACoastal Ocean Modeling Seminars: https://coastaloceanmodels.noaa.gov/seminar/

SeminarContact: Alexander.Kurapov@noaa.gov

Remoteaccess: Connect with Google Meet meet.google.com/kti-ktaw-nes,
PhoneNumbers (US)+1414-856-5982 PIN: 248 179#

Abstract: Mangroves are increasingly asked to perform as engineering infrastructure — protecting coasts from waves and erosion — but can they deliver? It is widely recognized that mangroves reduce flooding and erosion by dissipating (storm) wave energy, while providing benefits including the provision of biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and tourism opportunities. Importantly, mangroves can enhance the long-term resilience of coasts and deltas to climate change, by being able to adapt to environmental changes. However, the functioning and persistence of mangroves for flood and erosion risk reduction is also dependent on natural processes operating across multiple spatial and temporal scales. This makes engineering assessments of mangroves performance complex.

This seminar talk will cover past, ongoing and future work on modeling of mangrove ecosystem dynamics, integrating hydrodynamic, morphological and ecological processes. We will focus on general mangrove modeling approaches, and discuss a specific study site: the Firth of Thames in New Zealand. Here, detailed modelling showed how mangrove presence and characteristics influenced their own morphological and ecological development. Lastly, two mangrove models will be introduced that can support in the assessment of mangroves’ performance as flood defenses. Together, this work aims to advance mangrove ecosystem modeling as a practical tool for coastal engineering and management.

Slides, Recordings, OtherMaterials: TBD

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NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Assessing the Impact of NOAA Satellite Fire Products on Air Quality Alerts and Interventions to Prevent Wildfire Smoke Exposure

Presenter: Jemma Przybocki, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) at the City College of New York

Sponsor: NOAA EPP Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cep-aiue-wiq

Or dial: (US)+1 415-862-7708 PIN: 623 343 656#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/cep-aiue-wiq?pin=3759689919325

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: Across the US, many people experience unhealthy levels of air pollution, including pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). Exposure to high concentrations of these pollutants can have severe negative impacts on public health. Air quality forecasting enables the National Weather Service (NWS) to provide predictive alerts that inform the public of actions they can take to reduce exposure to poor air quality. Wildfires are a major source of PM_2.5 emissions, and this work aims to quantify how assimilating NOAA satellite-based fire emissions into air quality models can improve the accuracy of air quality alerts. Improved accuracy of air quality alerts can lower morbidity and mortality associated with smoke exposure. This is evaluated by comparing outputs from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry(WRF-Chem) simulations run with and without satellite-based fire emissions. A health impact function is used to estimate PM_2.5-attributable asthma emergency department (ED) visits and premature mortalities for situations in which air quality alerts were and were not provided based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) defined by the EPA. The public health benefits of air quality alerts are quantified using previously published estimates of PM_2.5 exposure reduction due to individual behavior modification. It is found that assimilating fire emissions into air quality models increases the number of alert days and provides increased opportunities for the public to reduce PM_2.5 exposure. These reductions in exposure lead to substantial public health benefits through reductions in PM_2.5-attributableasthma ED visits and premature mortalities. The economic value associated with these public health benefits is around $24.6 billion annually, which exceeds the operational cost of the JPSS mission and demonstrates a positive return on investment (ROI).

The results presented are from the NOAA EPP CSC NERTO graduate internship project conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Shobha Kondragunta, NOAA NESDIS STAR. This NERTO experience aligns with the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in CESSRST-II, supporting the Center’s goal of conducting NOAA mission-aligned collaborative research to understand and predict changes in weather and atmosphere, land and water, oceans and coasts. This project, titled Assessing the Impact of NOAA Satellite Fire Products on Air Quality Alerts and Interventions to Prevent Wildfire Smoke Exposure, addressed the research question: How does the assimilation of NOAA-satellite-based fire emissions into air quality models improve the accuracy of air quality alerts and lower mortality associated with smoke exposure? The work provides value to the scientific community and program stakeholders by assessing the public health benefits from integrating satellite-based smoke emissions into air quality models to maximize the return on investment of NOAA satellite missions. Through this internship, the student deepened their understanding of NOAA mission areas and gained enhanced skills in coding, data analysis, and scientific communication.

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NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Testing artificial intelligence tools for understanding and predicting oceanographic changes and their effects on marine ecosystems

Presenter: Lewis Luis, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) at the City College of New York

Sponsor: NOAA EPP Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/mmo-ztub-ykw

Or dial: (US)+1 502-966-7340 PIN: 769 339 770#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/mmo-ztub-ykw?pin=1234367623236

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: Generative AI (Gen AI) has undertaken rapid development in recent years with applications in commerce, science, research among other fields. One known design flaw, pertaining to rigorous research, is Gen AI’s tendency to hallucinate responses. A new paradigm has emerged as a response, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) which serves as the bridge between Gen AI and the external database. We propose a novel RAG tool as an interface to be used in conjunction with scientific papers related to oceans. A key objective was to create a dedicated agentic pipeline that reads the chunked text files, generates multiple choice questions, conducts quality assurance and finally attempts to answer the generated questions using various types of agents. Benchmarking was conducted to verify accurate results. To compare, our RAG to a no-context and perfect context agent was also tested. It was found that our RAG agent is effective at retrieval of accurate data with accuracy being greater than 80%. The no context agent was highly limited with best runs only achieving 70% accuracy. Limitations of the study include the token limit with the API tools used and the limited number of scientific papers. Further research may continue to build the framework of this tool; expanding it to encompass more scientific papers. The tool could be connected to a private LLM and have the user load data in. Hence, when our RAG agent achieves greater accuracy, it becomes usable as a tool for interpreting oceanic scientific papers at a greater level of efficiency.

The results presented are from the NOAA EPP CSC NERTO graduate internship project conducted under the mentorship of Andrew Ross, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, GFDL. This NERTO experience aligns with the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in CESSRST-II, supporting the Center’s goal of collaborative research to understand and predict changes in our oceans and that impact on marine life. This project, titled Testing artificial intelligence tools for understanding and predicting oceanographic changes and their effects on marine ecosystems addressed the research question: can we use Agentic AI systems with RAG tools to reliably understand changes in the ocean within the Northeastern U.S shelf region and can that system extrapolate conditions via data ingested. The work provides value to the scientific community and program stakeholders by expanding the knowledge NOAA has on AI tools and allowing researchers to utilize this Agentic RAG combination to accelerate their own research pipelines. Through this internship, the student deepened their understanding of NOAA mission areas and gained enhanced skills in utilization of complex agentic AI systems and an increased understanding in oceanography. Additionally, gained experience using cloud computing platforms and NVIDIA APIs.

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NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: The Research Evidence Library Application (RELApp)

NOAA Library Seminars

Presenter(s): Trevor Riley, MSLIS, Head of Research & Innovation, NOAA Library

Sponsor(s): NOAA Library

Seminar Contact(s): Library Seminars

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/6211375/6f1c457f6d

Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Abstract: The Research Evidence Library Application (RELApp) was developed to support NOAA’s evidence-based decision-making mandates. The application's core innovation is a system of "metadata overlays," which allows multiple research teams to simultaneously tag and organize the same foundational literature for entirely different projects without altering the master ground-truth records or duplicating files. Designed to manage massive, cross-disciplinary research collections, RELApp features advanced text mining, text analysis, and full-text PDF search capabilities that save scientists and policy analysts from manually sifting through thousands of papers. The system also serves as a centralized repository for valuable, hard-to-find grey literature, turning previously inaccessible archived EndNote libraries into a shared, searchable resource. Hosted securely on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s POSIT Connect ecosystem and fully integrated with NOAA's Google Workspace APIs, the application streamlines the writing workflow by allowing users to generate in-text citations and comprehensive reference lists directly within Google Docs, while also supporting standard exports to other traditional citation managers.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Library YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: One North, Two Fire Seasons: A Review of the 2026 Wildfire Season in Alaska, Yukon, and Northwest Territories

Presenter(s): Rick Thoman (Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness), Heidi Strader and Jonathan Chriest (Alaska Interagency Coordination Center Predictive Services), and Mike Smith (Canadian Forest Service)

Sponsor(s): NOAA/OAR/Climate Program Office and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness (ACCAP)

Seminar Contact(s): Ed Plumb (ewplumb@alaska.edu) & Genie Bey (genie.bey@noaa.gov)

Remote Access: https://uaf-accap.org/event/2026-fire-season-review/

Abstract: The 2026 wildfire season told two very different stories across Northern North America. Alaska and the Yukon experienced another relatively quiet fire season, while the Northwest Territories faced a fourth consecutive summer of widespread, high-impact fires and smoke. What weather and climate patterns drove these dramatically different outcomes, and what lessons can they offer for understanding wildfire across the North?

Join the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness (ACCAP) and the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC) for a regional review of the 2026 wildfire season. Rick Thoman of ACCAP will provide the broader weather and climate context that influenced fire activity across the region, while meteorologists from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center (AICC) Predictive Services and Canadian wildfire experts will review how the season unfolded in Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Together, they will discuss notable fires, operational challenges, lessons learned, and what this year's contrasting fire seasons may reveal about wildfire across Northern North America.

Slides / Recordings / Other materials: A recording can be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Remote Sensing of Suspended Particulate Matter in Coastal Alaska with Ocean Color

Presenter: Storm Heidinger, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing Technologies II (CESSRST II) at the City College of New York

Sponsor: NOAA EPP Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/wvz-xeyd-kez

Or dial: (US)+1 252-656-5323 PIN: 520 593 113#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/wvz-xeyd-kez?pin=7395681850496

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: The results presented are from the NOAA EPPCSC NERTO graduate internship project conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Menghua Wang and co-mentor Dr. Jianwei Wei, Marine Ecosystems and Coastal Branch, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR. This NERTO experience aligns with the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in CESSRST-II, supporting the Center’s goal to understand and predict changes in oceans and coasts through science. This project, titled “Remote Sensing of Suspended Particulate Matter in Coastal Alaska with Ocean Color” addresses the performance and uncertainty of suspended particulate matter (SPM) retrieval algorithms in the complex and challenging coastal Arctic Alaska region.

Satellite ocean color remote sensing of suspended particulate matter (SPM) provides valuable spatial and temporal coverage for the study of coastal systems, including water clarity, riverine exports, and erosion. Satellite remote sensing retrievals of water quality parameters are critical in Arctic Alaska due to the expansive spatial extent and challenging sampling logistics in remote regions. The NOAA NESDIS STAR Ocean Color Science Team developed an algorithm for global SPM retrieval using the NIR-RGB (near infrared, red, green, and blue) bands of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor. However, the study noted the need for additional evaluation in high latitude regions such as Arctic Alaska due to remote sensing reflectance (R_rs) uncertainties. This project compiled an expanded validation data set for Arctic Alaska with in situ SPM and R_rs samples, and granules from the NOAA VIIRS-SNPP (Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership) satellite sensor.

The NIR-RGB algorithm predicted SPM using in situ R_rs with strong agreement with in situ SPM samples based on fit statistics including the coefficient of determination (R²), bias, and median absolute percent difference (MAPD). Using VIIRS-SNPP R_rs for SPM prediction, R²was lower but bias and MAPD were consistent. The R_rs validation showed high alignment for the R_rs(671)/R_rs(551) band ratio, which is the most important for SPM retrieval in turbid waters, but weaker performance for the R_rs(551)/R_rs(443) band ratio used for SPM retrieval in clear waters, potentially indicating a driver of the lower fit for satellite SPM retrievals. As a case study, the project developed a spatial climatology and time series of SPM from 2012-2025in the Colville River Delta region of the Beaufort Sea using the NIR-RGB algorithm.

The work provides value to the scientific community and program stakeholders by assessing the uncertainty of the NIR-RGB suspended particulate matter (SPM) retrieval algorithm, indicating the suitability of theLevel-2 VIIRS SPM product available in NOAA Coast Watch and OC View for fisheries and coastal management applications in the coastal Arctic Alaska region. Through this internship, the student deepened their understanding of NOAA mission areas and gained skills in satellite remote sensing ocean color calibration and validation.

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NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Investigating Lightning Ignition Flashes and Wildfire Risk in the Western United States: A Multi-Dataset Analysis (2016–2018)

Presenter(s): Jorge Arturo Andujo, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology II (NCAS-M II), at the University of Texas El Paso

Sponsor(s): NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/mzd-cmba-kfh

Or dial: (US) +1 515-207-4624 PIN: 443 142 513#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/mzd-cmba-kfh?pin=6485030080333

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: Lightning is a primary natural driver of wildfire ignition, yet the specific flash characteristics that distinguish ignition-capable "ignition flashes" from benign discharges remain poorly constrained. This study investigates the link between lightning and wildfires by integrating three complementary datasets: total lightning observations from the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN), simulated lightning flash frequencies from the GFDL AM4VR atmospheric model, and burned-area data from the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED5), spanning 2012–2020. We spatially bin and map cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes in proximity to observed fire locations to identify candidate ignition flashes and characterize their properties. Contrary to the prevailing literature, which associates ignition flashes with distinct characteristics such as long continuing current and specific polarity, our analysis reveals no clear discriminating signature. Notably, we find that non-ignition flashes exhibit longer average flash durations than ignition flashes—a counterintuitive result suggesting that flash duration alone is an insufficient predictor of ignition. These findings imply that ignition risk cannot be reliably diagnosed from lightning characteristics in isolation and likely depends on the interaction of flash properties with local fuel moisture and topography. This work underscores the need to couple lightning observations with surface environmental conditions to improve wildfire ignition prediction in a changing climate.

For more information access the webpage for the Cooperative Science Centers, https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/20212022-awards and NERTO, www.noaa.gov/eppnerto/.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Severe Weather Forecast Accuracy for In-development, Convection-Allowing Ensemble Prediction Systems

Presenter(s): Josue Chamberlain, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology II (NCAS-M II) Cohort 4 Graduate Fellow at Howard University

Sponsor(s): NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hym-vsnh-kxh

Or dial: (US)+1 929-260-4756 PIN: 433169 833#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/hym-vsnh-kxh?pin=1556166111557

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: Forecasting severe convective storms remains difficult due to the varied preconditioning and triggering processes that enable their development. In addition, storm-generated effects of ongoing thunderstorms can make it difficult to generate accurate modeled scenarios. Ensemble prediction attempts to address this difficulty by providing probabilistic forecasts; however, uncertainty remains a challenge for the forecasting community. One diagnostic tool used in models is updraft helicity, which represents the rotation of storms produced by environmental and dynamical processes in severe convection. Sobash et al. (2016) demonstrated that ensemble-modeled updraft helicity can serve as a proxy for storm severity and that storm reports can be used to calculate skill scores: probability of detection, fraction skill score, and reliability. The focus of our project is to evaluate probabilistic severe weather forecasts using near-real-time simulations of spring 2026 severe weather by adapting the methods of Sobash et al. (2015) to a prototype version of the upcoming Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFSv2X). Ultimately, we hope our study provides insight into future operational use at the National Weather Service. Furthermore, we believe that our evaluation of the current ensemble model against severe convective storms will inform model developers whether further enhancement of ensemble spread and accuracy is warranted.

For more information access the webpage for the Cooperative Science Centers, https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/20212022-awards and NERTO, www.noaa.gov/eppnerto/.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:

Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Spatial Variability of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Urban, Rural, and Bay Contrasts across the Washington, DC-Baltimore Region

Presenter(s): Akye Johnson, Graduate Fellow, NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology II (NCAS-M II) Cohort 4 Graduate Fellow at Howard University

Sponsor(s): NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers

Seminar Contact(s): Audrey.Trotman@noaa.gov and oed.epp10@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ebr-jnkz-phe

Or dial: (US)+1 605-937-7225 PIN: 891729 798#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ebr-jnkz-phe?pin=5475234523041

Accessibility: Google Meet closed captioning available.

Abstract: The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is the lowest part of the atmosphere, where surface heating, moisture, and turbulence control how heat and pollutants disperse. Its depth varies strongly with the underlying surface, yet these contrasts are poorly resolved in the densely populated Washington, DC-Baltimore corridor, where urban, rural, and coastal environments lie within roughly 100 km. This study characterizes the spatial and diurnal variability of ABL height across an urban-rural-bay gradient using observations from NOAA’s UrbanNet network and the ARM CoURAGE field campaign-including Doppler-lidar profiles of winds, turbulence, and boundary-layer depth-paired with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations. We examine how the urban heat island deepens the city ABL, evidenced by elevated sensible heat flux and July temperatures, while the cool Chesapeake Bay and its land-bay-breeze circulation suppress the marine boundary layer. Model-observation comparisons on selected case days attribute agreement and error to specific physical processes, including surface energy partitioning, atmospheric stability, and coastal circulations. Results advance understanding of urban boundary-layer dynamics and inform air-quality and heat forecasting across mid-Atlantic cities.

For more information access the webpage for the Cooperative Science Centers, https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/20212022-awards and NERTO, www.noaa.gov/eppnerto/.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov withthe word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: The California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library Project: Decoding California’s Intertidal Zone One Species at a Time

NOAA Library Seminars

Presenter(s): Susie Theroux, Principal Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP)

Sponsor(s): NOAA Omics and NOAA Library

Seminar Contact(s): Nicole Miller (nicole.miller@noaa.gov) and Library Seminars

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/6194537

Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Abstract: California's intertidal zone is home to an estimated 4,000 taxa, yet fewer than half of these species have sequences available in global DNA reference libraries. The California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library Project aims to build a comprehensive barcode library for California's intertidal invertebrates and algae. The project brings together dozens of researchers, managers, and taxonomic experts to collect, identify, voucher, and sequence thousands of intertidal species. Beyond filling reference library gaps, the project is advancing method standardization and best practices across the sample processing pipeline, including pilot studies on macroalgal DNA extraction, long-read sequencing, mitogenome skimming, and eDNA sample collection in the intertidal zone. This presentation highlights the importance of intensive biodiversity surveys for uncovering novel diversity, resolving species ranges, and establishing a critical baseline for future biodiversity monitoring.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Library YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Improving Pacific salmon abundance forecasts with empirical dynamic modeling

NOAA Library Seminars

Presenter(s): Anna Poulton, Postdoc, Fisheries Collaborative Program, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz

Sponsor(s): NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA Library

Seminar Contact(s): Dr. Bai Li (bai.li@noaa.gov) and Library Seminars

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/6191139

Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Abstract: We applied empirical dynamic modeling (EDM), a nonlinear data-driven forecasting method, to forecast adult abundance for a large number of Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (O. kisutch), and pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) populations along the U.S. Pacific Coast. Even simple EDM models typically matched or slightly outperformed baseline methods; furthermore, the median forecast skill of EDM greatly increased when either data from multiple populations were used in a hierarchical framework, or if a few widely available environmental variables (e.g., marine climate indices) were included. We additionally used the resulting models to show that populations throughout the study region exhibit some notable similarities in underlying population dynamics.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Library YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Reduced-order surrogates for forced flexible mesh coastal-ocean models

Presenter(s): Freja Høgholm Petersen (DHI Group, Seattle, WA)

Sponsor: NOAA Coastal Ocean Modeling Seminars: https://coastaloceanmodels.noaa.gov/seminar/

SeminarContact: Alexander.Kurapov@noaa.gov

Remote access: Connect with Google

Meet meet.google.com/kti-ktaw-nes,

Phone Numbers (US)+1414-856-5982 PIN: 248 179#

Abstract: High-fidelity, flexible-mesh hydrodynamic models are the backbone of coastal forecasting and climate-risk assessment, but running them for ensembles, long climate simulations, or rapid scenario testing is often computationally expensive. This talk presents two families of machine learning-based reduced-order surrogate models built to emulate forced 2D shallow-water dynamics under realistic wind, pressure, and boundary forcing.The surrogates were tested on three real-world coastal domains with very different dynamics (the Øresund strait, the Southern North Sea, and the Adriatic Sea), predicting a full year ahead at 30-minute resolution. They track the physics-based model and in-situ observations closely, while running 300 to 1400 times faster on a standard laptop CPU. The talk will cover the strategies used to keep predictions stable over such long horizons, where the two modelling approaches differ, and where surrogates still struggle. It will close with implications for ensemble forecasting and long-term coastal-ocean simulation workflows.

Speaker bio: Freja Høgholm Petersen is a PhD student at DHI and the Technical University of Denmark, working on machine-learning surrogates for coastal-ocean hydrodynamic models. She has a background in dynamical systems, scientific computing and machine learning, with special interest in building reliable machine learning models for physics systems modelling. This work was published in Ocean Modelling (2026) as part of the special issue on AI Methods and Applications.

Slides, Recordings, OtherMaterials: TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA ScienceSeminar Series weekly email: Sendan e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body.Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions andideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Reframing the Rarity of Extreme Low-Snow Years in the Upper Colorado River Basin - NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory Seminar Series

Presenter(s): Sydney Carr, University of Colorado Boulder

Sponsor(s): NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory

Seminar Contact(s): psl.seminars@noaa.gov

Remote Access:

Google Meet video call link: https://meet.google.com/rwm-ebtk-kgn

Or dial: (US)+1 409-444-2714 PIN: 232 460 971#

More phone numbers: https://meet.google.com/tel/rwm-ebtk-kgn

Accessibility: Live closed captioning

Abstract: Mountain snowpack reflects both anthropogenic warming and substantial internal climate variability, complicating efforts to determine when forced changes emerge from the historical range of variability and become consequential to water resources. In the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), this challenge extends beyond detecting long-term declines in mean snowpack to understanding how warming is reshaping the occurrence of extreme low-snow years. Water year (WY) 2026 produced the lowest basin-wide snowpack on record, providing a timely benchmark for evaluating this changing risk.

We combine observations with dynamically downscaled CESM2 large-ensemble simulations and a 100-member reconstruction of basin-scale snow water equivalent (SWE) to examine anthropogenic change across mean and extreme conditions. Time of Emergence identifies climate change signals in UCRB seasonal snowpack, while two historically consequential low-snow years—stakeholder-informed WY 2002 and the unprecedented WY 2026 extreme—characterize changes in the recurrence of rare events through the end of this century. Increases in the frequency and persistence of low-snow extremes outpace gradual declines in average snowpack conditions and represent an important source of hydrologic, ecological, and socioeconomic risk. Large ensembles further reveal how strongly estimates of extreme-event rarity depend on the extent to which internal climate variability is sampled.

Because adaptation is often informed by the most extreme events in living memory, observed low-snow extremes provide physically plausible storylines of future risk. Our large-ensemble framework places these events in a probabilistic context by quantifying how their recurrence changes under continued warming. As hydroclimatic baselines shift and historical observations become increasingly unreliable guides to future risk, our results reframe the rarity of low-snow extremes as an evolving probability governed jointly by internal climate variability and anthropogenic warming.

Slides, Recordings, Other materials: Seminar details and speaker bio at https://psl.noaa.gov/seminars/Abstracts/2026/811.html. Seminar is not recorded. Slides available upon request at speaker's discretion.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:

Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Highlights from Nancy Foster 2022: Illuminating deep waters off Puerto Rico

NOAA Library Seminars

Presenter(s): Andrea Quattrini, Expedition Chief Scientist, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Sponsor(s): NOAA Ocean Exploration and NOAA Library.

Seminar Contact: library.seminars@noaa.gov

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/6191260

Abstract: In 2022, a team explored the biodiversity of deep waters off Puerto Rico while training the next generation of scientists and conducting public outreach. Using the ROV Global Explorer, deployed from the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster, we surveyed benthic biodiversity across submarine canyons, ridges, and banks. Despite limited ROV dives, we discovered and described new species, designated neotypes, analyzed eDNA, and generated genomic data from species not collected since the early 1900s. Genome skimming (i.e., low-coverage sequencing) allowed us to recover mitogenomes, nuclear ribosomal RNA, and ultraconserved elements for coral systematics while building a reference barcode database for eDNA analyses. These data also revealed intragenomic and intergenomic variation in reference barcodes. The expedition continues to generate new discoveries and insights into deep-water biodiversity.

Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Library YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: NEDTalk - The 1877-78 El Niño: A Historical View of Super El Niños in NOAA ERSSTv5 Reconstructions

NOAA Environmental Data Talks (NEDTalks)

Presenter(s): Dr. Boyin Huang, Physical Scientist, National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA

Sponsor(s): NOAA NESDIS Communications / NESDIS HQ

Seminar Contact(s): Rafael.deAmeller@noaa.gov

Accessibility: Live closed captioning

Abstract: The 1877–78 El Niño may have been one of the strongest El Niño events on record—potentially even stronger than the major events of 1982–83, 1997–98, and 2015–16. Join Dr. Boyin Huang to learn how a new analysis of NOAA’s Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature version 5 (ERSSTv5) data is helping scientists better understand this historic event and reduce uncertainty in the historical record.

Click here for more information and to register

This October, join us for three Friday NOAA Environmental Data (NED) Talks at noon that will take you on a comprehensive journey through the lifecycle of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

What makes attending a NEDTalk in real time special?

The presentation portion of each NEDTalk will be posted on the NESDIS website shortly after the event, so you can still watch the presentation if you miss it.

However, the Q&A session is exclusive to live attendees and will not be recorded. Join us in real time to ask questions directly, hear the presenters respond to audience questions, and be part of the discussion as it happens.

Recordings: Available after the talk on the NEDTalks page at:

https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/data-products-research-services/data-collections/nedtalks

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:

Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: How NOAA monitors and predicts the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

NOAA Environmental Data Talks (NEDTalks)

Presenter(s): Nat Johnson, Ph.D., Meteorologist, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA

Sponsor(s): NOAA NESDIS Communications / NESDIS HQ

Seminar Contact(s): Rafael.deAmeller@noaa.gov

Accessibility: Live closed captioning

Abstract: Join Dr. Nathaniel "Nat" Johnson as he explores why seasonal El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) outlooks are important, how NOAA monitors and predicts ENSO, and the observations and models that inform those forecasts. He will also highlight how these outlooks provide valuable information for planning and decision-making across society.

Click here for more information and to register

This October, join us for three Friday NOAA Environmental Data (NED) Talks at noon that will take you on a comprehensive journey through the lifecycle of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

What makes attending a NEDTalk in real time special?

The presentation portion of each NEDTalk will be posted on the NESDIS website shortly after the event, so you can still watch the presentation if you miss it.

However, the Q&A session is exclusive to live attendees and will not be recorded. Join us in real time to ask questions directly, hear the presenters respond to audience questions, and be part of the discussion as it happens.

Recordings: Available after the talk on the NEDTalks page at:

https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/data-products-research-services/data-collections/nedtalks

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:

Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: October Alaska Climate Outlook Briefing

Presenter(s): Rick Thoman, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness

Sponsor(s): NOAA/OAR/Climate Program Office and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness (ACCAP)

Seminar Contact(s): Ed Plumb (ewplumb@alaska.edu) & Genie Bey (genie.bey@noaa.gov)

Remote Access: https://uaf-accap.org/event/oct2026-climate-outlook/

Abstract: During this month’s Climate Outlook Briefing, Rick will review recent and current climate conditions around Alaska, discuss forecasting tools, and finish up with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecast for November and look at the upcoming winter. Tune in online for a look at recent Alaska weather highlights and what may be ahead for Alaska’s seasonal climate.

Slides / Recordings / Other materials: A recording may be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Place-Based Heat Research: Informing Solutions Across Rural, Coastal, and Marine Environments

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Doran (Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Vermont), Scott Curtis (Dr. John Lining Professor of Physics and Director of the James B. Near Center for Climate Studies at The Citadel), Antonietta Capotondi (Senior Research Scientist at the University of Colorado and NOAA's Physical Sciences Laboratory)

Sponsor(s): NOAA Climate Program Office

Seminar Contact(s): Lauren Balotin, lauren.balotin@noaa.gov

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/6191249

Accessibility: Captions will be available during the live presentation and on the recording.

Abstract: Extreme heat affects all types of geographic settings — from urban to rural, inland to coastal, and land to sea. Research on how heat uniquely impacts each of these areas can help decision-makers implement targeted resilience strategies and place-based solutions.

This webinar will highlight NOAA-supported research on extreme heat in rural, coastal, and marine environments. Speakers will share insights on:

• how to identify areas of high heat risk in rural communities based on heat exposure, transportation infrastructure, and related factors

• the importance of multi-hazard resilience efforts that address heat in conjunction with water management concerns, such as flooding and sea level rise

• ways to better understand the drivers and subsurface characteristics of marine heat waves in areas with critical ecological and socioeconomic importance

Case studies will feature projects in rural Vermont, Charleston, and the Northeast Pacific. Together, these presentations will showcase how researchers and decision-makers can better understand heat and strategize resilience solutions according to a location’s unique characteristics.

This event is part of the CPO Heat Research Webinar Series. The projects are supported by CPO’s National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) and Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP) program. The event will be recorded.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared on the NOAA Climate Program Office website after the event.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: NEDTalk - The Very Strong El Nino of 2026–2027: How a Warm Tropical Pacific Ocean May Reshape Weather Worldwide

NOAA Environmental Data Talks (NEDTalks)

Presenter(s): Andrew Hoell, Meteorologist, NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory

Sponsor(s): NOAA NESDIS Communications / NESDIS HQ

Seminar Contact(s): Rafael.deAmeller@noaa.gov

Accessibility: Live closed captioning

Abstract: In this talk, join Dr. Andrew Hoell as he discusses what El Niño is, how NOAA monitors and forecasts it, and how unusually warm tropical Pacific waters can influence weather patterns around the world. He will also examine the outlook for the coming months, including potential impacts on U.S. storm tracks, hurricane seasons, and agriculture, as well as uncertainties that remain.

Click here for more information and to register

This October, join us for three Friday NOAA Environmental Data (NED) Talks at noon that will take you on a comprehensive journey through the lifecycle of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

What makes attending a NEDTalk in real time special?

The presentation portion of each NEDTalk will be posted on the NESDIS website shortly after the event, so you can still watch the presentation if you miss it.

However, the Q&A session is exclusive to live attendees and will not be recorded. Join us in real time to ask questions directly, hear the presenters respond to audience questions, and be part of the discussion as it happens.

Recordings: Available after the talk on the NEDTalks page at:

https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/data-products-research-services/data-collections/nedtalks

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:

Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Introduction to IARPC: Collaborating to Enhance Arctic Research

Presenter(s): Toni O’Boyle (IARPC Secretariat), Elizabeth (Liz) Hoy (NASA Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Office), Mike Loranty (Colgate University), and additional speakers TBD

Sponsor(s): NOAA/OAR/Climate Program Office and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness (ACCAP)

Seminar Contact(s): Ed Plumb (ewplumb@alaska.edu) & Genie Bey (genie.bey@noaa.gov)

Remote Access: https://uaf-accap.org/event/introduction-to-iarpc/

Abstract: The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (or IARPC) brings together leaders from 18 agencies, departments, and offices across the U.S. federal government on shared research priorities in the Arctic. IARPC also runs IARPC Collaborations: a platform connecting federal government researchers, non-federal researchers, and Arctic communities—including those overseas—to work together on pressing Arctic research issues.

Join this session to hear from a few IARPC co-leaders about their team’s focus areas and activities, and learn how you can get involved with IARPC!

Slides / Recordings / Other materials: A recording can be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: GeoBlue Planet Fisheries Workshop: Ocean Data to Support Global Sustainable Fisheries Management

Presenter(s): Hassan Moustahfid, NOAA

Sponsor(s): NOAA Ocean Color Coordinating Group (NOCCG)

Remote Access: https://meet.google.com/hnd-zams-bgo

Seminar Contact(s): Cara.Wilson@NOAA.gov

Abstract: Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and Regional Fishery Bodies (RFBs) are increasingly challenged to manage fisheries under growing climate variability, shifting species distributions, and ecosystem change. To address these challenges, the GEO Blue Planet Fisheries Workshop, held in London, UK (21–22 April 2026), convened representatives from RFMOs, RFBs, ocean observing programs, and scientific institutions to explore how ocean data and Earth Observation products can better support fisheries decision-making.

The workshop focused on identifying the opportunities, barriers, and capacity needs associated with integrating ocean observations, ecosystem indicators, and predictive models into fisheries management processes. Discussions highlighted common challenges across regions, including limited technical infrastructure, insufficient access to tailored ocean information, lack of long-term environmental datasets, and weak institutional connections between science providers and fisheries managers. Participants emphasized that successful adoption of ocean data requires not only technological solutions but also sustained capacity building, ocean literacy, and stronger science-policy partnerships.

A key outcome was the development of recommendations for a regionally tailored “Minimum Viable Ocean Data or MVOD” framework to support fisheries management and ecosystem-based approaches. Participants also identified priority actions to improve information flow from ocean observing systems to management bodies and proposed pilot projects in the Indian Ocean/Bay of Bengal and West Africa/South Atlantic regions. The workshop concluded that strengthening institutional bridges between ocean science and fisheries governance is essential for enabling RFMOs and RFBs to incorporate environmental information into sustainable and climate-resilient fisheries management.

Slides / Recordings / Other Materials: Slides can be found at this link about 24 hours after the live webinar: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/PastSeminars_NOCCG.php

Subscribe to the One NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/OneNOAASeminars.php. For more information visit: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/NOAAScienceSeminars.php

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Spatiotemporal variability of Mid-Atlantic Bight oceanography and ecology: Perspectives from an autonomous ‘ecoglider’ program.

Presenter(s): Grace Saba, Rutgers University

Sponsor(s): U.S. Climate-Fisheries Seminar Series; coordinator is
Vincent.Saba@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Abstract: TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the One NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information.

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Streamflow Forecasting using Physical-Aware AI/DL Models and Improving the Precipitation Forecasts at the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Scale in Support of Adaptive Reservoir Operation
Great Lakes Seminar Series

Presenter(s): Dr. Tiantian Yang, Associate Professor, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan

Sponsor(s): CIGLR and NOAA GLERL

Seminar Contact(s): Margaret Throckmorton, margaret.throckmorton@noaa.gov

Remote Access:

Please register at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1571851282521547862
More details at: https://ciglr.seas.umich.edu/event/10082026-tiantian-yang/

Accessibility: Closed captions are available at GoToWebinar during the talk.

Abstract: Reservoirs and lakes are fundamental and multi-functional water infrastructures that collect, store, and deliver surface freshwater for a multitude of uses, including flood and fire control, recreation, wildlife habitat, residential, industrial, agricultural practices, irrigation, hydro-electric power generation, drought mitigation, and more. In recent years, more frequent and severe abrupt weather extremes, natural hazards, aging infrastructure, and increased water demands due to population growth have placed another significant barrier preventing the effective, sustainable, and adaptive operation of the existing reservoir and lake systems. Therefore, new technologies and innovations are critically needed to improve the existing reservoir and lake operation and management of built water systems in our nation. In support of adaptive reservoir operation Dr. Tiantian Yang will present his current research on enhancing streamflow prediction at subseasonal-to-seasonal timescales by improving precipitation forecasts and hydrologic simulations through the integration of physical hydrologic models and physically-aware artificial intelligence and deep learning (AI/DL) tools. These hybrid models aim to retain the interpretability and physical consistency of traditional models while leveraging the pattern recognition and scalability of AI/DL.

Recordings: See this link: https://ciglr.seas.umich.edu/event/10082026-tiantian-yang/

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email:
Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Extreme temperature events in the NW Atlantic Shelf.

Presenter(s): Vincent Saba, NOAA NEFSC

Sponsor(s): U.S. Climate-Fisheries Seminar Series; coordinator is
Vincent.Saba@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Abstract: TBD

Bio: TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the One NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information.

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Using collaborative research to understand regional oceanographic influences on Northern shortfin squid distribution.

Presenter(s): Mary Kate Munley & Sarah Salois, NOAA NEFSC

Sponsor(s): U.S. Climate-Fisheries Seminar Series; coordinator is
Vincent.Saba@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Abstract: TBD

Bio: TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the One NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information.