Forensic meteorology is

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

, the scientific study of

weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...

, applied to the process of reconstructing weather events for a certain time and location. This is done by acquiring and analyzing local weather reports such as

surface observation Surface weather observations are the fundamental data used for safety as well as climatological reasons to forecast weather and issue warnings worldwide. They can be taken manually, by a weather observer, by computer through the use of automate ...

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

and

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...

images, other data, and eyewitness accounts. Forensic meteorology is most often used in court cases, including

insurance Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge ...

disputes, personal injury cases, and murder investigations. This is most often the case when weather conditions were a possible factor, as in falldowns after snow and ice, wind, flooding, after aviation and nautical accidents, etc. With increasing losses from severe weather in recent years, the demand for forensic meteorological services has also grown. In the US, many forensic meteorologists are certified by the

American Meteorological Society The American Meteorological Society (AMS) is the premier scientific and professional organization in the United States promoting and disseminating information about the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. Its mission is to advance th ...

(AMS)'s rigorous

Certified Consulting Meteorologist Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) is the title of a person designated by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and CCM Board to possess the attributes of Knowledge, Experience, and Character as these pertain to the field of meteorology ...

(CCM) program.

Origin of the term

Conrad B. Gosset, MS (Meteor), a consulting meteorologist who worked to settle legal claims before trial and who often testified in courtrooms as an expert witness, felt that meteorologists who were providing these services should have a professional name. He introduced the phrase “Forensic Meteorologist” in the mid-1960s, as he discussed in his unpublished keynote speech at the first Conference on Forensic Meteorology, November 5–6, 1976. The conference was held in New Orleans in conjunction with the annual conference of the

. The first use of the term by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' was in reference to Mr. Gosset's work in a 1982 article."For Westchester Meteorologists, the Sky's the Limit," Gary Kriss, New York Times, 28 Feb 1982, Section 22 (Westchester Weekly), pp 1, 5.

References

{{reflist, 2 Branches of meteorology

Meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

Origin of the term

See also

References