Forensic meteorology

Forensic meteorology is meteorology, the scientific study of weather, 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 observations, radar and satellite images, other data, and eyewitness accounts.[1] Forensic meteorology is most often used in court cases, including insurance disputes, personal injury cases, and murder investigations.[2] 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.[3] In the US, many forensic meteorologists are certified by the American Meteorological Society (AMS)'s rigorous Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) program.[4]

  1. ^ Levine, Alaina G. (12 Sep 2011). "CSI: Mother Nature--Forensic Meteorology a New Growth Industry as Weather-Related Damage Intensifies". Scientific American. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011.
  2. ^ Austin, Elizabeth; Hildebrand, Peter (2014). "The art and science of forensic meteorology". Physics Today. 67 (6): 32–37. Bibcode:2014PhT....67f..32A. doi:10.1063/PT.3.2417. ISSN 0031-9228.
  3. ^ Levine, Alaina G. (14 Sep 2011). "Forensic Meteorology: Harsh Weather Spurs a Growth Industry". PBS NewsHour.
  4. ^ "Certified Consulting Meteorologist". American Meteorological Society. 25 Feb 2019.