Roger Edwards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
| Known for | Weather forecasting, storm chasing and ethical positions thereof,Electronic Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology |
| Spouse | Elke (Ueblacker) Edwards |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Meteorology |
| Institutions | National Hurricane Center,Storm Prediction Center |
| Academic advisors | Charles A. Doswell III |
| Website | www |
Roger Edwards is an American meteorologist and expert on severe convective storms (thunderstorms). He is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of theElectronic Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology (EJSSM).
Edwards was born inDallas,Texas and attendedWoodrow Wilson High School. He earned a B.S. inmeteorology from theUniversity of Oklahoma (OU) in 1989 and worked as a meteorological aide at theNational Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) as an undergraduate. Here he worked under the direction and mentorship ofDon Burgess and participated in field research, including with theTOtable Tornado Observatory (TOTO) team.[1] Edwards left graduate work at OU to accept a meteorologist position at theNational Hurricane Center (NHC) where he worked from 1990 to 1993. He joined the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC), now theStorm Prediction Center (SPC), in 1993, where he worked as a lead forecaster until his retirement on December 31, 2024.[2][3]
Edwards is an expert and is outspoken on issues ofweather forecasting, on public safety, particularly regardingtornado preparedness for large event venues, schools, and other large congregations of people, and onstorm spotter training. He also has a research focus ontropical cyclonetornadoes. He has authored and co-authored as well asreviewed papers inAmerican Meteorological Society (AMS) journals and conferences.[4] With his expertise and emphasis on public outreach, Edwards is frequently interviewed by the media and is invited to speak at conferences across the country. He maintains the Online Tornado FAQ section at the SPC website. He is astorm chaser and is known for strong stances on storm chaser conduct and responsibility.[5][6] He was a forecaster forProject VORTEX in 1994 and deployed mobilemesonet vehicles andin-situ probes forTWISTEX in 2008. Edwards was a contributor toStorm Track magazine and maintained the storm Storm Chase FAQ at its associated website. He co-founded with David M. Schultz and serves as editor-in-chief of theopen accessElectronic Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology. Edwards served for fives years as the Local Steward representing SPC for theNational Weather Service Employees Organization (NWSEO).
Edwards is married to Elke (Ueblacker) Edwards and they have two children. Elke is also a storm chaser and photographer, and Roger enjoys travel, field geology, hiking, softball, gardening, and fishing.[4]