Melissa Piper

UAlbany PhD Candidate | BS Iowa State 2020 🌪 | AMS Student Conference Co-Chair | Interested in TCs, predictability, precip, & my kitties Rory & Gus 🧶 🌧

[American Meteorological Society @ametsoc]

NOAA research flights are important for improving hurricane forecasts. Wind data from NOAA flights improved forecasts of a storm’s path by up to 24% on average, finds a paper by Melissa Piper (@melxpiper) and Ryan Torn.

Read more in #WeaForecasting: https://t.co/UWqon6Dd81

[Dr. Levi Cowan @TropicalTidbits]

I'm just going to point out that there is no quality scientific analysis being presented here.

1. Kantar is a market research company specializing in advertising, branding, and public opinion, without expertise in meteorological analysis or tropical cyclone datasets.

2. The provided "report," unlike peer-reviewed research papers, obfuscates the analysis and provides no data or comprehensive process with which to replicate and vet the claimed results.

3. The report states: "the
forecast time steps analyzed were hours 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 84 and 108 from the issued time." But @NHC_Atlantic issues forecasts at lead times of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 96, and 120 hours, making it unclear exactly how this analysis was done. Was interpolation of some data to a different set of lead times performed? Was mean absolute error or some other metric used? We don't know, because the report is opaque.

4. Anyone in this field knows that a single season of hurricane statistics is not robust. The sample size is not large enough to yield statistically rigorous results, given the variability between individual storms and years. This is why multi-year samples are typically necessary to show statistically significant performance gaps between different types of forecasts.

If you think I'm overtly taking @NHC_Atlantic's and @NOAA's side here, yes, I am. American publicly funded hurricane research, computer modeling, and expertise are unrivaled worldwide. And, by the way, @Accuweather wouldn't be able to issue their own forecasts without any of those things.

The full Kantar report: https://t.co/f47GELgRly

[National Weather Service @NWS]

For the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, @NWSNHC’s experimental cone graphic now shows inland wind warnings too—making it easier to spot storm risks and helping state and local leaders, families, and communities stay ahead and stay safe, whether on the cusp of the our coasts or in the heartland of the nation.
Check out what’s new by visiting https://t.co/gpOrNOkL98! @NOAA

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

I'm really excited to be a panelist on this webinar and have the chance to share some financial tips with students and early career professionals! Budgeting and financial literacy are crucial for graduate students and should be discussed freely and commonly. 😊💲

[American Meteorological Society @ametsoc]

Managing finances can be difficult for young meteorologists. Join the Board for Early Career Professionals for a free webinar and learn about how to navigate personal finances, student loans, and other pertinent topics.

Register here: https://t.co/EFGNLnEVna

[UAlbany ATM/ENV Sci @UAlbanyDAES]

A statement from our department regarding the recent NOAA/NWS cuts.

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

@Montana_EB @UofNorthDakota @UNDATSC Congratulations!

[Axios @axios]

NEW: The Trump administration has informed NOAA that two pivotal centers for weather forecasting will soon have their leases canceled, sources told Axios.
https://t.co/08vBkVqoou

[Eric Webb @webberweather]

It cost the average taxpayer about $3 to keep NOAA up & running for an entire year.

Yep a cup of coffee is about all it costs to bring you keep you and your family/loved ones safe from Mother Nature & to keep things like weather satellites, radars, and weather alerts up + running.

Also, whether you realize it or not, if you get any weather information from television, weather apps, etc., they also likely are *very* dependent on NOAA in a major way to give you said information.

NOAA is probably the most bang for your buck that you are going to get out of almost any federal entity.

Cutting their funding is just downright asinine. It absolutely will not make a measurable difference to the federal budget or to your taxes. Cutting their funding will however have outsized, and potentially disastrous consequences for the average American, particularly when Mother Nature decides to come knocking at your doorstep.

[Dr. Levi Cowan @TropicalTidbits]

Probationary employees across @NOAA and the @NWS are being terminated today, including those in mission-essential roles.

My own wife is among them, essential to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's 24/7 critical mission of seismic monitoring and tsunami prediction to protect the public.

Remember, most of the NWS is understaffed as it is. While there surely is waste to be found, this is not where to look. Indeed, this is not "looking." This is a blind swing of a sword.

[Robert Reich @RBReich]

NOAA is reportedly on the DOGE chopping block.

The National Weather Service, which is part of NOAA, provides life saving weather forecasting in the US.

A study found that for every $1 invested in NWS, it produces $73 in value to Americans.

Again, this isn't about efficiency.

[CIRA @CIRA_CSU]

Snow squalls track across New York this morning.

There is enough instability for some lightning to occur within the convective bands.

[UAlbany ATM/ENV Sci @UAlbanyDAES]

We're hiring a Visiting Asst. Professor/Postdoctoral Associate in terrestrial water systems (sfc hydrology), or snow & ice processes, who will perform research under the supervision of a @UAlbanyDAES faculty member, with the goal of developing an independent research program.

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

@AliciaMBentley It was so great to see you again and hear your talk! 🤩

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

Thank you everyone who attended my presentation! If you missed it and/or have questions, feel free to reach out to me here or over email. I'm happy to chat!

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

If you're still around at #AMS2025 tomorrow morning, come check out some early results from my PhD work on object-based verification of GFS forecast of TC rainfall in room 207!

https://t.co/GvC1YfqPhn

[AMS Weather Analysis & Forecasting Committee @AMS_WAF]

Thursday, January 16th 1:45p-3:00p

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

@_KateStapleton_ Aw thank you!

[Melissa Piper @melxpiper]

It was truly an honor to work with this group to plan the 24th AMS Student Conference! I couldn't have asked for a better team for my last year on SCPC and as co-chair of the student conference. I can't wait to see what this group does for 2026 ❤️

[AMS Board on Student Affairs @AMSBoSA]

We have LOTS of content to catch up on, so bear with us for the next few weeks. But, we want to take a moment to thank the Student Conference Planning Committee for all the hard work and dedication they have put in. #AMSStudent2025 (1/3)

[American Meteorological Society @ametsoc]

#AMSStudent2025 Highlights for 11 January:
✨ Start of the Student Conference with over 700 students participating
❄️ A wide variety of sessions helping students learn more about the field
🍃 First day of the Career Resource & Graduate School Fair

[NWS Bay Area 🌉 @NWSBayArea]

Ok night owls🦉let's talk about the recent tsunami warning🌊We don't get these alerts very often and there are lot of questions, frustration, and even some anger about how it all unfolded. We'll go over the history, science and warning process👇

[Michael Fischer @MikeFischerWx]

I am happy to announce that I am actively looking for two PhD students to join my research group starting Fall 2025 at @MiamiRosenstiel! These positions are fully funded. Please see the slide for more info and feel free to reach out with any questions via email or DM here.