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Stephanie E. Zick

@sezick.bsky.social
2.7K followers 629 following 100 posts

Associate Professor #VirginiaTech studying tropical cyclones. Alum #UFGeog #psumeteo & #RUMeteorology. Pittsburgh native. Run, hike, swim #RecoveryIsPossible

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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Score! Blacksburg split the uprights again! (or is that not the goal when we're in drought?!)
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Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · 17/05/2026
Read Danny’s thread up and down here for a summary of the RCP8.5 issue.
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Andrew Dessler @andrewdessler.com · 27/04/2026
Can confirm: The present administration is destroying U.S. science. The U.S. will be a diminished country because of this. A great piece by @thorbenson.bsky.social Killing the golden goose madness.ghost.io/killing-the-...
madness.ghost.io
Killing the golden goose
Donald Trump has done massive damage to America's science and innovation engine. We need to reverse course.
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Mark Ellinwood @markellinwood.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Change from 4 weeks ago (hint: bad)
Drought severity change in the past four weeks.
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Robb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
For a short, public-facing overview of implications for talking about climate change across political divides, @woods.stanford.edu has a helpful explainer here: woods.stanford.edu/news/how-talk-about-climate-change-across-political-divides
woods.stanford.edu
How to talk about climate change across political divides
As climate impacts intensify while political progress remains stalled, new Stanford research examines which messages can shift public beliefs across partisan divides and strengthen climate communicati...
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
My partner is in the back left. Proud of him and thankful for all the scientists who took the time and made the effort to advocate for science funding. If you see this from home today, you can still call your members of Congress today or later this week. There are scripts here: agu.quorum.us/home/
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Aaron Clauset @aaronclauset.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
tl;dr: NIH is running at about 60% of pre-Trump levels and NSF is running at about 20% of pre-Trump levels of funding-outlays (some directorates far below even that). Utterly catastrophic. An unforced disaster for U.S. society, and the world
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Michael Fischer @mikefischerwx.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Interested in hurricanes? I want to introduce TC-ATLAS: the Tropical Cyclone Analysis Tool for Live and Archived Structure. Explore live or past storms without writing a line of code or downloading a data file, building on the capabilities of TC-RADAR: michaelfischerwx.github.io/TC-ATLAS/ind...
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Daniel Lloveras @danllovewx.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
📣 Calling all WRF/MPAS users! @ams-waf.bsky.social is hosting a webinar in a couple weeks about the ongoing transition from WRF to MPAS for regional modeling throughout the community. Please join to hear the perspectives from our fabulous panelists! Register here: ametsoc.org/WebinarWRFMPAS
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Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
The US is no longer classified a liberal democracy. The special section on the USA, (pp. 33-38) is required reading, especially if you are an elected legislator or member of the judiciary. Reversing the democracy decline requires resistance from legislative and judicial branches. Demand democracy.
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Congress has appropriated the funds to NSF but OMB is delaying the release. When funds are released, NSF, which has lost almost 1/5 of its staff, will struggle to evaluate proposals. Since they have to award the funds, big projects with established PIs will benefit. This is how US science dies.
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Julia Azari @juliaazari.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Sometimes I wonder what my motivation is at this stage in my career. And it's this. Making sure small-minded men die mad about my inclusion. And propping the door open for as many smart and kind people as I can.
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Eos @eos.org · 13/02/2026
On a busy day for science policy, it looks like oversight and operations of NCAR’s supercomputing center are transitioning to a third-party operator. www.nsf.gov/news/transit... Lean more about the costs of dismantling NCAR with this opinion from @carlonimbus.bsky.social.
eos.org
What Americans Lose If Their National Center for Atmospheric Research Is Dismantled - Eos
Five ways dismantling NCAR will cost the American people, and two ways to save it.
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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
5/9
A line graph of the number of NSF awards for 2021-2026 for the Directorate of Geosciences.
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Climatologist49 @climatologist49.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
How cold has this winter been so far? The first 2/3 of winter 2025-26 is the 7th warmest on record for the Contiguous U.S.
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Scenes from a snowy run in Blacksburg this morning
Group of runners on a cold morningPicture of an Igloo on VT campus Group of people inside an igloo
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Kelsey Britt @drkelsbritt.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Want to learn about a new composite parameter for forecasting QLCS tornadoes? Come to my #AMS2026 talk at 2:00 pm in 381A! You can also read the journal article about this work at: journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
journals.ametsoc.org
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Wow, I’ve been outside now, and we have almost 2 inches of sleet on top of the snow here in Blacksburg. Sleet has 2-1 or 3-1 ratio to liquid (rain). That’s a lot of wintry precipitation!
Picture of wintry precipitation scene in Blacksburg VA, with a gloved hand holding a thick layer of sleet.
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
I noticed a lot of needles mixed in with the more classic snowflake (dendrite) in last night's snow here in Blacksburg. Model and observed soundings show a similar picture with a cold surface, temperatures mainly between 0 and -10°C within the cloud, and a lackluster dendritic growth zone.
Two images are shown. There is an atmospheric sounding for Blacksburg, VA from Saturday evening on the left and a graphic showing ice and snow habits on the right.
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Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Attention folks in the weather, climate, disaster, wildfire, and Earth science communities: NSF has just published a new "Dear Colleague" letter inviting feedback (by Mar 13) on the proposal to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). www.nsf.gov/funding/...
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Casey Davenport @cedavenportwx.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
Are you an undergraduate student interested in gaining research experience this summer? If so, please consider applying to the Research Experiences and Mentorship in Urban Systems (REMUS) program at UNC Charlotte! We are a multidisciplinary REU program that explores many facets of urban science!
Flyer for the REMUS program that shows the priority deadline for applications of February 8, 2026. The REMUS program will happen May 26 - July 31, 2026. Contact proj-remus@charlotte.edu with questions!
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Kerry Cook @kerrycook.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
From @AGU.org: Senators are working on legislation to save NCAR, but we need extra support for these 8 states. Your Senators in Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming need to hear from you.
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Matt Lanza @mattlanza.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
I've got thoughts.
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Alan Gerard @wxmanms1.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
WTAF?! Also, for the love of God, can we not refer to NCAR As a “climate lab?” It does a hell of a lot more than just climate.
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Alan Gerard @wxmanms1.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
The webpage for the agency responsible for disaster management in this country still lists as its director a guy who resigned a month ago, and shows 6 of the other 9 senior positions as vacant. This is emblematic of the situation at FEMA, and we better wake up about it. tinyurl.com/yc5d9uch
tinyurl.com
The chaos at FEMA gets even deeper - and we should all be concerned
Lack of mission clarity, lack of leadership, and battles with the states are all leading to a federal emergency management agency that looks unable to manage itself, let alone emergencies.
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Clark Evans @clarkevanswx.github.io · 20/11/2025
The @dtc-community.bsky.social just released a new call for visitor program proposals targeted at early-career scientists and grad students. The focus is on advancing hierarchical system development principles for NOAA’s modeling systems (which can include MPAS)! dtcenter.org/visitor-prog...
dtcenter.org
Announcement of Opportunity - Special Call | dtcenter.org
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Lawrence Culver @lawrencecphd.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
“The storm hit rural Jamaica hardest – people who are poorest, least protected, and historically marginalised. The same communities shaped by slavery, colonial extraction, and racialised policies are now on the frontline of climate disaster.” www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
theguardian.com
Hurricane Melissa a ‘real-time case study’ of colonialism’s legacies
Destruction in Jamaica shows why climate justice cannot be separated from reparatory justice, campaigners say
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Dr. Robin Tanamachi 🌪️ @tornatrix.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Echoing colleagues: Think before you (re)post. #Melissa is about to impact a relatively poor part of Jamaica. I doubt we will know the true extent of the devastation for days or weeks. Information vacuums fill with disinformation. Expect a lot of “breaking wind” on SM. Map source: World Bank
Map of Jamaica showing percentage of population living in poverty in 2012, which is minimal near the coasts (a few %) and maximized in the hilly interior (~40%). There isn’t even a major highway running that far west. Map source: https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/236781584080916414
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Philippe Papin @pppapin.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
#Melissa's landfall intensity of 185 mph/892 mb ties it with the Florida Key's Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 as the record minimum pressure of any TC making landfall *anywhere* the NATL basin. I feel for the residents of #Jamaica 😞 Zoomed in G19 visible meso loop courtesy of @cyclonicwx.bsky.social
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
The western end of Jamaica where #Melissa is projected to make landfall has the least well-built structures of anyplace on the island. Graphic is from a 2021 paper, "Poverty and hurricane risk exposure in Jamaica": www.researchgate.net/publication/...
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National Hurricane Center @nhc-atlantic.extwitter.link · 27/10/2025
Hurricane #Melissa Advisory 24: Melissa Now a Category 5 Hurricane. Destructive Winds and Storm Surge and Catastrophic Flooding Will Worsen On Jamaica Through the Day and Into Tonight. hurricanes.gov
hurricanes.gov
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
This is something we cover in week 1-2 of atmospheric thermo by exploring soundings from the tropics, midlats and poles. The tropical tropopause is higher and colder than it is in other locations. And this is a pretty iconic example!
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Kevin Ash @scatterazure.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
*** JOB OPPORTUNITY AT UNIV OF FLORIDA IN GIS ***
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Dr. Robin Tanamachi 🌪️ @tornatrix.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
While I’m at the UCAR Member’s meeting, I’m reminding everyone of the internships, workshops, and other student opportunities that they have available! www.ucar.edu/exhibit/stud...
ucar.edu
Exhibit resources | University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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Nicole Zampieri @nzampieri.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
MS position for Fall 2026 available to study Hurricane Ecology w/ me at #UCF and with @jefferybcannon.bsky.social from @thejonesctr.bsky.social! Funded half time as a TA and half as an RA. See web for details: tinyurl.com/9pm33ttt Please RT and share with your bright undergrads!!
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Brian McNoldy @bmcnoldy.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
Here is a 4-day track summary of Hurricanes #Humberto and #Imelda, showcasing an example of the #Fujiwhara Effect. They approached and interacted with each other, coming within 465 miles, but did not complete an orbit around a common center or merge before moving back away from each other. [1/4]
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Jason “Obstacle to Progress” Williams @jasonwilliamsny.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment. The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
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Stephanie E. Zick @sezick.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
STUDENTS! VT Geography is recruiting GTAs for Fall 2026. Come work with me, studying tropical cyclones and their precipitation. Students with undergraduate research and/or Python programming experience are highly encourage to apply.
VT Geography is recruiting MS Geography students
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
The tide gauge at Duck NC, in the northern Outer Banks, is predicted to experience major flooding from Hurricane #Erin during the Thursday evening high tide. This would be the fifth-highest water level since records began in 1999, 0.82' below the record set during Cat 2 Hurricane Isabel of 2003.
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National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 18/08/2025
A large portion of the Atlantic coastline will see the risk for high surf and rip currents this week due to #Erin. 🟥Risk of Rip Currents is High🟥 Life-threatening rip currents are likely. Swimming conditions are unsafe for all levels of swimmers. Stay out of the water. nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/grap...
Map of the U.S. rip current risk from Florida to Maine. A majority of the Atlantic coastline is colored red, designating a "high risk" of rip currents this week.
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molly taft @mollytaft.com · 30/07/2025
NEW: i spoke to nine (!) scientists across several disciplines whose work was cited in the new Department of Energy report that downplays the severity of climate change. all of them say their work was misrepresented, cherry picked, and/or lacked context —
wired.com
Scientists Say New Government Climate Report Twists Their Work
A new Department of Energy report “fundamentally misrepresents” climate research and leaves out key context, multiple scientists cited in the report tell WIRED.
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Ben Sanderson @benmsanderson.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Right then... A quick review of the DOE's new 'critical review' of climate science. Whether it's worth a formal community response - I'm still not sure, but here's my first thoughts /thread/
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Proposed NOAA cuts would destroy the basic infrastructure for weather research–including hurricane and flash flood forecasting–and take decades to recover from. “It’s like blowing up a dam and trying to rebuild it by gluing the pieces back together. It won’t work. You have to start from scratch.”
yaleclimateconnections.org
Cuts to NOAA increase the risk of deadly weather tragedies » Yale Climate Connections
The Trump administration's budget plan for 2026 would eliminate the lab that developed a key flash flooding tool.
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Dr Grace S Peng @gspeng.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
We don't have a NWS app thanks to the lobbying of Accuweather.
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Flood forecasting being cut: “Promising NOAA research-to-operations efforts that would actually help with some of the challenges I discuss above, including Forecasting a Continuum of Environmental Threats, Warn-on-Forecast, and FLASH would be terminated under the current FY26 presidential budget.”
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Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 05/07/2025
Predicting such storms is at the cutting edge of science right now, and the stakes are rising in a warming world in which they are intensifying. Yet this is precisely the kind of research that NOAA/NSF have funded in the U.S. over decades that is at imminent risk of disappearing.
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James Franklin @franklinjamesl.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
The other day I posted a list of NOAA Research contributions to forecast operations at NHC. I decided to add a little flesh to that list with this Substack post. franklinjamesl.substack.com/p/hurricane-...
franklinjamesl.substack.com
Hurricane Forecasting and the FY-26 NOAA Budget Proposal
If NOAA were really interested in providing the American public with “gold-standard, cutting-edge data, models, and forecasts”, they wouldn’t be trying to get rid of the people who make it happen.
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
"With the proposed shuttering of AOML, HRD, and their sister cooperative institutes, we could lose all tools currently available to estimate and forecast hurricane intensity. It’s a seismic blow to the arsenal of tools forecasters rely on to confidently deliver timely and accurate predictions."
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Michael Lowry @michaelrlowry.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
I sought comment from NOAA and the Department of Defense on this and received this reply today from NOAA's spokesperson. They suggest we use the surviving ATMS microwave that degrades significantly at the edges. You can see how much worse off we'd be with Erick last week if we only had ATMS.
NOAA official statement on the discontinuation of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data that includes the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder or SSMIS. The full statement reads:
"The DMSP is a single dataset in a robust suite of hurricane forecasting and modeling tools in the NWS portfolio. The current models continue to include data from:

·         GOES and other geostationary Earth-observing satellites
·         Polar-orbiting satellites, including Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and EUMETSAT MetOp
·         Hurricane Hunter aircraft reconnaissance missions and other aircraft-based observations
·         Observations on the ground and from buoys
·         Radiosondes and supplemental upper air soundings
·         Ground-based weather radar sites in the U.S. and neighboring countries
 
In particular, the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), currently flying on NOAA’s JPSS, provides the richest, most accurate satellite weather observations available. NOAA’s data sources are fully capable of providing a complete suite of cutting-edge data and models that ensure the gold-standard weather forecasting the American people deserve.

For more information regarding DSMP, please reach out to the Department of Defense."Comparison of microwave imagery for Hurricane Erick last Wednesday, June 18th, from the Department of Defense Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder or SSMIS (top) and NOAA Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder or ATMS (bottom). SSMIS gives a strikingly detailed look of Erick's inner core, including its inner relic eyewall and outer eyewall. Because the ATMS scan degrades prominently on the edge of its swath, the ATMS shows only a collection of pixelated colors not useful for positioning the storm or estimating intensity.
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