Ken Pryor
Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division
Operational Products Development Branch
Research Scientist
Recent Publications
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Ken Pryor
received a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Tech
in 1989, a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State
University in 1995, and an M.S. degree in Meteorology from University of
Maryland in 2004. He served four years in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to
1993, including duty as Weather Officer on the USS San Diego (AFS-6).
After his naval service, Ken was employed as a weather observer and
forecaster for the National Weather Service and U.S. Air Force. In
NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research since 2000, Ken
has pursued interests in severe convective storms and downbursts.
Product Development, Validation, and Training
Ken has developed Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
(GOES) sounder-derived index products to assess the potential severity
of convective downbursts. The Wet Microburst Severity Index (WMSI)
indicates the potential magnitude of downbursts over the eastern United
States. The Hybrid Microburst Index (HMI)
and Microburst Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI)
assess the potential for convective downbursts over the United States
Great Plains and intermountain western U.S. Ken has conducted product
validation and investigation of operational applications of the GOES
Wind Index (WINDEX) , the Wet
Microburst Severity Index (WMSI) , the Hybrid
Microburst Index (HMI) , and Microburst
Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI) . Ken has also developed a multi-index
technique to forecast downburst potential over the Great Plains and
intermountain western U.S. In addition, Ken has developed a web-based
teletraining module Forecasting Convective
Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products and has trained
over 650 forecasters in "techniques for predicting downburst risk using
GOES sounder derived product data".
Recent Presentations
Microburst Nowcasting Applications of GOES , (PDF, 2.88 MB) . Presented at Aviation Weather Forecast Training in Beltsville, MD on 2 December 2011.
Recent developments in microburst nowcasting using GOES .
Presented at the 17th
Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Annapolis, MD on 30 September 2010.
Aviation Weather Forecasting With Satellites .
Presented at the 2010 NCAS Weather Camp at Howard University, Washington, DC on 20 July 2010.
Recent Developments in Microburst Nowcasting using GOES .
Presented at the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Annual Meeting in
Madison, WI on 8 June 2010.
Downburst Potential Monitoring , (PPT, 730 KB) .
Presented at the STAR External Science Review at University of Maryland, College Park, MD on 10 March 2010.
Recent Developments in
Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES . Presented at NOAA Science Center in Camp Springs,
MD on 9 November 2009.
Microburst Windspeed Potential Assessment: Progress and Recent Developments .
Presented at the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Annual Meeting at University of
Maryland, College Park, MD on 23 July 2009.
Microburst windspeed potential assessment: progress and developments .
Presented at the 16th
Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Phoenix, AZ on 14 January 2009.
Microburst Windspeed Potential: Progress and Developments .
Presented at the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Annual Meeting in Madison, WI on 24 June 2008.
Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products .
Presented at the 7th Southeast Severe Storms Symposium at Mississippi State University on 5 April 2008.
An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index , (PDF, 234 KB) .
Presented at the 5th
GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.
GOES-R Applications for the Assessment of Aviation Hazards , (PDF, 435 KB) ,
presented at the 5th
GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.
The GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index , (PDF, 243 KB) ,
Presented at the Annual GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Annual Meeting in Lansdowne, VA on 15 May 2007.
Electrical Behavior of Downburst-Producing Convective Storms over the High Plains , (PDF, 138 KB) Presented at the 23rd
Conference on Severe Local Storms in St. Louis, MO on 8 November 2006.
GOES Aviation Products: Progress and Recent Developments , (PDF, 1.51 MB) .
Presented at NOAA Science Center in Camp Springs, MD on 20 October 2006.
The GOES Hybrid Microburst Index , (PDF, 133 KB) .
Presented at the 14th Conference on
Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Atlanta, GA on 1 February 2006.
GOES WMSI-Progress and Developments , (PDF, 373 KB) .
Presented at the 21st
Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting in Washington, DC on 1 August 2005.
Forecasting Convective Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products , (PDF, 837 KB) .
Presented at the National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma on 3 May 2005.
The Development of the College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001 , (PDF, 3.32 MB) Presented at University of Maryland, College Park on 28 October 2004.
An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index , (PDF, 234 KB) .
Presented at the 5th
GOES Users' Conference in New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.
GOES-R Applications for the Assessment of Aviation Hazards , (PDF, 435 KB) .
Presented at the 5th GOES Users' Conference in
New Orleans, LA on 23 January 2008.
Publications
Pryor, K.L., 2011: Microburst Nowcasting Applications of GOES , (PDF, 3.47 MB) . NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 140.
Pryor, K. L., 2010: Recent
developments in microburst nowcasting using GOES. Preprints,
17th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Annapolis, MD, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Pryor, K. L., 2010: Microburst applications of
brightness temperature difference between GOES Imager channels 3 and 4.
arXiv:1004.3506v1 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2010: A New Graphical Microburst Guidance Product.
arXiv:1002.2320v1 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2009: Microburst windspeed potential assessment:
progress and recent developments . arXiv:0910.5166v3 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2009: Assessment of GOES imager
microburst product over the southwestern United States . arXiv:0904.0446v1 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2009: Microburst
windspeed potential assessment: progress and developments . Preprints, 16th Conf. on
Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Phoenix, AZ, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Pryor, K. L., 2008: An Initial Assessment of the
GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index . Preprints, 5th GOES Users' Conf., New Orleans, LA, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Pryor, K. L., 2007: An Initial Assessment of the GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index . arXiv:0710.0603v2 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2007: The GOES Microburst Windspeed Potential Index . arXiv:physics/0703162v4 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: A Numerical Model-derived Boundary Layer
Turbulence Product . arXiv:physics/0612189v3 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: The Development of the
College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001 . arXiv:physics/0610217v1 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: Electrical Behavior of
Downburst-Producing Convective Storms over the High Plains . arXiv:physics/0608218v5 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: Tropical
Cyclone Forecasting Applications of the GOES WMSI . arXiv:physics/0604070v3 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: The
GOES Hybrid Microburst Index . Preprints, 14th Conf. on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Atlanta, GA,
Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Pryor, K. L., 2006: The Role of Downward
Momentum Transport in the Generation of Convective Downbursts . arXiv:physics/0602074v1 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2006: A
Study of a Dryline Convective Downburst . arXiv:physics/0601094v2 [physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2005: GOES WMSI-Progress
and Developments . Preprints, 21st Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting,
Washington, DC, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Pryor, K. L., 2005: Forecasting Convective
Downburst Potential Over The United States Great
Plains . arXiv:physics/0511245v3
[physics.ao-ph]
Pryor, K. L., 2004: The
Development of the College Park Tornado of 24 September 2001 . Department of
Meteorology, University of Maryland, Theses Archive.
Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2004: Recent
Improvements to the GOES Microburst Products . Weather and Forecasting ,
19, No. 3 (June), 582-594.
Pryor, K. L. and G. P. Ellrod, 2004: WMSI -
A New Index for Forecasting Wet Microburst Severity . NWA Electronic Journal
of Operational Meteorology .
Pryor, K. L., G. P. Ellrod and A. A. Bailey, 2003: Recent
Improvements to the GOES Wind Index . NWA Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology .
Pryor, K. L., G. P. Ellrod and A. A. Bailey, 2002: Convective
Downburst Potential Using GOES Sounder Derived Products . NWA
Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology .
E-mail: Ken.Pryor@noaa.gov