Synoptic Meteorology Research Group
Students and postdoctoral scholars that are interested in joining the Synoptic Meteorology Research Group at CU Boulder are encouraged to contact Prof. Winters to discuss available opportunities.
Current Group Members
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Prof. Andrew Winters Principal Investigator Bio: Prof. Winters is an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at the University of Colorado Boulder and has led the synoptic meteorology research group at CU Boulder since August 2019. His research interests are broadly focused on understanding the dynamics, variability, and predictability of synoptic-scale environments conducive to the development of high-impact weather events. In his free time, Prof. Winters enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and cheering on all Wisconsin sports teams. |
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McKenzie Larson CU Boulder Graduate Student / DOE CS Graduate Fellow / AMS Graduate Fellow Bio: McKenzie is a fifth-year Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Ph.D. student in the synoptic meteorology group. She received her B.A. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Physical Geography from CU in 2022. McKenzie is researching how to improve operational weather forecasts of extratropical cyclones and downslope windstorms along the Colorado Front Range by utilizing modeling and machine learning techniques. Outside of academics, she enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, playing the piccolo, watching hockey, and cooking! |
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Zach Michael CU Boulder Graduate Student / NSF Graduate Research Fellow Bio: Zach is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at CU. He received a B.S. in both atmospheric science and applied math from the University of Miami (Florida) in Spring 2022. Zach is investigating cold frontal passages along the Colorado Front Range and their attendant sensible weather impacts. Zach’s hobbies include swimming, martial arts, tennis, exploring new places, and trying other people’s food! |
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Marc Sailer CU Boulder Graduate Student Bio: Marc is a second-year graduate student within the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at CU. They received their B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Climate Science from the University of Washington in Winter 2024. Marc is researching atmospheric river events in Alaska, investigating the meteorological conditions which produce them and the hydrologic impacts that result. Outside of work, Marc enjoys running, hiking, movie watching, and searching for good Mexican food! |
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Eleanor Salm CU Boulder Graduate Student / NSF Graduate Research Fellow Bio: Eleanor is a second-year graduate student within the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at CU. She received her B.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Data Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Spring 2025. Eleanor's research involves investigating interactions between upper-level jet superposition events and tropopause polar vortices. Eleanor's hobbies include reading fantasy novels, playing tennis, parenting her orchid, and eating yummy (non-Boulder) food. |
Group Alumni
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Chen Zhang (2024–2026)
Current Position: Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University
Graduate Students
Dr. Clairisse Reiher (Ph.D., 2026)
Dissertation: "Dynamics, Predictability, and Climate Projections of Jet-Stream Induced North American High-Impact Weather"
Current Position: Research Scientist at the Space Weather Prediction Center/IBSS
Dr. Rebecca Baiman (Ph.D., 2025)
Dissertation: "Atmospheric Drivers of Extreme Antarctic Snowfall"
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at Boston University
Dr. Michelle Maclennan (Ph.D., 2024)
Dissertation: "Antarctic Atmospheric Rivers in Present and Future Climates"
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at the British Antarctic Survey
Independent Study Students
Adriana Villanueva Costilla
CIRES RECCS Intern – Summer 2026
Project: "Characteristics and Societal Impact Generated from the 17-19 December 2025 Downslope Windstorms"
Zoe Posner
NCAR NESSI Intern – Summer 2026
Project: "Tropopause Polar Vortex Influence on Moisture Transport: A Case Study of a Severe Winter Storm"
Zachary Hardesty
Independent Study – Fall 2025
Project: "Atmospheric Environments Conducive to Severe Weather Events in Eastern Colorado"
Wisang Sugiarta
Independent Study – Spring 2025
Project: "Predicting Extreme Wind Events in Colorado's Front Range: Reservoir Computing Approach"
Rebecca Orr
Independent Study – Fall 2024
Project: "Differences in Synoptic-Scale Flow Patterns that Favor Tornadoes over Mountainous versus Flat Terrain in Colorado"
Kristen Cooper
Summer 2024 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Case Study of a 2015 Atmospheric River Impacting East Antarctica"
Christian McGinty
Research Associate – Summer 2023
Project: "Predicting Precipitation Type Using Microwave Radiometer Data Collected during the WINTRE-MIX Field Campaign"
Sierra Brown
Summer 2023 CU SMART Program Participant
Project: "The Frequency and Characteristics of Near-Freezing Precipitation Events along the Colorado Front Range"
Seryna Robles
Summer 2023 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Factors Influencing Snowfall Accumulations during Atmospheric River Events over the Antarctic Peninsula"
Erica Bortfeldt
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "Studying Flow Perturbations as a Result of ET Cyclone Interaction with the North Pacific Jet"
Benjamin Danielski
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "Atmospheric River Relevance and Frequency in Colorado"
Brody Kuehl
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "ET and Downstream Effects following Typhoon Mindulle (2021)"
Rebecca Torres
Summer 2022 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "The Evolution of Precipitation Type during Two Contrasting Cases from the WINTRE-MIX Field Campaign"
Alexandre Collin
Independent Study – Summer 2022
Project: "Investigating the Characteristics of HRRR Forecasts Prior to Colorado Front Range Snow Events"
Gillian Grasso
Summer 2020 & 2021 UROP Recipient
Project: "The Character of Large-Scale Atmospheric Environments Conducive to Cool Season Tornadic and Nontornadic Outbreaks in the Eastern U.S"
Laura Smith
Summer 2021 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Thunderstorm Gust Fronts and Complex Terrain Wildfires: A Case Study of the 2018 Wyoming Badger Creek Wildfire"
Elyse Hawkins
Summer 2020 UROP Recipient
Project: "Analysis of Severe Thunderstorm Wind Gusts Across the Continental U.S from 2003–2018"
David Rosencrans
Independent Study – Spring 2020
Project: "Investigating the Relationship between the Pacific-North American Pattern and Temperature Whiplash Events in the Western United States"
Dr. Chen Zhang (2024–2026)
Current Position: Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University
Graduate Students
Dr. Clairisse Reiher (Ph.D., 2026)
Dissertation: "Dynamics, Predictability, and Climate Projections of Jet-Stream Induced North American High-Impact Weather"
Current Position: Research Scientist at the Space Weather Prediction Center/IBSS
Dr. Rebecca Baiman (Ph.D., 2025)
Dissertation: "Atmospheric Drivers of Extreme Antarctic Snowfall"
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at Boston University
Dr. Michelle Maclennan (Ph.D., 2024)
Dissertation: "Antarctic Atmospheric Rivers in Present and Future Climates"
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at the British Antarctic Survey
Independent Study Students
Adriana Villanueva Costilla
CIRES RECCS Intern – Summer 2026
Project: "Characteristics and Societal Impact Generated from the 17-19 December 2025 Downslope Windstorms"
Zoe Posner
NCAR NESSI Intern – Summer 2026
Project: "Tropopause Polar Vortex Influence on Moisture Transport: A Case Study of a Severe Winter Storm"
Zachary Hardesty
Independent Study – Fall 2025
Project: "Atmospheric Environments Conducive to Severe Weather Events in Eastern Colorado"
Wisang Sugiarta
Independent Study – Spring 2025
Project: "Predicting Extreme Wind Events in Colorado's Front Range: Reservoir Computing Approach"
Rebecca Orr
Independent Study – Fall 2024
Project: "Differences in Synoptic-Scale Flow Patterns that Favor Tornadoes over Mountainous versus Flat Terrain in Colorado"
Kristen Cooper
Summer 2024 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Case Study of a 2015 Atmospheric River Impacting East Antarctica"
Christian McGinty
Research Associate – Summer 2023
Project: "Predicting Precipitation Type Using Microwave Radiometer Data Collected during the WINTRE-MIX Field Campaign"
Sierra Brown
Summer 2023 CU SMART Program Participant
Project: "The Frequency and Characteristics of Near-Freezing Precipitation Events along the Colorado Front Range"
Seryna Robles
Summer 2023 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Factors Influencing Snowfall Accumulations during Atmospheric River Events over the Antarctic Peninsula"
Erica Bortfeldt
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "Studying Flow Perturbations as a Result of ET Cyclone Interaction with the North Pacific Jet"
Benjamin Danielski
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "Atmospheric River Relevance and Frequency in Colorado"
Brody Kuehl
Independent Study – Spring 2023
Project: "ET and Downstream Effects following Typhoon Mindulle (2021)"
Rebecca Torres
Summer 2022 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "The Evolution of Precipitation Type during Two Contrasting Cases from the WINTRE-MIX Field Campaign"
Alexandre Collin
Independent Study – Summer 2022
Project: "Investigating the Characteristics of HRRR Forecasts Prior to Colorado Front Range Snow Events"
Gillian Grasso
Summer 2020 & 2021 UROP Recipient
Project: "The Character of Large-Scale Atmospheric Environments Conducive to Cool Season Tornadic and Nontornadic Outbreaks in the Eastern U.S"
Laura Smith
Summer 2021 ATOC REU Participant
Project: "Thunderstorm Gust Fronts and Complex Terrain Wildfires: A Case Study of the 2018 Wyoming Badger Creek Wildfire"
Elyse Hawkins
Summer 2020 UROP Recipient
Project: "Analysis of Severe Thunderstorm Wind Gusts Across the Continental U.S from 2003–2018"
David Rosencrans
Independent Study – Spring 2020
Project: "Investigating the Relationship between the Pacific-North American Pattern and Temperature Whiplash Events in the Western United States"
