Weather in the tropics is decidedly different than it is in the middle latitudes. It turns out, so are the weather systems – the factors that create things like the daily temperature and humidity! Historically, most weather forecasting models have been based on data from high-income countries in the northern hemisphere. But different factors drive weather and climate near the equator – meaning that these weather forecast models are much less accurate at predicting weather in the tropics. This has implications for storm readiness, flooding preparedness and more. Atmospheric scientist Ángel F. Adames-Corraliza is aiming to change that. His research focuses on how water vapor – humidity – plays a key role in tropical weather systems. It’s earned him a spot as one of this year’s Macarthur Fellows. Interested in more science about how weather happens? Email us your question at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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Speaking of, let's get on with it. Here's the episode. You're listening to shortwave. From NPR. Angel Adamas Coraliza grew up in San Sebastian, on the northwest side of Puerto Rico. So from childhood, he was used to windy weather, thunderstorms, heavy rain. But nothing really prepared him for Hurricane George in 1998.
So in Puerto Rico, we cannot evacuate from hurricanes because we're on an island. So we had to kind of weather the hurricane. So we were up all night and I just remember the winds roaring and the house shaking. My family had to put these like wooden panels to protect the windows and the doors. And I remember like the wind just hitting those those doors. And that really left an impression on me.
That hurricane really etched into his memory.
I was 10, so I was a child. I couldn't believe that something so powerful and destructive was in nature's arsenal.
And this memory became a driving force for Angel's career. He pursued his curiosity about weather all the way to a PhD in atmospheric science and meteorology. He graduated in 2016, and the following year, In 2017, another storm hit. One that changed Puerto Rico forever, and that Noah said was the 10th most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.
Maria was a life-changing experience. Like, I was not able to contact my family for weeks. It was kind of like a grieving moment. Like, nobody in my immediate family passed away from Maria, but it almost, it was like something died.
With that storm, Angel again felt nature calling him, pushing him.
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