Innovative severe weather research awarded

Research that has improved the prediction of dangerous pyrocumulonimbus clouds forming over a bushfire has been recognised in an award.

CRC researcher Dr Kevin Tory from the Bureau of Meteorology has been recognised with an Insight and Innovation Award for his work on the Pyrocumulonimbus Firepower Threshold (PFT).

Dr Tory received the Bureau of Meteorology’s award for his research conducted as part of the CRC’s Improved predictions of severe weather to reduce community impact project, which has improved the understanding of how fire-generated thunderstorms form. Using the PFT, severe weather forecasters now have a better understand of the conditions that lead to pyrocumulonimbus clouds and extreme fire behaviour.

State fire agencies and forecasters applauded the value of the PFT during the 2019/20 bushfires, when the tool was used to inform advanced warnings of nearly 30 pyrocumulonimbus storms.

Dr Tory’s work has also ensured that the background science and use of the PFT are correctly understood and interpreted by users, with additional funding from the CRC enabling strong engagement with fire agencies and forecasters.

CRC Research Director Dr John Bates commended Dr Tory for his engagement with end-users from fire agencies and Bureau forecasters.

“Collaboration is a key part of the CRC and Kevin has worked closely with fire agencies around Australia, as well as severe weather forecasters, to ensure the research has developed a tool that they can use to help to understand such a dangerous, and increasingly common, phenomena. Congratulations Kevin,” Dr Bates said.

Previous CRC researchers granted similar Bureau of Meteorology awards include Dr Mika Peace and Paul Fox-Hughes in 2019 and Dr Jeff Kepert in 2014, highlighting the success of the CRC’s longstanding collaborative relationship with the researchers at the Bureau of Meteorology.