Bomb Cyclones to Renewable Energy: Weather Forecasting in the PNW

EVENT DESCRIPTION:
(Note: Tuesday show (not our usual Wednesday))

The Pacific Northwest has a reputation for being damp, dark, and cold. However, there’s much more to it. From the dry summers to highly localized wind storms, bomb cyclones, surprise snow storms, and the inland desert, Washington and Oregon have a lot of weather to offer.

• Why do weather apps often fail in the Northwest?
• What makes weather in this region so difficult to forecast?
• How do these difficulties manifest themselves in wind and solar power?

Lack of data and widespread mountainous terrain makes it so weather apps often leave much to be desired. It can even be hard to interpret what a human forecaster is trying to say. After the challenge of forecasting weather, meteorologists in the region are met with the almost harder challenge of conveying that forecast.

This diversity of weather is a significant renewable energy asset, with numerous companies scrambling to harness the power of Columbia Gorge wind and Columbia Basin sunshine. As our energy infrastructure becomes more weather-dependent, it is more important than ever to understand and tackle these regional issues to maintain a reliable electrical grid during North America’s transition to green energy sources.

Mark Ingalls is a Vancouver, B.C.-based meteorologist forecasting in the energy sector focused on the Northeastern United States. Before moving to Canada, he forecasted wind and solar energy generation at Avangrid Renewables in Portland, which owns wind and solar parks in the Eastern Columbia Gorge. He is a contributor to the weekly Canadian TV/radio program The Comedeorological Report and operates a blog focused on PNW weather at ingallswx.com.

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