Tim Schmit
NOAA Heritage Oral History Project
NOAA Heritage Oral History Project aims to document the history and legacy of NOAA through compelling interviews with its leaders. These firsthand accounts provide an invaluable resource that preserves NOAA's significant contributions to environmental research and management, fostering a deeper understanding of NOAA's vital role in shaping our understanding of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere.
Molly Graham
Timothy Schmit was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, in 1962. He earned a B.S. and M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After graduating, he worked as a researcher for the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. From 1996 to the present, Mr. Schmit has worked as a meteorologist for NOAA/NESDIS and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Scope and Content Note
Tim Schmit discusses his involvement in the development of weather satellites and advancements in satellite technology. He emphasizes the critical role of satellite data in meteorology and its impact on weather forecasting. Schmit also explains how satellite imagery plays a vital role in monitoring weather patterns and identifying severe weather conditions. By providing real-time information, satellite data enables meteorologists to track storms, monitor cloud formations, and detect other atmospheric phenomena. This data helps improve the accuracy of weather forecasts and provides valuable information for disaster preparedness.
Regarding advancements in satellite technology, Schmit highlights the transition from the GOES series to the next-generation GOES-R series. He explains that the new satellites offer significant improvements in spatial resolution, spectral capabilities, and temporal resolution. With higher resolution images and more spectral bands, meteorologists can gather more detailed and accurate information about atmospheric conditions. The increased temporal resolution allows for more frequent updates, enhancing the ability to track rapidly evolving weather systems. Schmit goes on to discuss his attendance at the upcoming AMS conference in Boston, where he plans to present his talk on ATS-1 and GOES-16. He notes the importance of disseminating information through publications, media appearances, and interactions with colleagues at NOAA and conferences like AMS.
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