Christopher D. Thorncroft

Christopher D. Thorncroft is a Professor and Director of the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He holds an appointment in the Department of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on understanding the West African monsoon, its impacts on Atlantic tropical cyclones, and the interplay between atmospheric processes across weather and climate timescales.

Education:

• BSc in Physics, University of Bristol, 1984
• MSc in Meteorology, University of Reading, 1985
• PhD in Meteorology, University of Reading, 1988

Research Focus: Dr. Thorncroft investigates African easterly waves (AEWs), their interaction with mesoscale convective systems, and the role of convectively coupled equatorial waves in tropical cyclone formation. His work also addresses the annual cycle of the West African monsoon and decadal variability of Sahel rainfall. His research spans diurnal to multidecadal timescales, integrating weather-scale dynamics with climate-scale predictability.

Labs/Teams: He leads research activities at the ASRC, which hosts interdisciplinary studies in atmospheric sciences and environmental systems. The center emphasizes collaborative projects on climate, weather, and geophysical phenomena.