Gary Lackmann

Dr. Gary Lackmann is a Professor and Head at North Carolina State University, specializing in synoptic meteorology and numerical modeling of high-impact weather systems. He has held prior roles at the US Naval Postgraduate School, NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and private-sector consulting. His research focuses on tropical/extratropical cyclones, convective storms, and climate change impacts on weather dynamics. He teaches at both undergraduate and graduate levels, emphasizing storm dynamics and model development.

Education: PhD in Atmospheric Science from SUNY Albany (1995), MS and BS in Atmospheric Science from University of Washington (1989, 1986).

Research Interests: Dynamics and prediction of high-impact weather, including cold-air damming and diabatic processes’ role in storm behavior. His group explores how warming alters storm dynamics, with recent work highlighted in Nature Climate Change. Key themes include thermodynamic contributions to precipitation changes in TCs and atmospheric river predictability.

Articles collectively address climate change’s role in intensifying extreme weather, improving numerical models, and understanding TC landfall impacts. His work bridges theory, observation, and high-resolution modeling to advance forecast accuracy and climate adaptation strategies.

Lackmann’s research group emphasizes skill development for students, preparing them for roles in academia and industry. Notable collaborations include studies on Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic inland impacts and future flood risks from tropical cyclones.