My Other Websites - Ant Veal's UK Weather Centre - Ant Veal's Top UK Pubs - Sittingbourne Weather Station - Teignmouth Weather Station
MY
WORK 
Site Specific Forecasting Scientist
Since the 1st August 2001 I've been working for the
Met Office in Bracknell in their
Local Forecasting, Research and Development group. The work involves the
creation of climatological information for locations around the UK and
beyond where little or no reliable observational data exists. Two techniques
are being developed based around an interpolation technique using observational
data from nearby stations, and another technique using modelled data.
I'm also involved in another project modelling the formation of ice on objects and was fortunate enough to attend the IWAIS workshop in Brno, Czech Republic in June 2002. Most of my work is either UNIX or Windows NT based and I am now proficient at programming in FORTRAN 95, PV Wave and UNIX scripting.
Following relocation to Exeter during October 2003 I joined the Climate Development team and now work on a broad-range of short-term consultancy projects. These projects cover the road and rail transport sectors, weather sensitivity analysis work for the NHS forecasting hospital admissions, work for central government and defence, along with work for utility companies (wind power and electricity generation and distribution).
Development of a Surface and Upper Air Synoptic Climatology to Assess Variations in Atmospheric Pollutant Concentrations in Birmingham
I've recently finished writing up my PhD which looked
at the relationship between air pollutant concentrations and weather and
am looking in particular at the situation here in Birmingham. I used several
meteorological datasets ranging in coverage area from Europe down to just
data for Birmingham and from heights ranging from the surface to 500 hPa.
The research successfully related atmospheric motions at a number of different
scales to local air quality in Birmingham using an automated synoptic
climatological methodology. The statistical techniques used include principal
components analysis, cluster analysis and discriminant analysis. I received
finding from the School
of Geography and Environmental Sciences and Birmingham
City Council.
Cost-Effectiveness of the Winter Road Maintenance of England's Trunk Road Network
Between
February 1999 and July 2000 I worked as a Research Fellow at the University
of Birmingham on a contract funded by the Highways
Agency studying the 'Value for Money in Winter Road Maintenance' and
involved a cost / benefit analysis of the performance of the 20
Super Agents and 9 DBFO (Design, Build, Finance and Operate) organisations
who currently maintain the Trunk Roads and Motorways in England.
I developed a Winter Maintenance GIS system linked dynamically
to a database storing relevant information. The system allows the Highways
Agency to update information for a particular Area by filling in forms
in the database. This then automatically updated the information shown
in the GIS system. The system also and the costs of winter maintenance
per km will be related to a 'winter index' on an annual basis. The
research is carried out in conjunction with the Transport
Research Laboratory (TRL).
Review and Assessment of Air Quality in the West Midlands of the UK
Between
October 1998 and early February 1999 I worked as a Scientific Officer
for Birmingham City
Council and Dudley
Metropolitan Borough Council on a Local Air Quality Management project
funded by the Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The project pinpointed
major point (i.e. factories) and line (i.e. traffic and rail) sources
of pollution in the West Midlands. Emissions data from a wide range of
sources was also gathered and will be input into the Airviro
Air Quality Dispersion Modelling System developed by the Swedish
Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Modelling during the next
stage of the work will allow areas of high concentrations of particular
pollutants of concern to be pinpointed. The model can also be validated
by comparison of modelled data with monitored data at the ten automatic
air quality stations spread across the region. Areas of the West Midlands
with air quality concentrations expected to exceed the National Air Quality
Standard levels between now and the year 2005 will then be designated
Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA's). In these areas action will be taken
to reduce emissions and levels of air pollution.
The important findings from the early part of the research
have recently been published in the following report which is now available
on the internet. Click here for the First Phase Air Quality
Review and Assessment.
Some links that I've found useful:
Larry
Kalkstein's Synoptic Climatology lab
DoE
National Air Quality Information Archive
Last updated Monday 5 March, 2012 0:06 AM .