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Walter A. Robinson

Professor of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Chapter Member: North Carolina SSN

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(919) 515-7002

About Walter

Robinson's research focuses on the atmospheric fluid dynamics as it relates to variability and change in Earth's climate system. Overarching themes include the mechanisms for intrinsic variability in Earth's climate; with a focus on jets and stormtracks; and how these mechanisms results in expected changes with global warming. Robinson gives frequent public talks on climate change; and he is involved in activities related to NC Executive Order 80 (which addresses climate change and clean energy); including serving on the Climate Science Advisory Panel.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | In the News | Publications

Contributions

The UN Climate Action Summit: What Does “Two Degrees” of Warming Really Mean for North Carolina?

Commentary,

Publications

"How Will Storms and the Storm Track Change: Extratropical Cyclones on a Warmer Earth" (with James F. Booth), in Our Warming Planet, edited by Cynthia Rosenzweig, David Rind, Andrew Lacis, and Danielle Manley (World Scientific, 2018), 133-154.

Summarizes what is known about how mid-latitude storms, such as nor'easters, and how they will change in a warming climate

"North Atlantic Storm-Track Sensitivity to Warming Increases with Model Resolution" (with Jeff Willison and Gary M. Lackmann). Journal of Climate 28 (June 2015): 4513-4524.

Finds the strength of storms moving across the North Atlantic will increase with global warming, and these changes are not well captured in current generation global climate models.

"General Circulation Model Simulations of Recent Cooling in the East‐Central United States" (with Reto Reudy and James E. Hansen). Journall of Geophysical Research 107, no. 24 (2002): ACL 4-1-ACL 4-14.

Finds that within overall 20th century warming, regions of the US cooled over time. Notes that in climate models that show a similar cooling, the cooling is linked to natural changes in ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Finds that the cooling is a natural effect, that would be expected to reverse over time.