UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (UW-AOS)

The AMS Madison Summit is coming up in August! For any AOS alumni who plan to attend, we hope to organize some coinciding departmental events – stay tuned!

💫 Registration for the 2026 is NOW open!

Join us at one of the largest joint meteorological conferences in Madison, WI and online. Explore a range of topics like:
🌪️ Tornado risk and response
☁️ Orographic clouds
📊 Survey methodology
🖥️ AI for weather research and operations
👀 And more

Check out the online program and register now: https://bit.ly/4efZ1a6

Need a distraction? Take a few minutes to browse stunning images of weather phenomena from the 16th AOSS Photo Contest. Shout-out to AOS Assistant Professor Fraser King for the winning entry!

2026 AOSS Photo Contest Around the world, the atmosphere and the weather connects us all. From the most energetic events, to subtle transformations, these captured moments reveal the complexity underlying our natural world and beyond. For the 16th year, the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Photo Contest at UW-Madiso...

AOS Professor Ángel Adames Corraliza reflects on tropical meteorology and Puerto Rico’s vital yet often overlooked importance in the development of the field. The island’s history of colonial rule is inextricably tied to the way meteorological science has been carried out there: a process based on extraction and exclusion that leaves local communities behind.

Essay: Why the Tropics Drew the Attention of the MacArthur Foundation Ángel F. Adames Corraliza underestimated public interest in his research, until the MacArthur Foundation came calling and awarded him the “Genius” grant. Now, he reflects on why and how research gets attention.

We’re thrilled to announce Assistant Professor Hannah Zanowski as the inaugural Craig K. Skaar Professor of Oceanography. This new professorship supports oceanographers in AOS who explore a wide range of fundamental physical and biogeochemical processes in the ocean, from deep in its past to far into its future. AOS is grateful to the Skaar family and excited about the new frontiers in research this fund will enable. Congratulations, Hannah!

Zanowski Named Skaar Professor of Oceanography The UW–Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) is thrilled to announce Assistant Professor Hannah Zanowski as the inaugural Craig K. Skaar Professor of Oceanography.

On May 9, we celebrated 34 AOS graduates who earned their BS, MS, and PhD degrees, marking the end of one journey and the beginning of another. We’re so proud of all their accomplishments, and we can’t wait to see what paths they take in weather, climate, and ocean science, and beyond. Congratulations to the class of 2026!

Photo: Yingshun Sun

We had an interesting phenomenon in the sky north of Madison on Wednesday evening. A fuel dump from a Chinese rocket created a comet tail looking feature that lasted around 10 minutes. Here's the time lapse from the northwest facing AOSS Rooftop Camera.

2026 May 13 - Chinese rocket fuel dump - Northwest view A fuel dump from a Chinese rocket produced a feature resembling a comet trail that was visible for around 10 minutes in the northern sky over much of the cen...

From gazing up at airplanes in rural Puerto Rico as a child to flying them over the Madison isthmus as a student pilot, Professor Mayra Oyola has always been drawn to flight. Explore how her passion for aviation has shaped her research in the latest edition of “Fueling Discovery” from the Wisconsin State Journal and College of Letters & Science.

The changing trends of aircraft turbulence With a research specialty in severe weather and aviation hazards, it might surprise you to know that I didn’t step onto my first airplane until I was 20 years old.

A few weeks ago, we held one of our favorite events: the AOS Awards Ceremony. Each year, scholarships and recognitions are given to students and faculty members for distinguished research and teaching, academic excellence, and leadership within the department. Congratulations to all the awardees! Learn more about our departmental awards: https://www.aos.wisc.edu/awards/.

Pictured at left is AOS Assistant Professor Stephanie Henderson, alongside AOS undergraduates Night Zawlocki and Olivia Boyle. Henderson was the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction Award.

Photo: Yingshun Sun

Nice fireball meteor caught by the UW-AOSS Rooftop Cameras last night (Sunday May 3, 2026) - here's the view from the west facing camera. Shout-out to Tom Purdy for letting us know.

AOSSRooftopCameras 2026 May 3 - Fireball Meteor - West view