Q and A with Phil Klotzbach Meteorologist at CSU

Phil is a Meteorologist at CSU specializing in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts. He’s an avid runner, cyclist and hiker.
You can follow Phil on Twitter here

Phil Klotzbach is a Research Scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. He received his PhD in Atmospheric Science from CSU in 2007. Klotzbach has been employed in the Department of Atmospheric Science for the past twenty years and was co-author on the Atlantic basin hurricane forecasts with Dr William Gray through 2005. He became first author on the seasonal hurricane forecasts in 2006. Klotzbach developed the two-week forecasts currently being issued during the peak months of the hurricane season between August-October. He has authored over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Climate and Weather and Forecasting.

Klotzbach graduated from Bridgewater State College with a BS degree in Geography in 1999. He then attended Colorado State University where he received his Master’s degree in Atmospheric Science in 2002. After receiving his Master’s degree, Klotzbach thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine (2100+ miles). He has also climbed all 54 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado and has completed nine marathons and six ultra-marathons.

Phil with Dr. William Gray

1. What was your most memorable weather event?

Hurricane Gloria in 1985 was really what got me fascinated in studying hurricanes for a living. I was 5 years old at the time and living in Plymouth, Massachusetts. While the storm made landfall in Connecticut, it still brought very strong winds to our neighborhood and caused a ton of trees to come down. I was fascinated by the damage that a storm like that could cause, and ever since, I’m been trying to figure out what makes hurricanes tick!

2. What is your favourite and least favourite type of weather?

I love snowstorms, especially nor’easters when they bring thundersnow! It’s also hard to beat building cumulonimbus over a mountain in Colorado, as long as I’m not on the top of the mountain when the clouds are building. I really dislike intense heat and high humidity, especially when it doesn’t come with afternoon thunderstorms.

3. If you weren’t a meteorologist, what would you most like to be?

I spent a couple of years as a GIS analyst before going to graduate school for Atmospheric Science. I would love to get paid to map hiking trails.

4. From a purely meteorological point of view, where would you most like to live?

The summit of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire… home of the world’s worst weather. Why would you want to live anywhere else? 🙂

5. Is there anything else you’d like to share?

When I’m not geeking out over hurricanes, I’m usually out hiking or running. I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 2002 (~2100 miles). I’ve also climbed all 55 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado.

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