Looking Back at an Active 2017 Hurricane Season

In this webinar, AIR researchers Dr. Peter Sousounis and Dr. Karthik Ramanathan analyze the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season in its entirety as well as offering further perspective on “HIM” (Harvey, Irma, and Maria). This webinar addresses meteorological insights from the 2017 hurricane season and the possible role of a changing climate in the frequency and intensity of hurricane activity.

Peter Sousounis, Ph.D.  
Assistant Vice President and Director of Meteorology
PSousounis@air-worldwide.com
Dr. Peter Sousounis is Assistant Vice President and Director of Meteorology in AIR's Research and Modeling group. He is currently responsible for overseeing the development of all global atmospheric models, including models for tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones, and severe thunderstorms, as well as research related to climate and climate change. Earlier in his career at AIR, Peter was responsible for updating the Northwest Pacific Basin Wide Typhoon Model, as well as many other projects involving inland flooding, storm surge, and the hazard component of tsunami models for various regions. Prior to joining AIR, he was a professor of Meteorology at the University of Michigan, where he was the Principal Investigator for the Great Lakes Study on Climate Change as part of the First U.S. Climate Change Impacts Assessment. Peter earned his M.S. in Meteorology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University.

Karthik Ramanathan, Ph.D.  
Senior Manager and Senior Engineer
KRamanathan@air-worldwide.com
Dr. Karthik Ramanathan is a Senior Engineer in AIR's Research and Modeling group, working primarily on the wind and storm surge vulnerability of civil engineering systems. He has been involved in developing and updating the wind and storm surge components of the AIR U.S. hurricane model. He has participated in AIR's post-disaster damage surveys, including one in 2012 for Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey. He holds a Master's degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master's degree in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a special focus in earthquake engineering.