Vident Partners provides vetted Forensic Meteorology expert witnesses for cases involving weather conditions at the time of an incident, storm and flood damage disputes, slip-and-fall ice and snow accumulation, and reduced visibility collisions. Request a referral today.
Find a Forensic Meteorology Expert →Overview
Forensic meteorologists reconstruct the specific weather conditions present at a given location and time using surface observations, radar, satellite, and modeled data. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) designation is the leading professional credential, requiring a rigorous written and oral examination before a national board of examiners. 1 Forensic meteorologists draw on historical weather records archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), which provides certified official data accepted by U.S. courts. 2 Their analysis converts raw meteorological records into site-specific findings admissible in court. The National Weather Service maintains the Service Records Retention System storing surface observations, Doppler radar data, and severe weather documentation used in litigation support. 3 Counsel rely on these experts in insurance, personal injury, transportation, and property litigation where weather is alleged to have caused or contributed to a loss.
The AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) designation, granted since 1957, requires passing a stringent written examination and an oral examination before a national board of examiners.
Case Types
Weather conditions at the time of an incident
Storm, wind, and flood damage disputes
Slip-and-fall ice and snow accumulation claims
Reduced visibility and roadway collision analysis
Lightning, hail, and severe weather loss claims
Qualifications
Related Specialties
FAQ
A qualified forensic meteorologist should hold a degree in meteorology or atmospheric science and ideally the AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) designation. They should have extensive experience reconstructing site-specific conditions from surface observations, radar, satellite, and modeled data, along with prior deposition and trial testimony experience in weather-related litigation.
Forensic meteorologists are retained whenever weather is alleged to have caused or contributed to a loss, including slip-and-fall claims involving ice and snow, storm, wind, and flood damage disputes, reduced-visibility roadway collisions, and lightning or hail damage. They are also used to verify or rebut reported conditions in insurance and property litigation.
In general, forensic expert fees are determined by the expert themselves, based on a variety of criteria. Among those criteria are professional experience, forensic experience, certifications and credentials, case specialization, and publications. Vident does have some influence over expert fees by comparing experts within a specialty, but ultimately it is a personal decision by the expert.
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Vident Partners connects attorneys with qualified forensic meteorology expert witnesses. Complimentary consultation, 24-hour turnaround, no obligation.
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