Dr Lindsay Bennett

Profile

Biography

I lead the coordination of access to the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) Atmospheric Measurement and Observation Facility's (AMOF) weather and cloud radars, primarily the moveable X-band Doppler, dual-polarisation radar (NXPol-2) and the Kepler Ka-band cloud radar. I provide guidance and support to users within NCAS and University institutions. I am responsible for the successful delivery of projects, overseeing the planning phase, deployment and data collection. I work closely with Dr Ryan Neely III, the Principle Investigator, to identify and develop the strategic direction of radar research within NCAS’s Remote Sensing Group.  I joined NCAS in 2011, but I have been based at the University of Leeds since 2003.  

Background

I received a BSc (Hons) in Meteorology and Oceanography from the University of East Anglia in July 2003, studying abroad at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, in 2001/2002. I undertook a 10-week internship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) during summer 2002, working on a research project examining strong winds associated with squall lines.

I joined the School of Earth and Environment in September 2003 as a postgraduate research student working with Prof. Alan Blyth on the Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP), funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). I also worked with Dr Tammy Weckwerth on data from the International H20 Project (IHOP_2002) through a Co-operative Award in Science and Engineering (CASE) with NCAR.

From June 2008 to October 2011 I worked with Prof. Blyth and Dr. Weckwerth on the Convective and Orographically-Induced Precipitation Study (COPS) that took place in south-west Germany and eastern France during summer 2007. The project aimed to improve understanding and prediction of heavy convective precipitation in complex terrain. I analysed case studies using data from ground-based remote sensing instrumentation with a focus on the Doppler on Wheels (DOW) mobile radar data and simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.

Research interests

Current and Recent Projects

2025

NCAS is providing observational facilities for the TEAMx project (Multi-scale transport and exchange processes in the atmosphere over mountains – programme and experiment) taking place in the ITalian Alps in 2025. https://www.teamx-programme.org/. TEAMx is an international research programme that aims to improve understanding of exchange processes in the atmosphere over mountains and evaluate how well these are represented in NWP and climate models.The observational campaign spans a whole year from 15^th September 2024 to 15^th September 2025, with a winter Extensive Observation Period (wEOP) that took place from 20th January to 28th February 2025 and a summer EOP (sEOP) from 16th June to 25th July 2025. AMOF launched radiosondes, and operated a number of remote sensing facilities and its X-band radar in support of the project.

2023

The Wessex Convection experiment (Wescon) – Observing the Evolving Structures of Turbulence (WOEST) project took place during Summer 2023 to collect observations of turbulent processes in the boundary layer and convective clouds from 10m to 1km scales as these evolve throughout the day and throughout the convective life cycle. The observations will be use to evaluate and develop the next generation of numerical weather prediction models.  

2018-2020

The Radar Applications In Northern England (RAIN-E) project is a collaboration between the Environment Agency and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Leeds. The aim of the project is to collect high resolution observations of rainfall over Cumbria to assess the potential benefit to flood forecasting from improved rainfall coverage over the region. Further objectives are to investigate orographic enhancement of rainfall and the use of dual-polarisation radar over mountainous terrain. The mobile radar was deployed on the west coast of Cumbria from October 2018 until December 2020. https://cumbriaweatherradar.org/

2016

The Radar Applications In Northern Scotland (RAINS) project is a collaboration between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), the University of Leeds, Scottish Water and the Met Office aiming to improve our understanding of rainfall and flood predictions in Scotland. The NCAS mobile X-band radar was deployed at Kinloss Barracks, Morayshire, from January to July 2016 and the observations are being analysed alongside the existing Met Office radar network data. For more information please see: https://www.ncas.ac.uk/en/sepa-introduction

2015

The Ice in Clouds Experiment - Dust (ICE-D) project studied the influence of Saharan desert dust on cloud microphysical processes and precipitation formation in both convective and stratiform clouds. A field campaign took place during July and August 2015 near Praia, Santiago, Cabo Verde. For more information please see: https://www.ncas.ac.uk/index.php/en/18-news/2309-ice-d-clouds-and-dust-in-africa. ICE-D was funded by the NERC grant NE/M00340X/1

2013

The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) project investigated the processes by which rain develops in convective clouds and aimed to improve forecasts of flash flooding. A field campaign took place in Devon and Cornwall during Summer 2013. For more information please see http://www.ncas.ac.uk/cope. COPE was funded by the NERC grant NE/J023507/1.

Qualifications

• PhD Meteorology: Observations of the development of the boundary layer and precipitating convection
• BSc (Hons) Meteorology and Oceanography

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
• STEM Ambassador

Research groups and institutes

• Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science