Department Head
Professor
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Fellow of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
212 Sinnott Building
(204) 474-9081
Email

Weather and climate extremes are a major concern to us all. They lead to enormous damages and often loss of life, society is becoming more vulnerable to such events, and there is mounting evidence that their occurrence may increase in the future.
The general focal points of my group's extreme weather research are storms and their precipitation (mainly winter but not exclusively), droughts, storm-climate interactions, and future changes in these features. In regards to storms, we are currently examining the nature of the various forms of winter precipitation, the coupled interaction between this precipitation and its associated environment, and the structure of winter and summer storms. In regards to drought, we are examining the evolution of droughts occurring over the Prairies and elsewhere. In regards to future conditions, we are applying the knowledge being gained within the above topics to consider possible changes in the occurrence of extremes, including over our Arctic.
We utilize observations and models in our research. We utilize operational satellite, radar, sounding and surface observations, we carry out field experiments with research radar, precipitation-sampling equipment, as well as other sensors, we develop models of key processes, and we often use large scale model products. We are also actively involved in the development and exploitation of upcoming satellite systems for determining precipitation and related water cycle parameters.

Courses:

Typically I teach the following courses:

GEOG 2540 (Weather and Climate)

GEOG 4390  /  GEOG 7010  (Global Climate Change)

Published or Accepted Articles (2005-present)

Henson, W., R.E. Stewart and D. Hudak, 2010: Vertical reflectivity profiles of precipitation over Iqaluit, Nunavut during autumn 2007. Atmos. Res. (Accepted)

Greene, H., H. Leighton and R.E. Stewart, 2010: Drought and associated cloud fields over the Canadian Prairies. Atmos.-Ocean (In press)

Gascon, G., R.E. Stewart and W. Henson, 2010: Major cold season precipitation events at Iqaluit, Nunavut. Arctic, 63, 327-337.

Hanesiak, J., R.E. Stewart, P. Taylor, K. Moore, D. Barber, G. McBean, W. Strapp, M. Wolde, D. Hudak, J. Scott, G. Liu, J. Gilligan, S. Biswas, R. Dyck, S. Fargey, R. Field, G. Gascon, M. Gordon, H. Greene, C. Hay, W.Henson, K. Hochheim, A. Laplante, M. Albarran Melzer, S. Zhang, 2010: Storm Studies in the Arctic: the meteorological field project. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 91, 47-68.

Theriault, J., R.E. Stewart and W. Henson, 2010: On the dependence of winter precipitation types on temperature, precipitation rate and associated features. J. Appl. Meteor. Clim., 49, 1429-1442.

Theriault, J. and R.E. Stewart, 2010: A parameterization of the microphysical processes forming many types of winter precipitation. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 1492-1508.

Gibson, S., R.E. Stewart and W. Henson, 2009: On the variation of ice pellet characteristics. J. Geoph. Res.,114, doi:10.1029/2008JD011260.

Nawri, N. and R.E. Stewart, 2008: Short-term temporal variability of atmospheric surface pressure and wind speed in the Canadian Arctic. Theor. Appl. Climat. doi: 10.1007/s00704-008-0098-1.

Gearheard, S., M Pocernich and R.E. Stewart, 2008: Linking Inuit knowledge and meteorological station observations to understand changing wind patterns at Clyde River, Nunavut. Climatic Change (In press)

Roberts, E., N. Nawri and R.E. Stewart, 2008: On the storms passing over southern Baffin Island during autumn 2005, Arctic, 61, 309-321.

Roberts, E. and R.E. Stewart, 2008: On the occurrence of freezing rain and ice pellets over the eastern Canadian Arctic. Atmos. Res. 93-109

Nawri, N. and R.E. Stewart, 2008: Channelling of high-latitude boundary layer flow over  complex terrain. Nonlin. Process. Geophys., 15, 33-52.

Szeto, K.K., H, Tran, M. MacKay, R. Crawford, and R.E. Stewart, 2008: MAGS water and energy budget study. J. Hydrometeor., 9, 96-115.

Szeto, K.K., R.E. Stewart, M.K. Yau and J.R. Gyakum, 2007: Northern tales: a synthesis of MAGS atmospheric and hydrometeorological research. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 88, 1411-1425.

Theriault, J. and R.E. Stewart, 2007: On the effect of vertical air motion on winter precipitation types. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 7, 231-242.

Gibson, S. and R.E. Stewart, 2007: Observations of ice pellets during a winter storm. Atmos. Res., 64-76.

Henson, W. and R.E. Stewart, 2007: Severity and return periods of icing events in the Montréal area. Atmos. Res., 84, 242-249.

Henson, W.L., R.E. Stewart and B. Kochtubajda, 2007: On the precipitation and related features of the 1998 Ice Storm in the Montreal area. Atmos. Res., 83, 36-54.

Nawri, N. and R.E. Stewart, 2006: Climatological features of orographic low-level jets over Frobisher Bay. Atmos.-Ocean, 44, 397-413.

Theriault, J., R.E. Stewart and J.A. Mildebrandt, 2006: On the simulation of winter precipitation types. J. Geoph. Res., 111, D18202, doi:10.1029/2005JD006665

Roberts, E., R.E. Stewart and C.A. Lin, 2006: A study of drought characteristics over the Canadian Prairies. Atmos.-Ocean, 44, 331-345.

Kochtubajda, B., M.D. Flannigan, J.R. Gyakum, R.E. Stewart, K. Logan and T-V Nguyen, 2006: Lightning and forest fires in the Northwest Territories: current activity and responses to future climate change. Arctic, 59, 211-221.

Ralph, M. F., R.M. Rauber, B.F. Jewett, D.E. Kingsmill, P. Pisano, P. Pugner, R.M. Rasmussen, D.W. Reynolds, T.W. Schlatter, R.E. Stewart, J.S. Waldstricher, 2005: Improving short term (0-48 hour) cool season quantitative precipitation forecasting: recommendations from a USWRP workshop. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86, 1619-1632.

Inithar, M.R. and R.E. Stewart, 2005: Extratropical cyclones and precipitation within the Canadian Archipelago during the cold season. Arctic, 58, 162-174.