Alan R. Moller: Senior Forecaster, Photographer, and Storm Chaser

Alan Moller passed away on 19 June 2014 but left a legacy in the world of severe storms forecasting and storm spotter training. He participated in the University of Oklahoma Tornado Intercept Project in the early 1970s, and helped identify some of the fundamental relationships between Doppler radar signatures and severe weather events. Alan Moller began his career with the National Weather Service in 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas. While in Fort Worth, Alan helped develop a national SKYWARN storm spotter training program. He assisted and narrated the production of the training film Tornadoes: A Spotter's Guide in 1977 and made major contributions to an accompanying slide program. His great oratory ability and enthusiasm kept the audience attention through hours of basic and advanced spotter training sessions. Alan authored a detailed case study of the 1979 Wichita Falls, Texas tornado and published a number of papers on tornadoes, forecasting, and storm spotting. He took his passion of severe weather forecasting out in the field becoming an accomplished storm photographer. Alan used his photography to illustrate concepts during storm spotter training sessions. Alan was promoted to senior forecaster in 1983 and retired from public service in 2011. This paper will summarize some of Alan Moller's many accomplishments.