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Joseph Cione
Executive Director; Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services (ICAMS); Lead Meteorologist, Emerging Technologies, Ph.D. NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
Joseph Cione is a Lead Meteorologist specializing in New Technologies at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).13 Here's a comprehensive overview of his background and work:
Education and Career
Dr. Joseph J. Cione received his Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees in Meteorology with a concentration in Physical Oceanography from North Carolina State University.1 He joined NOAA as a federal employee in 1995 and has been with the Hurricane Research Division (HRD) since 1997.1
Specialization and Research
Cione specializes in studying atmospheric and oceanic boundary layer thermodynamic processes in hurricanes and extra-tropical winter storms.13 His work focuses on:
- Exploring difficult-to-observe regions of storms
- Transitioning basic research into improved forecast operations
- Investigating the link between storm-induced ocean cooling and hurricane intensity changes
Technological Innovations
Dr. Cione has been at the forefront of implementing new technologies for hurricane research:
- In 2005, he conducted the first successful unmanned aerial system (UAS) flight into a mature tropical cyclone1
- In 2007, he led a record-duration UAS mission into Hurricane Noel1
- In 2022, he and his team set UAS records for duration, communication range, and measured wind speed in Category 5 Hurricane Ian1
Current Role and Projects
As a Lead Meteorologist at HRD, Cione:
- Leads the NEOTAC group, which focuses on identifying, developing, and implementing emerging technologies for hurricane research1
- Spearheads projects involving unmanned observations of the upper ocean and near-surface atmosphere for improved hurricane intensity prediction1
- Works on transitioning new technologies like streamsondes and unmanned systems towards operational use in hurricane forecasting2
Awards and Recognition
- Received the United States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award in 20101
- Won a Department of Commerce Gold Medal for work with the Altius-600 drone in Hurricane Ian2
- His team's flight in Hurricane Ian was recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest endurance inside a tropical cyclone by an uncrewed aircraft2
Dr. Cione's work aims to significantly improve the accuracy of hurricane forecasts through the use of cutting-edge research and advanced emerging technologies.1
