About

Professor Kelly Núñez Ocasio is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University and an Affiliate Faculty with the Texas A&M University Race & Ethnic Studies Institute (RESI). She holds a Ph.D. in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science from Penn State University (2021) and a B.S. in Physics with a Curricular Sequence in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (2016). Her research focuses on atmospheric sciences, with particular interests in tropical convection, mesoscale convective systems, and tropical meteorology. She is a co-lead for the international Mesoamerica Affinity Group (MAAG) and serves on several professional committees, including the AMS Science and Technological Activities Commission (STAC) Committee on Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones. Additionally, she is an Associate Editor for the Monthly Weather Review. Her work involves advancing understanding of tropical atmospheric phenomena and contributing to the scientific community through leadership roles and editorial responsibilities.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Meteorology
• Climatology
• Geology
• Geography
• Political Science
• Physics
• Environmental science
• Law
• Engineering
• Atmospheric sciences

Selected publications

• Advancing South American Water and Climate Science through Multidecadal Convection-Permitting Modeling

  Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society · 2023 · 47 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Political Science
  • Environmental science

  Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Water Systems Program as a community effort focused on improving hydroclimate science over

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Wave-Relative Framework Analysis of AEW–MCS Interactions Leading to Tropical Cyclogenesis

  Monthly Weather Review · 2020 · 48 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Climatology
  • Geology

  Abstract An African easterly wave (AEW) and associated mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) dataset has been created and used to evaluate the propagation of MCSs, AEWs, and, especially, the propagation of MCSs relative to the AEW with which they are associated (i.e., wave-relative framework). The thermodynamic characteristics of AEW–MCS systems are also analyzed. The analysis is done for both AEW–MCS systems that develop into tropical cyclones and those that do not to quantify significant differences. It is shown that developing AEWs over West Africa are associated with a larger number of convective cloud clusters (CCCs; squall-line-type systems) than nondeveloping AEWs. The MCSs of developing AEWs propagate at the same speed of the AEW trough in addition to being in phase with the trough, whereas convection associated with nondeveloping AEWs over West Africa moves faster than the trough and is positioned south of it. These differences become important for the intensification of the AEW vortex as this slower-moving convection (i.e., moving at the same speed of the AEW trough) spends more time supplying moisture and latent heat to the AEW vortex, supporting its further intensification. An analysis of the rainfall rate (MCS intensity), MCS area, and latent heating rate contribution reveals that there are statistically significant differences between developing AEWs and nondeveloping AEWs, especially over West Africa where the fraction of extremely large MCS areas associated with developing AEWs is larger than for nondeveloping AEWs.

  DOI

• Topographic Influence on the African Easterly Jet and African Easterly Wave Energetics

  Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · 2020 · 31 citations

  • Geology
  • Climatology
  • Geography

  Abstract The topography of eastern Africa, namely, the Ethiopian Highlands and Marrah Mountains have been shown to play a key role in the genesis of African Easterly Waves (AEWs) through convective initiation in that region. Topographic influences on the African Easterly Jet, evolution and energetics of AEWs, and rainfall production across northern tropical Africa are examined here. The Weather Research and Forecasting model is employed to simulate the climate over a 60‐day period for three years (2004, 2005, and 2006) for three cases with varying topography: realistic, half‐height, and no topography. An energetics analysis for the resulting AEWs reveals that wave development by barotropic and baroclinic processes weakens when topography is flattened. These results show that topography in Africa plays a significant role in the wave development as they propagate westward, not only in their initiation over East Africa.

  DOI

Frequent coauthors

• Zachary Moon

  Earth Resources Technology (United States)

  12 shared

• Rosimar Ríos-Berríos

  NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research

  9 shared

• Thomas Fiolleau

  Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

  8 shared

• Rémy Roca

  8 shared

• Alan Brammer

  Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

  7 shared

• Ewan Crosbie

  Langley Research Center

  6 shared

• Edoardo Mazza

  NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

  6 shared

• Holger Vömel

  6 shared

Labs

• Prof. Núñez OcasioPI

Education

• Ph.D.

  Texas A&M University

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