OLLI Talks: Emerging Scholar: Storms in a Changing Climate: How Thunderstorms Form, Evolve, and Impact Us (DRAKE HALL)

This course examines the processes involved in thunderstorms and their associated hazards, with attention to both current conditions and future climates. It explores how storms may change as a result of climate change, as well as how natural processes within the Earth system influence their development. The course focuses primarily on storms occurring over land in mid-latitudes, while also touching on those in tropical regions. Participants will be introduced to basic tools used by weather and climate scientists and will gain an understanding of the foundational concepts needed to interpret these phenomena. 

* This course is made possible through the Peg Chandler and Christopher Hensey Emerging Scholar Award Endowment. 

*Megan Franke is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Atmospheric Science Department at CSU, studying how different types of thunderstorms will change in future, warmer climates. Her research interests span atmospheric scales, from very small-scale processes to large-scale planetary waves in the atmosphere. Megan received her M.S. degree in Atmospheric Science at CSU and a bachelor's degree in meteorology with a minor in mathematics from Metropolitan State University of Denver. During her time at CSU, she has been involved in various research projects focusing on both models and observations and has also gained experience working as a teaching assistant and delivering numerous lectures in different courses. She loves the mountains, hiking, yoga, traveling, and her cat. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Fall 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.