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Steven Martinaitis

Steven Martinaitis

Steven Martinaitis

Senior Research
Associate

Education

  • MS, Meteorology 2008, Florida State University
  • BS, Meteorology 2006, Florida State University

Affiliated CIWRO Team

  • Stormscale Hydromet Analysis and Remote Sensing Processes Team

About

Steven is a Senior Research Associate at CIWRO and works as the CIWRO team lead for the Stormscale Hydromet Analysis and Remote Sensing Processes Team in the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory. He is also the CIWRO branch lead for the NSSL Analysis & Understanding Branch. His work focuses on the improvement of precipitation accuracy within the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, the analysis and quality control of rain gauge observations, and the collection of novel precipitation observations to further advance the science of precipitation estimations. Steven also conducts research related to the prediction and warning of flash flood events based on work with the Flooded Locations and Simulated Hydrographs (FLASH) product suite.

Research Focus

  • Quantitative Precipitation Estimation 
  • Gauge Observations & Quality Control 
  • Precipitation Observations and Liquid Equivalent Values 
  • Flash Flood Prediction 
  • Flash Flood Surveys 
  • NWS Applications & Research-to-Operations

CIWRO Research Themes

  • Quantitative Precipitation Estimation 
  • Gauge Observations & Quality Control 
  • Precipitation Observations and Liquid Equivalent Values 
  • Flash Flood Prediction 
  • Flash Flood Surveys 
  • NWS Applications & Research-to-Operations
Publications
  • Martinaitis, S. M., K. A. Wilson, N. Yussouf, J. J. Gourley, H. Vergara, T. C. Meyer, P. L. Heinselman, A. Gerard, K. L. Berry, A. Vergara, and J. Monroe, 2023: A path toward short-term probabilistic flash flood prediction. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 102, E585–E605, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0026.1.
  •  Martinaitis, S. M., S. Lincoln, D. Scholtzhauer, S. B. Cocks, and J. Zhang, 2023: A temporal gauge quality control algorithm as a method for identifying potential instrumentation malfunctions. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 40, 265–283, doi: 10.1175/JTECH-D-22-0038.1. 
  • Gerard, A., S. M. Martinaitis, J. J. Gourley, K. W. Howard, and J. Zhang, 2021: An overview of the performance and operational applications of the MRMS and FLASH systems in recent significant urban flash flood events. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 102, E2165–E2176, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0273.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., S. B. Cocks, M. J. Simpson, A. P. Osborne, S. S. Harkema, H. M. Grams, J. Zhang, K. W. Howard, 2021: Advancements and Characteristics of Gauge Ingest and Quality Control within the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor System. J. Hydrometeor., 22, 2455–2474, doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-20-0234.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., S. B. Cocks, A. P. Osborne, M. J. Simpson, L. Tang, J. Zhang, and K. W. Howard, 2021: The historic rainfalls of Hurricanes Harvey and Florence: A perspective from the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor system. J. Hydrometeor., 22, 721–738. doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-20-0199.1.
  •  Martinaitis, S. M., A. P. Osborne, M. J. Simpson, J. Zhang, K. W. Howard, S. B. Cocks, A. Arthur, C. Langston, and B. T. Kaney, 2020: A physically based multisensor quantitative precipitation estimation approach for gap-filling radar coverage. J. Hydrometeor., 21, 1485–1511. doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-19-0264.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., B. Albright, J. J. Gourley, S. Perfater, T. Meyer, Z. L. Flamig, R. A. Clark, H. Vergara, and M. Klein, 2020: The 23 June 2016 West Virginia flash flood event as observed through two Hydrometeorology Testbed experiments. Wea. Forecasting, 35, 2099–2126, doi: 10.1175/WAF-D-20-0016.1. 
  • Yussouf, N., K. A. Wilson, S. M. Martinaitis, H. Vergara, P. L. Heinselman, and J. J. Gourley, 2020. The coupling of NSSL Warn-on-Forecast and FLASH systems for probabilistic flash flood prediction. J. Hydrometeor., 21, 123–141. doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-19-0131.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., H. M. Grams, C. Langston, J. Zhang, and K. Howard, 2018: A real-time evaporation correction scheme for radar-derived mosaicked precipitation estimations. J. Hydrometeor., 19, 87–111. doi:10.1175/JHM-D-17-0093.1. 
  • Cocks, S. B., J. Zhang, S. M. Martinaitis, Y. Qi, B. Kaney, and K. Howard, 2017: MRMS QPE performance east of the Rockies during the 2014 warm season. J. Hydrometeor., 18, 761–775. doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-16-0179.1.
  •  Gourley, J. J., Z. L. Flamig, H. Vergara, P.-E. Kirstetter, R. A. Clark III, E. Argyle, A. Arthur, S. Martinaitis, G. Terti, J. M. Erlingis, Y. Hong, and K. W. Howard, 2017: The Flooded Locations And Simulated Hydrographs (FLASH) project: Improving the tools for flash flood monitoring and prediction across the United States. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 98, 361–372. doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00247.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., J. J. Gourley, Z. L. Flamig, E. M. Argyle, R. A. Clark III, A. Arthur, B. R. Smith, J. M. Erlingis, S. Perfater, and B. Albright, 2017: The HMT Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor Hydro Experiment, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 98, 347–359. doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00283.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., 2017: Radar observations of tornado warned convection associated with tropical cyclones over Florida. Wea. Forecasting, 32, 165–186, doi: 10.1175/WAF-D-16-0105.1. Cocks, S. B., S. M. Martinaitis, B. Kaney, J. Zhang, and K. Howard, 2016: MRMS QPE performance during the 2013/14 cool season. J. Hydrometeor., 17, 791–810, doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-15-0095.1. 
  • Qi, Y., S. Martinaitis, J. Zhang, and S. Cocks, 2016: A real-time automated quality control of hourly rain gauge data based on multiple sensors in MRMS system. J. Hydrometeor., 17, 1675–1691, doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-15-0188.1. 
  • Zhang, J., K. Howard, C. Langston, B. Kaney, Y. Qi, L. Tang, H. Grams, Y. Wang, S. Cocks, S. Martinaitis, A. Arthur, K. Cooper, J. Brogden, and D. Kitzmiller, 2016: Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) quantitative precipitation estimation: Initial operating capabilities. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 97, 621–638, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00174.1. 
  • Martinaitis, S. M., S. B. Cocks, Y. Qi, B. T. Kaney, J. Zhang, and K. Howard, 2015: Understanding winter precipitation impacts on automated gauge observations within a real-time system. J. Hydrometeor., 16, 2345–2363, doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-15-0020.1.
Professional organizations
  • American Meteorological Society
  • National Weather Association


 

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