Strategic Consulting, Elevated
Kenneth Wayne Howard is a research meteorologist and radar scientist with more than four decades of experience spanning operational forecasting, applied research, and national-scale observing systems. He earned his degree in Earth Sciences and
Meteorology from the University of Northern Colorado and began his career in
broadcast meteorology and weather modification before joining NOAA in 1982. He
retired in 2025 from the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, where his work and programs focused on flash-flood monitoring and prediction, western U.S. convective systems, and advanced radar applications.
Ken served as program manager and lead scientist for two decades in the development
of the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, now an operational capability at the
National Centers for Environmental Prediction and widely used across government and the private sector. Over his career, he led or co-led major field programs in the western United States, including monsoon and flash-flood campaigns; operated mobile X-band radar systems; and contributed to applied research programs for the Electric Power Research Institute and the Salt River Project. He is a lead or co-author on over 100 peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and operational web products, and holds patents related to autonomous atmospheric observing platforms, including the Glidersonde. His work has been recognized with multiple U.S. Department of Commerce Bronze and Silver Medals.
In addition to domestic programs, Ken led international collaborations for more than 30 years with Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau, advancing radar and precipitation monitoring capabilities. He has been a long-standing advocate for supplemental radar networks and community-based deployments, particularly permanent radar systems in the western United States (Durango and Alamosa, Colorado).
Currently, Ken is focused on emerging applications of weather radar beyond traditional meteorology, including atmospheric re-entry and space-debris detection using S-band radars and networks, both domestic and international, development of the Kessler Clock—a conceptual risk index for orbital congestion and re-entry exposure—and aeroecological research documenting active bat roosts across the U.S. Southwest using radars in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Fish and Wildlife. He continues to work with Climavision on expanding the role of supplemental radar networks to improve situational awareness, resilience, and public safety.
