Marshall Atwater was born in 1940 in Connecticut.  He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and received a M.S. and Ph.D. from New York University, majoring in meteorology.   His dissertation “Investigation of the Radiation Balance for Polluted Layers of the Urban Environment” examined the meteorological effects of air pollution on the atmosphere including the effects of aerosols on the global cooling that was underway at the time.

He worked at the Travelers Research Center (TRC) that was renamed the Center for the Environment and Man (CEM) in 1970. Working in a consulting firm, Marshall worked on a wide range of projects including statistical hurricane forecasting, rainfall variability within Connecticut, weather modification, and computation of radiative temperature changes in the boundary layer. He served on a panel that examined the effects of the  proposed supersonic transport on the environment.

A comprehensive mesoscale model for the lower atmosphere was developed at TRC/CEM by a team of scientists.  He applied the model extensively in studies of the urban heat island and to study the effects of the proposed Alaskan oil pipeline on the environment. The model was used in a multi year experiment on the potential fog conditions at a proposed nuclear plant in Switzerland, the visibility changes at Lake Powell in Arizona, and for the development of sea breeze in various parts of the world.

The studies expanded to examine the effects of clouds on the radiative balance. Projects included cloud observations during the International Field Year of the Great Lakes study, a multi year effort to examine the weather around Lake Ontario, and during GATE, the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment. Marshall developed an operational solar energy model based on hourly meteorological data. During the energy crisis in the 1970s, he consulted on a number of solar energy projects in Connecticut, including an Elderly Housing project that was solar heated and incorporated energy conservation for the first time.

In 1981, Marshall joined TRC Environmental Consultants, previously a division of TRC, and developed models related to air pollution and the energy industry. The models included the simulation of the meteorological and radiological conditions surrounding nuclear power plants, emergency response models, an air toxic model for applications to local sites, and an air pollution economic damage model for use in the United States. He performed Clean Air Act and state regulatory reviews and dispersion modeling at coal, oil and nuclear electric generating plants and worked on the effects of Acid Rain in the northeastern United States.

In 1986, Marshall formed Thor Analytics and undertook work in air pollution, energy auditing, environmental auditing, traffic analyses, lama registration, retail sales, and database management with clients in the northeastern United States. He extensively studied the meteorological aspects for high ozone episodes in New England. He taught meteorology at Eastern Connecticut State University, Assistant Professor for one year, and as adjunct instructor for 15 years. He also taught at Manchester Community College, Central Connecticut State University, Lincoln College, and the Hartford Graduate Center.

Marshall had 25 peer reviewed articles and gave more than 50 scientific conference presentations. He was a Certified Consulting Meteorologist of the American Meteorological Society. He is a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) and co-authored CASE reports on MTBE in gasoline and the automobile emissions testing program that resulted in new legislation in Connecticut.

In 1997, Marshall joined Northeast Utilities for database management systems associated with Energy Conservation and Management. He developed a data warehouse and developed marketing systems for account executives. He retired from Northeast Utilities in 2006.

In retirement, Marshall wrote, “The Church on Tolland Green”, a history from 1722 of the United Congregational Church of Tolland. He is now the Church Historian. He is a commissioner of the Tolland Housing Authority.   He recently published “The Tolland Transformation 1940-2014”,  a history of Tolland converting from a small Connecticut farm town to an award winning suburban town.  His research in retirement included the effects of global warming on the temperature in New England.

When he’s not researching the weather and making predictions for his family, he is gardening.  He spent his youth on a strawberry farm and learned the weather effects on farmers.  He’s as passionate about American history as he is the weather and has published books and articles about historical and weather-related topics.

This blog will cover topics on climate change, both global and in New England, and historical topics in Northeastern Connecticut.