The March 2001 meeting of the Memphis, TN Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) was held on March 26th with fifteen people in attendance. The meeting was held at the National Weather Service Forecast Office. Chairperson Mike Wroten opened the evening by reviewing the recent Memphis/Shelby County Science and Engineering Fair, to which the local chapter sent 2 judges. Two division winners and an honorable mention winner were chosen from among the students that completed projects in Meteorology or Atmospheric Science. The division winners will receive one year subscriptions to Weatherwise magazine, provided by our local chapter, and all three students received Certificates of Achievement from the national AMS. The West Tennessee Science Fair is also coming up and we will send two judges to this event, to be held at Union University in Jackson, TN. Possible meeting topics for May were also discussed.

The speaker for the evening was Jonathon Howell, a Technical Specialist/Meteorologist with the Air Pollution Control Division of the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department. His presentation, "How's the Air Around Memphis?", began with a brief description of the hierarchy within the Health Dept.'s Air Pollution Control section and the responsibilities of each of the divisions. Mr. Howell works as the sole Meteorologist within the Air Monitoring Division, whose responsibility it is to maintain the air monitoring network/equipment, as well as collect, record, report, and quality assure the data. There are currently six (6) pollutants that are monitored in the Memphis urban area, including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxides, particulate matter, and ozone. A description of each pollutant, it's sources, and effects, was given, as well as pictures of the equipment that is used to monitor the concentration of these pollutants. Some recent successes in the Air Pollution Control division include having the lowest level of lead in 30 years and a recent decrease in carbon monoxide levels. Mr. Howell's main task for the next couple of years will be to put together a 24-hour forecast of ozone levels in the city based on local meteorology and it's known effects on the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere. Ozone was chosen because it has become the biggest problem for this area, when compared to other pollutants. An equation will be derived that will include several meteorological factors, including surface temperature, dewpoint, average cloud cover, surface wind, and inversion strength. This work is also being derived from a similar experiment in the state of Alabama, where Mr. Howell spent time before arriving in Memphis. It is his goal to test a forecast equation this summer and have forecasts available to the public by next summer. The forecast would hopefully give some forewarning to residents who experience respiratory problems and other ailments during periods of high pollution.

Following a question and answer session, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Erik Proseus
Vice-President, Memphis Chapter
American Meterological Society

Approved,
Mike Wroten
President, Memphis Chapter
American Meterological Society