International Climate Change Expert and Nobel Prize Team Member Speaking at South Lake Tahoe Conference

Network television meteorologists from around the country will head to South Lake Tahoe for a leading national weather conference January 8-11, 2014 and two of the sessions are open to the public.

Tahoe South's Annual Operation Sierra Storm Meteorologist's Conference features leading scientists and experts discussing newsworthy topics and trends.

Dr. William Collins, an internationally recognized climate change scientist and a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, will be the keynote speaker.

The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. Collins, a senior scientist and climate sciences department head at University of California, Berkeley, is a lead author of the IPCC's upcoming Fifth Assessment, the scientific community’s report on the latest climate change findings. His hour long presentation Friday, Jan. 10, at 9 a.m. at Harveys Cabaret Theater is open to the public courtesy of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, the conference sponsor.

Speakers at the event:
Dr. Duane Waliser, chief scientist of the Earth Science and Technology Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Research on weather patterns to forecast major winter storms and atmospheric rivers three to four weeks out.

Virgil Welch, special counsel California Air Resources Board. National study on creating more efficient, low-carbon and environmentally beneficial transportation systems.

Julie Regan, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, external affairs chief. Climate change impacts on skiing’s future and area’s leadership role as a national model.

Jeff Piotrowski, an Emmy Award winning storm chaser who has filmed more than 800 tornadoes in his 30 years and licenses his weather footage for documentaries featured on The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, The Learning Channel, The History Channel and The Weather Channel. (Presenting at Wednesday evening’s Welcome Reception, 8 p.m., Jan. 8 at Harveys, Kitchen 19.)

Collins and Welch’s presentation will be open to the public Friday, Jan. 10 at Harveys Lake Tahoe. Welch will speak from 7:45 – 8:45 a.m. and Collins from 9 – 10 a.m. with Q&A to follow. Waliser and Regan’s presentation are Thursday, Jan. 9 at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel.