About
The Millersville Meteorology program was born in the early 1970s, and the original weather station was located in Roddy Science Hall. For most of the next decade the facility was managed by Barry Walton, with the first forecasts being issued to the local media in 1980. Joining MU Meteorology in 1988, Eric Horst spearheaded efforts to grow the program's forecasting operations and community outreach. Rapid growth of MU Meteorology in the 1990s and the construction of the new Caputo Hall led to the launch of the current Weather Information Center (WIC) from the penthouse weather station atop Caputo Hall. In recent years, the WIC has become widely recognized as a top source of quality forecasts and expert analysis. Horst retired as the director of the WIC in 2020, and Kyle Elliott then joined MU Meteorology as the new WIC Director in 2021. Nearly 100 meteorology students currently participate in various forecasting activities, the foremost of which is the Campus Weather Service.
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Principal Members
Back to topKyle A. Elliott - Director, Weather Information Center
After graduating from Millersville University in 2014 with his BS in meteorology and Penn State University in 2016 with his MS in meteorology, Kyle worked at AccuWeather from 2016-2020 as an operational forecaster. He then joined Millersville Meteorology in fall 2021. His primary focus is on weather analysis, media meteorology and the development of Internet weather resources. An expert forecaster, he has been quoted in newspapers and magazines and has composed forecasts for TV and radio broadcasts. Email: kyle.elliott@millersville.edu
Greg Blumberg - Assistant Professor of Meteorology
Dr. Blumberg is an expert in atmospheric retrievals, severe weather prediction and analysis, diurnal boundary layer transitions, mesoscale heterogeneity, and launch range safety. Prior to joining Millersville Meteorology, Greg earned his BS, MS, and PhD at the University of Oklahoma. Email: greg.blumberg@millersville.edu
Eleanor Casas - Assistant Professor of Meteorology
Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Casas is an expert in interactions between the tropical cyclone (TC) boundary layer and TC structure and intensity. Prior to joining Millersville Meteorology, Ellie was a postdoctoral Research Faculty Associate at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA, where her research involved combining cutting-edge Bayesian deep machine learning and remote sensing to both quantify and visualize uncertainties of cloud microphysical distributions from geostationary infrared satellite data. Ellie earned her BS degree at Valparaiso University and MS and PhD degrees at Colorado State University. Ellie’s broad range of research interests has allowed her to participate in multiple field campaigns, including as an FAA-licensed drone pilot, and her research background has also helped her collaborate in multiple interdisciplinary experiences with computer scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Email: eleanor.casas@millersville.edu
Sepidah Yalda - Professor of Meteorology
Sepideh Yalda is a Professor of Meteorology and the Director of the Center for Disaster Research and Education. Her research interests are in the areas of climate dynamics and regional climate change. She earned her Ph.D. in Meteorology from Saint Louis University in 1997. Email: sepi.yalda@millersville.edu
Todd Sikora - Professor of Meteorology
Dr. Sikora's interests are in microscale and mesoscale convection, and in synoptic meteorology. Dr. Sikora earned his BS, MS, and PhD at Penn State University. Email: todd.sikora@millersville.edu
David Fitzgerald - Meteorology Systems & Network Manager
A graduate of Millersville University and the University of Wyoming (M.S.), Dave oversees all aspects of our meteorological network. Email: david.fitzgerald@millersville.edu