I am a Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant at the Department of Earth, Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences, Western Kentucky University, working under Dr. Xingang Fan on the NSF Kentucky EPSCoR CLIMBS Project (Climate Resilience through Multidisciplinary Big Data Learning, Prediction & Building Response Systems).
My work sits at the intersection of extreme weather modeling, climate projection, and data-driven atmospheric science. I build Python-based diagnostics for large geophysical datasets, run workflows on NCAR's Casper and Derecho HPC systems, and translate reanalysis data into actionable insights about how storm environments are changing across the Ohio River Valley.
Before WKU, I earned my B.Sc. in Meteorology and Climate Science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana — graduating Second Class Upper Division — where I also served as a daily weather forecaster and Teaching & Research Assistant.
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Ohio River Basin | WKU | Aug 2025 – Present Building climatological baselines and future projections of severe-storm environments using ERA5 reanalysis and downscaled CMIP6 model outputs. Computing convective diagnostics across multi-decadal periods to quantify how tornado and hail environments are shifting under climate change. Active diagnostics: CAPE · CIN · STP · SRH · Wind Shear · Lapse Rates · Vorticity Stack: Python · Xarray · MetPy · Cartopy · NCAR HPC (Casper / Derecho) |
Status 🟢 Data pipeline — complete 🟢 ERA5 diagnostics — complete 🟡 CMIP6 downscaling — in progress 🔵 Future scenario maps — upcoming 🔵 Thesis writing — upcoming Advisor: Dr. Xingang Fan Project: NSF EPSCoR CLIMBS |
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M.S. Thesis | WKU | Aug 2025 – Present Climatological and future projections of severe-storm environments in the Ohio River Basin using ERA5 reanalysis and downscaled CMIP6 outputs. Key diagnostics computed:
Tools: Python · Xarray · MetPy · NCAR HPC |
KNUST Undergraduate Research | 2021 – 2024 First systematic investigation of heatwave trends in Northern Ghana using station data from the Ghana Meteorological Agency and RCP 8.5 / 2.6 projections. Findings: Heatwaves have been occurring for decades, largely undocumented. Projected to increase significantly in frequency, duration, and intensity. Publications:
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Languages
Libraries & Frameworks
Atmospheric Science Tools
Platforms & Environments
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| Year | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Yamba, Amponsah, Pinkrah et al. — Historical Analysis of Heatwaves Prevalence, Frequency, Duration and Intensity in Ghana | Under Review |
| 2024 | Yamba, Amponsah, Pinkrah — Characteristics and Long-term Trends of Heatwaves in Northern Ghana | Published (Ghana Science Association Abstract) |
| Degree | Institution | Period | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 M.S. Geological Sciences | Western Kentucky University | Aug 2025 – Present | 4.0 / 4.0 |
| 🇬🇭 B.Sc. Meteorology & Climate Science | KNUST, Ghana | Jan 2021 – Nov 2024 | Second Class Upper Division |
🌪️ Extreme Weather Events & Severe Storm Prediction
🌡️ Climate Change, Variability & Dynamics
🌧️ Hydroclimatology & Precipitation Extremes
🌀 Tropical Meteorology & West African Climate
🖥️ Numerical Weather Prediction (WRF)
📡 Climate Modeling (ERA5 · CMIP6 · Downscaling)
- Science & Technology Head — Meteorology & Climate Science Students' Association, KNUST (Aug 2023 – Sep 2024)
- Python Instructor — Undergraduate workshops in data analysis, visualization & scientific computing, KNUST
- ForWEB Advocate — Weather forecasting early warning & disaster preparedness program, Ghana (2021 – 2024)
- Daily Weather Forecaster — Operational forecasts for Kumasi & national summary outlooks, KNUST