Dr Andy Elvidge

Areas of expertise

• Orographic flows

• Mountain waves

• Air-sea-ice interactions in the polar regions

Current activities

Andy is a scientist working on Orographic Processes effects on weather and climate, with a particular focus on the drag exerted on the atmosphere by mountains. Andy uses observations, high resolution models and developing theory to assess, tune and improve the way in which this orographic drag is represented in the Met Office Unified Model. Andy is also working with colleagues in the Aviation group to improve the prediction of mountain-induced turbulence.

Career background

Andy joined the Atmospheric Processes and Parametrizations group at the Met Office in August 2015. Previous to this he completed an MSc in Atmospheric Sciences, a PhD and Postdoc at the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia under the supervision of Prof. Ian Renfrew. During his PhD, Andy carried out research into the characteristics and causes of warming in the lee of mountains, with a particular focus on foehn winds over the Antarctic Peninsula and their effect on the local climate and ice shelf melt. Andy's postdoc took him to the other pole, using aircraft observations to evaluate the parametric representation of atmospheric drag over the Arctic marginal ice zone. During his time at UEA Andy participated in intensive aircraft-focussed field campaigns in the Arctic and Antarctic, and has experience in planning and leading science flights.

Andy previously graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Geology and worked for two years as a Geotechnical Engineer.