The American Meteorological Society announces its 2026 Awards and Honors, recognizing outstanding contributions to the weather, water, and climate community by individuals and organizations. 2026 recipients will be honored at the 106th AMS Annual Meeting in Houston, 25–29 January, 2026.
“Through its awards AMS recognizes some of the many, many exceptional people working across the Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise to benefit humanity,” says AMS Past President Anjuli Bamzai, chair of the AMS Awards Oversight Committee. “Even as our community is facing a time of unprecedented upheaval, the role we play in society remains crucial and only grows in importance. From emergency managers and meteorologists on the front lines alerting the public about disasters like Hurricane Helene, to educators and mentors, to researchers making transformative advances in understanding, this year’s honorees have made vital contributions. We recognize and honor their dedication and passion. Congratulations to the honorees, and thank you to the nominators and members of the Awards Oversight Committee.”
Read about the AMS honorees for 2026 below.
Honorary Members
AMS Honorary Members are “persons of acknowledged preeminence in the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences, either through their own contributions to the sciences or their application or through furtherance of the advance of those sciences in some other way.” The following people are named AMS Honorary Members:
- Stanley Benjamin
- Fred Carr
- Claire Parkinson
Science and Technology Medals
THE CARL-GUSTAF ROSSBY RESEARCH MEDAL
Awarded to Wayne Schubert, for fundamental and sustained research on the theoretical understanding of moist atmospheric processes, hurricanes, and geophysical fluid dynamics and their representation in numerical models.
Awarded to Martha Anderson, for groundbreaking research combining satellite remote sensing and modeling of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions to solve problems in hydrology, agriculture, and climate.
THE SVERDRUP GOLD MEDAL
Awarded to Zhengyu Liu, for fundamental and transdisciplinary advances in our understanding of the dynamics of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system in the present, past, and future.
THE VERNER E. SUOMI TECHNOLOGY MEDAL
Awarded to Zhanqing Li, for fundamental contributions in the application of remote sensing to quantifying Earth's energy budget, including the impacts of aerosols and their interactions with clouds.
Awarded to Tapio Schneider, for pioneering research on atmospheric dynamics and climate change and for leading a pathbreaking climate model development effort.
THE WARREN WASHINGTON RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP MEDAL
Awarded to William Brune, for transformational advances in the chemistry of the upper and lower atmosphere, critical leadership at multiple levels, and mentoring of diverse groups.
Science and Technology Prizes
THE JAGADISH SHUKLA EARTH SYSTEM PREDICTABILITY PRIZE
Awarded to Siegfried Schubert, for groundbreaking insights into the variability and predictability of droughts and other extremes in the climate system.
THE DAVID AND LUCILLE ATLAS REMOTE SENSING PRIZE
Awarded to Chandra V. Chandrasekar, for advancing remote-sensing measurements of precipitation and applications of weather radar.
Service Awards
THE CHARLES FRANKLIN BROOKS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE SOCIETY
Awarded to Wendy Schreiber-Abshire, for decades of outstanding and enthusiastic service to the Society with significant contributions in promoting earth science education and making AMS a more inclusive Society.
THE CLEVELAND ABBE AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE ATMOSPHERIC AND RELATED SCIENCES
Awarded to Renee McPherson, for extraordinary efforts to develop programs, tools, and relationships to translate weather and climate information for use by communities.
Teaching and Mentorship Awards
THE EDWARD N. LORENZ TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD
Awarded to Jonathan Kahl, for transformative teaching and mentoring, seminal contributions to education literature, and for implementing international learning experiences that inspired generations of atmospheric scientists.
THE ROBERT H. AND JOANNE SIMPSON MENTORSHIP AWARD
Awarded to Harold Brooks, for steadfast mentorship of multiple generations of scholars, especially students, and those working in interdisciplinary and international arenas.
Awards for Outstanding Contributions
Awarded to Harinder P.S. Ahluwalia, for facilitating the growth of the weather, water, and climate enterprise and for forging mutually beneficial connections across sectors.
THE JOANNE SIMPSON TROPICAL METEOROLOGY RESEARCH AWARD
Awarded to Adam Sobel, for advancing understanding of tropical meteorology through transformative approaches, including the weak temperature gradient approximation and moisture-mode theory.
THE SYUKURO MANABE CLIMATE RESEARCH AWARD
Awarded to Bette Otto-Bliesner, for groundbreaking contributions to modeling past climate change across time scales and transformative insights into dynamic interactions within Earth’s climate system.
THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADVANCE OF APPLIED METEOROLOGY
Awarded to Timothy Loftus, for pioneering AI methods to create value-added meteorological datasets, significantly enhancing business and stakeholder decision-making and operational efficiency.
THE HENRY T. HARRISON AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY A CONSULTING METEOROLOGIST
Awarded to Timothy Hall, CCM, for achievements supporting the public sector, leadership strengthening the Certified Consulting Meteorologist program, and a career of service to the meteorological community.
Awarded to Bradford Barrett, for fostering collaborations through courageous personal engagement with scientists and students in both the U.S. and Latin America.
Awarded to Elie Bou-Zeid, for outstanding contributions to understanding urban climates and transports, including the development of large-eddy-simulation models.
THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOMETEOROLOGY
Awarded to Lawrence Hipps, for many insightful and innovative contributions as a scientist, teacher, and mentor that address the fundamental and practical challenges facing the biometeorological community.
THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOUNDARY-LAYER METEOROLOGY
Awarded to John Finnigan, for transformative contributions to our understanding of surface and boundary layer flows over vegetated and complex terrain through innovative uses of observations and simulations.
THE FRANCIS W. REICHELDERFER AWARD
Awarded to Michael Cosh for advances in large-scale in situ monitoring and remote sensing validation of soil moisture, facilitating more effective weather information for the public.
Awarded to Xiaomin Chen, Andrew Hazelton, Frank Marks, Ghassan Alaka, and Chunxi Zhang, for developing a high-wind boundary-layer parameterization scheme that advances the intensity, including rapid intensification, and forecast skill of NOAA’s operational hurricane forecast model, HAFS.
Journalism Awards
THE AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SCIENCE JOURNALISM IN THE ATMOSPHERIC AND RELATED SCIENCES
Awarded to Lois Parshley, for translating Earth system science into impactful reporting that reveals changing climate impacts on human lives in vulnerable and underreported regions.
Broadcast Meteorology Awards
THE JUNE BACON-BERCEY AWARD FOR BROADCAST METEOROLOGY
Awarded to Andrew Humphrey, for extensive contributions to the field of broadcast meteorology — including dedication to promoting diversity in the weather community — over an expansive, nearly 30-year career.
THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE REPORTING BY A BROADCAST METEOROLOGIST
Awarded to Elisa Raffa, for unique and relatable storytelling over the last decade that captures climate change impacts on a broad range of subjects affecting multiple audiences.
Early-Career Awards
THE CLARENCE LEROY MEISINGER AWARD
Awarded to Timothy Cronin, for advances in fundamental understanding of the roles of atmospheric convection and radiation in climate.
Awarded to Malte Stuecker for fundamental advances to our understanding of climate dynamics and its impacts.
THE AWARD FOR EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
Awarded to Carlos Martinez, for pioneering research, transformative leadership in bridging science and society, and exceptional service fostering inclusive dialogue and action across weather, water, and climate enterprise.
THE NICHOLAS P. FOFONOFF AWARD
Awarded to Jacob Wenegrat, for pioneering insights into the role of topography, boundary layers, and air-sea interactions in submesoscale ocean dynamics.
Awarded to Dan Li, for foundational contributions to understanding how urbanization interacts with the climate system.
Forecaster Awards
THE AWARD FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL SPECIFIC PREDICTION
Awarded to NWS Weather Prediction Center, for exceptional forecasting and messaging of Hurricane Helene's devastating flooding and associated impacts.
AMS Chapter Awards
LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Awarded to the Chicago Chapter of the AMS, for unwavering dedication to professional development, service, education, and public awareness for meteorology and climatology.
LOCAL STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Awarded to the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Chapter, for outstanding commitment to its members, the community, and the AMS through innovative activities in service, outreach, and professional development.
Lectureship Awards
The Society’s lectureships recognize outstanding mid-career scientists. Lectures will be delivered at AMS meetings in 2026.
THE WALTER ORR ROBERTS LECTURER: Armin Sorooshian
For outstanding contributions to the development of instrumentation for, new knowledge in, and novel public health applications of atmospheric chemistry and physics.
THE ROBERT E. HORTON LECTURER IN HYDROLOGY: Amir AghaKouchak
For fundamental and innovative contributions to understanding and characterizing hydrologic extremes and compound hazards under a changing climate.
THE BERNHARD HAURWITZ MEMORIAL LECTURER: Tiffany Shaw
For fundamental advances in climate dynamics and understanding of how atmospheric circulation responds to climate change.
Editor's Awards
The Editor’s Award is given to an individual for outstanding service to the AMS journals, the Glossary of Meteorology, and the Meteorological Monographs. Services may include providing exceptional reviews in a timely fashion, providing consistently helpful reviews, or providing reviews of difficult submissions, as well as other assistance to the publication. Editor’s award winners for 2026 are:
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
- Sharanya Majumdar
- Andrew Molthan
Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Sciences
- Daniel Rothenberg
Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
- Scott Landolt
- Gert-Jan Duine
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
- Rosimar Rios-Berrios
- Pablo Zurita-Gotor
Journal of Climate
- Shoichiro Kido
- Osamu Miyawaki
Journal of Climate AND Monthly Weather Review
- Ben Schenkel
Journal of Hydrometeorology
- Ali Tokay
Journal of Physical Oceanography
- Mara Freilich
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
- Fraser King
Monthly Weather Review
- James Marquis
Weather and Forecasting AND Monthly Weather Review
- Matthew Brown
Weather and Forecasting
- Feimin Zhang
Weather, Climate, and Society
- Shubhechchha Sharma
Cross-Journal
- Steven Cavallo
New AMS Fellows
AMS Fellows are elected by the AMS Council based on “outstanding contributions to the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences or their applications during a substantial period of years." New AMS Fellows in 2026 are:
- Emmanouil Anagnostou
- Kristen Averyt
- Elizabeth Barnes
- Mona Behl
- Suzana Camargo
- John Chiang
- Huilin Gao
- Sundararaman Gopalakrishnan
- Pierre Kirstetter
- Kimberly Klockow McClain
- Paul Kushner
- Todd Lane
- John Lanicci
- Peter May
- Renee McPherson
- Arthur J. Miller
- Gerald Mulvey
- Hisashi Nakamura
- Steven Quiring
- Jens Redemann
- Ramalingam Saravanan
- Tapio Schneider
- Bruce Telfeyan
- Darin Toohey
- Zhuo Wang
- Shaocheng Xie
- Xuguang Wang
Learn more about AMS Awards and Honors here. View this year’s awardees online here.
About the American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society advances the atmospheric and related sciences, technologies, applications, and services for the benefit of society. Founded in 1919, AMS has a membership of more than 12,000 professionals, students, and weather enthusiasts. AMS publishes 12 atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic science journals—in print and online; sponsors more than 12 conferences annually; and offers numerous programs and services. Visit us at https://www.ametsoc.org/.