Research: List of Refereed Publications

• Hill, A.J., R.S. Schumacher, and M.L. Green, 2024: Observation definitions and their implications in machine learning-based predictions of excessive rainfall. Weather and Forecasting, 39, 1733–1750.
• James, E.P., and R.S. Schumacher, 2024: Precipitation proxies for flash flooding: A seven-year analysis over the contiguous United States. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 25,1323-1344.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2024. Modernizing Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
• Borchardt, B., K. Sherburn, and R.S. Schumacher, 2024: Radar signatures and surface observations of elevated convection associated with damaging surface winds. Weather and Forecasting, 39, 943-963.
• Schumacher, R.S., R.A. Bolinger, and J.J. Lukas, 2024: Development of Alternate Climate Divisions for Colorado Based on Gridded Data. Journal of Applied and Service Clmatology, 2024, 3, 1-9.
• Bolinger, R.A., J.J. Lukas, R.S. Schumacher, and P.E. Goble, 2024: Climate Change in Colorado, 3rd edition. Colorado State University.
• Goble, P.E., and R.S. Schumacher, 2023: On the sources of water supply forecast error in western Colorado. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 24, 2321-2332.
• Goble, P.E., H.W. Caspari, and R.S. Schumacher, 2023: Using climatological data to identify locations with viticultural potential in Colorado. Journal of Applied and Service Clmatology, 2023, 1-21.
• Mazurek, A.C., and R.S. Schumacher, 2023: Quantifying the relationship between embedded rotation and extreme rainfall rates in observations of Tropical Storm Imelda (2019). Monthly Weather Review, 151, 1109-1128.
• Schumacher, R.S., S.J. Childs, and R.D. Adams-Selin, 2023: Intense surface winds from gravity wave breaking in simulations of a destructive macroburst. Monthly Weather Review, 151, 775-793.
• Hill, A.J., R.S. Schumacher, and I.L. Jirak, 2023: A new paradigm for medium-range severe weather forecasts: probabilistic random forest-based predictions. Weather and Forecasting, 38, 251-272.
• Casaretto, G., M.E. Dillon, P. Salio, Y.G. Skabar, S.W. Nesbitt, R.S. Schumacher, C.M. Garcia, and C. Catalini, 2022: High resolution NWP forecast comparison over complex terrain of the Sierras de Córdoba during RELAMPAGO-CACTI. Weather and Forecasting, 37, 241-266.
• Goble, P.E., R.A. Bolinger, and R.S. Schumacher, 2021: A CONUS-wide standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index for major US row crops. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22, 3141-3158.
• Groff, F.P., R.D. Adams-Selin, and R.S. Schumacher, 2021: Response of MCSs and low-frequency gravity waves to vertical wind shear and nocturnal thermodynamic environments. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 78, 3889-3908.
• Hill, A.J., and R.S. Schumacher, 2021: Forecasting excessive rainfall with random forests and a deterministic convection-allowing model. Weather and Forecasting, 36, 1693-1711.
• Childs, S.J., R.S. Schumacher, and R.D. Adams-Selin, 2021: High-resolution observations of a destructive macroburst. Monthly Weather Review , 149, 2875-2896.
• Schumacher, R.S., A.J. Hill, M. Klein, J.A. Nelson, M.J. Erickson, S.M. Trojniak, and G.R. Herman, 2021: From random forests to flood forecasts: A research to operations success story. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102, E1742-E1755.
• Nesbitt, S.W., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2021: A storm safari in Subtropical South America: proyecto RELAMPAGO. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102, E1621-E1644.
• Piersante, J.O., K.L. Rasmussen, R.S. Schumacher, A.K. Rowe, and L.A. McMurdie, 2021. A synoptic evolution comparison of the smallest and largest MCSs in subtropical South America between spring and summer. Monthly Weather Review, 149, 1943-1966.
• Piersante, J.O., R.S. Schumacher, and K.L. Rasmussen, 2021: Comparison of biases in warm-season WRF forecasts in North and South America. Weather and Forecasting, 36, 979-1001.
• Schumacher, R.S., D.A. Hence, S.W. Nesbitt, R.J. Trapp, K.A. Kosiba, J. Wurman, P. Salio, M. Rugna, A.C. Varble, and N.R. Kelly, 2021: Convective-storm environments in subtropical South America from high-frequency soundings during RELAMPAGO-CACTI. Monthly Weather Review, 149, 1439-1458.
• Powers, J. G., K.K. Werner, D.O. Gill, Y-L Lin, and R.S. Schumacher, 2021: Cloud computing efforts for the Weather Research and Forecasting model. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102, E1261-E1274.
• Schumacher, R.S., and G.R. Herman, 2021: Reply to “Comments on ‘Flash Flood Verification: Pondering Precipitation Proxies’". Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22, 749-752.
• Childs, S.J., R.S. Schumacher, and J.L. Demuth, 2020: Agricultural perspectives on hailstorm severity, vulnerability, and risk messaging in eastern Colorado. Weather, Climate, and Society, 12, 897-911.
• Hitchcock, S.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2020: Analysis of back-building convection in simulations with a strong low-level stable layer. Monthly Weather Review, 148, 3773-3797.
• Schumacher, R.S., and K.L. Rasmussen, 2020: The formation, character and changing nature of mesoscale convective systems. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, 1, 300-314.
• Childs, S.J., R.S. Schumacher, and S.M. Strader, 2020: Projecting end-of-century human exposure from tornadoes and severe hailstorms in eastern Colorado: Meteorological and population perspectives. Weather, Climate, and Society, 12, 575-595.
• Henderson, J., E.R. Nielsen, G.R. Herman, and R.S. Schumacher, 2020: A hazard multiple: Overlapping tornado and flash flood warnings in a National Weather Service Forecast Office in the Southeastern United States.Weather and Forecasting, 35, 1459-1481.
• Hill, A.J., G.R. Herman, and R.S. Schumacher, 2020: Forecasting severe weather with random forests. Monthly Weather Review, 148, 2135–2161.
• Goble, P.E., N.J. Doesken, I. Durre, R.S. Schumacher, A. Stewart, and J. Turner, 2020: Who received the most rain today? An analysis of daily precipitation extremes in the contiguous US using CoCoRaHS and COOP reports. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101, E710-E719.
• Nielsen, E.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2020: Dynamical mechanisms supporting extreme rainfall accumulations in the Houston "Tax Day" 2016 flood. Monthly Weather Review, 148, 83-109.
• Nielsen, E.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2020: Observations of extreme short-term precipitation associated with supercells and mesovortices. Monthly Weather Review, 148, 159-182.
• Erickson, M.J., J.S. Kastman, B. Albright, S. Perfater, J.A. Nelson, R.S. Schumacher, and G.R. Herman, 2019: Verification results from the 2017 HMT-WPC Flash Flood and Intense Rainfall experiment. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 58, 2591-2604.
• Kelley, J., D.M. Schultz, R.S. Schumacher, and D.R. Durran, 2019: Can mountain waves contribute to damaging winds far away from the lee slope? Weather and Forecasting, 34, 2045-2065.
• Piña, A.J., R.S. Schumacher, A.S. Denning, W.B. Faulkner, J.S. Baron, J. Ham, D.S. Ojima, and J.L. Collett, 2019: Reducing wet ammonium deposition in Rocky Mountain National Park: The development and evaluation of a pilot early warning system for agricultural operations in eastern Colorado. Environmental Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-019-01209-z.
• Barlow, M., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2019: North American extreme precipitation events and related Large-Scale Meteorological Patterns: A review of statistical methods, dynamics, modeling, and trends. Climate Dynamics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04958-z.
• Childs, S.J., and R.S. Schumacher, 2019: An Updated Severe Hail and Tornado Climatology for Eastern Colorado. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 58, 2273-2293.
• Zhang, L., J. Min, X. Zhuang, and R.S. Schumacher, 2019: General features of extreme rain events produced by MCSs over East China during 2016-2017. Monthly Weather Review, 147, 2693-2714.
• Hitchcock, S.M., R.S. Schumacher, G.R. Herman, M.C. Coniglio, M.D. Parker, and C.L. Ziegler, 2019: Evolution of pre- and post-convective environmental profiles from mesoscale convective systems during PECAN. Monthly Weather Review, 147, 2329-2354.
• Hagerman, A.D., South, D.D., Sondgerath, T.C., K.A. Patyk, R.L. Sanson, R.S. Schumacher, A.H. Delgado, and S. Magzamen, 2018: Temporal and geographic distribution of weather conditions favorable to airborne spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the continental United States. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 161, 41-49.
• Herman, G.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: Flash flood verification: Pondering precipitation proxies. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 19, 1753-1776.
• Nielsen, E.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: Dynamical insights into extreme short-term precipitation associated with supercells and mesovortices. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 75, 2893-3009.
• Herman, G.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: "Dendrology" in Numerical Weather Prediction: What random forests and logistic regression tell us about forecasting extreme precipitation. Monthly Weather Review, 146, 1785-1812.
• Herman, G.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: Money doesn't grow on trees, but forecasts do: Forecasting extreme precipitation with random forests. Monthly Weather Review, 146, 1571-1600.
• Childs, S.J. and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: Cold-season Tornado Risk Communication: Case Studies from November 2016 –February 2017. Weather, Climate, and Society., 10,, 419-433.
• Childs, S.J., R.S. Schumacher, and J.T. Allen, 2018: Cold-season Tornadoes: Climatological and Meteorological Insights. Weather and Forecasting, 33, 671-691.
• Herman, G.R., E.R. Nielsen, and R.S. Schumacher, 2018: Probabilistic Verification of Storm Prediction Center Convective Outlooks. Weather and Forecasting, 33, 161–184.
• Peters, J.M., E.R. Nielsen, M.D. Parker, S.M. Hitchcock, and R.S. Schumacher, 2017: The impact of low-level moisture errors on model forecasts of an MCS observed during PECAN. Monthly Weather Review, 145, 3599-3624.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2017: Heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Invited contribution, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science.
• Schumacher, R.S., and J.M. Peters, 2017: Near-surface thermodynamic sensitivities in simulated extreme-rain-producing mesoscale convective systems. Monthly Weather Review, 145, 2177-2200.
• Geerts. B., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2017: The 2015 Plains Elevated Convection At Night (PECAN) field project. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 98, 767-786.
• Nielsen, E.R., G.R. Herman, R.C. Tournay, J.M. Peters, and R.S. Schumacher, 2016: Reply to "Comments on 'Double Impact: When both tornadoes and flash floods threaten the same place at the same time.'" Weather and Forecasting, 31, 1723-1727.
• Herman, G.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2016: Extreme Precipitation in Models: An Evaluation. Weather and Forecasting, 31, 1853-1879.
• Nielsen, E.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2016: Using Convection-Allowing Ensembles to Understand the Predictability of an Extreme Rainfall Event. Monthly Weather Review, 144, 3651-3676.
• Schroeder, A.J. and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2016: The Development of a Flash Flood Severity Index. Journal of Hydrology, 541, 523-532.
• Peters, J.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2016: Dynamics Governing a Simulated Mesoscale Convective System with a Training Convective Line. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 73, 2643-2664.
• Herman, G.R., and R.S. Schumacher, 2016: Using Reforecasts to Improve Forecasting of Fog and Visibility for Aviation. Weather and Forecasting, 31, 467-482.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2016: The Studies of Precipitation, flooding, and Rainfall Extremes Across Disciplines (SPREAD) workshop: An interdisciplinary research and education initiative. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 97, 1791-1796.
• Trapp, R.J., D.J. Stensrud, M.C. Coniglio, R.S. Schumacher, M.E. Baldwin, S. Waugh, and D.T. Conlee, 2016: Mobile radiosonde deployments during the Mesoscale Predictability Experiment (MPEX): Rapid and adaptive sampling of upscale convective feedbacks. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 97, 329-336.
• Nielsen, E.R., R.S. Schumacher, and A.M. Keclik, 2016: The Effect of the Balcones Escarpment on Three Cases of Extreme Precipitation in Central Texas. Monthly Weather Review, 144, 119-138.
• Nielsen, E.R., G.R. Herman, R.C. Tournay, J.M. Peters, and R.S. Schumacher, 2015: Double Impact: When both tornadoes and flash floods threaten the same place at the same time. Weather and Forecasting, 30, 1673-1693.
• Morales, A., R.S. Schumacher, and S.M. Kreidenweis, 2015: Mesoscale vortex development during extreme precipitation: Colorado, September 2013. Monthly Weather Review, 143, 4943-4962.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2015: Resolution dependence of initiation and upscale growth of deep convection in convection-allowing forecasts of the 31 May-1 June 2013 supercell and MCS. Monthly Weather Review, 143, 4331-4354.
• Trier, S.B., G.S. Romine, D.A. Ahijevych, R.J. Trapp, R.S. Schumacher, M.C. Coniglio, and D.J. Stensrud, 2015: Mesoscale thermodynamic influences on convection initiation near a surface dryline in a convection-permitting ensemble. Monthly Weather Review, 143, 3726-3753.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2015: Sensitivity of precipitation accumulation in elevated convective systems to small changes in low-level moisture. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 72, 2507-2524.
• Peters, J.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2015: The simulated structure and evolution of a quasi-idealized warm season convective system with a training convective line. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 72, 1987-2010.
• Weisman, M.L., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2015: The Mesoscale Predictability Experiment (MPEX). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 96, 2127-2149.
• Gochis, D., R.S. Schumacher, and Coauthors, 2015: The Great Colorado Flood of September 2013. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 96, 1461-1487.
• Schumacher, R.S., D.M. Schultz, and J.A. Knox, 2015: Influence of terrain resolution on banded convection in the lee of the Rocky Mountains. Monthly Weather Review, 143, 1399-1416.
• Peters, J.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2015: Mechanisms for organization and echo training in a flash-flood-producing mesoscale convective system. Monthly Weather Review, 143, 1058-1085.
• Schumacher, R.S., and A.J. Clark, 2014: Evaluation of ensemble configurations for the analysis and prediction of heavy-rain-producing mesoscale convective systems. Monthly Weather Review, 142, 4108-4138.
• Stevenson, S.N., and R.S. Schumacher, 2014: A 10-year survey of extreme rainfall events in the central and eastern United States using gridded multisensor precipitation analyses. Monthly Weather Review, 142, 3147-3162.
• Johnson, R.H., R.S. Schumacher, J.H. Ruppert, Jr., D.T. Lindsey, J.E. Ruthford, and L. Kriederman, 2014: The role of convective outflow in the Waldo Canyon Fire. Monthly Weather Review, 142, 3061-3080.
• Peters, J.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2014: Objective categorization of heavy-rain-producing MCS synoptic types by rotated principal component analysis. Monthly Weather Review, 142, 1716-1737.
• Lynch, S.L., and R.S. Schumacher, 2014: Ensemble-based Analysis of the May 2010 Extreme Rainfall in Tennessee and Kentucky. Monthly Weather Review, 142, 222-239.
• Hitchens, N.M., H.E. Brooks, and R.S. Schumacher, 2013: Temporal characteristics of heavy hourly rainfall in the United States. Monthly Weather Review, 141, 4564-4575.
• Schumacher, R.S., A.J. Clark, M. Xue, and F. Kong, 2013: Factors influencing the development and maintenance of nocturnal heavy-rain-producing convective systems in a storm-scale ensemble. Monthly Weather Review, 141, 2278-2801.
• Keene, K.M., and R.S. Schumacher, 2013: The bow and arrow mesoscale convective structure. Monthly Weather Review, 141, 1648-1672.
• Schumacher, R.S., and T.J. Galarneau, Jr., 2012: Moisture transport into midlatitudes ahead of recurving tropical cyclones and its relevance in two predecessor rain events. Monthly Weather Review, 140, 1810-1827.
• Bodner, M.J., N.W. Junker, R.H. Grumm, and R.S. Schumacher, 2011: Comparison of atmospheric circulation patterns during the 2008 and 1993 historic Midwest floods. National Weather Digest, 35, 103-119.
• Evans, C., R.S. Schumacher, and T.J. Galarneau, Jr., 2011: Sensitivity in the overland reintensification of Tropical Cyclone Erin (2007) to near-surface soil moisture characteristics. Monthly Weather Review, 139, 3848-3870.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2011: Ensemble-based analysis of factors leading to the development of a multi-day warm-season heavy rain event. Monthly Weather Review, 139, 3016-3035.
• Schumacher, R.S., T.J. Galarneau, Jr., and L.F. Bosart, 2011: Distant effects of a recurving tropical cyclone on rainfall in a midlatitude convective system: A high-impact predecessor rain event. Monthly Weather Review,139,650-667.
• Schumacher, R.S., D.M. Schultz, and J.A. Knox, 2010: Convective snowbands downstream of the Rocky Mountains in an environment with conditional, dry symmetric and inertial instabilities. Monthly Weather Review, 138, 4416-4438.
• Schumacher, R.S., D.T. Lindsey, A.B. Schumacher, J. Braun, S.D. Miller, and J.L. Demuth, 2010: Multidisciplinary analysis of an unusual tornado: Meteorology, climatology, and the communication and interpretation of warnings. Weather and Forecasting, 25, 1412-1429.
• Galarneau, T. J. Jr., L. F. Bosart, and R. S. Schumacher, 2010: Predecessor Rain Events ahead of tropical cyclones.x Monthly Weather Review, 138, 3272-3297.
• Schumacher, R. S., and C. A. Davis, 2010: Ensemble-based forecast uncertainty analysis of diverse heavy rain events. Weather and Forecasting, 25, 1103-1122.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2009: Mechanisms for Quasi-Stationary Behavior in Simulated Heavy-Rain-Producing Convective Systems. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 66, 1543-1568.
• Schumacher, R.S., and R.H. Johnson, 2009: Quasi-Stationary, Extreme-Rain-Producing Convective Systems Associated with Midlevel Cyclonic Circulations. Weather and Forecasting, 24, 555-575.
• Schumacher, R. S., and R. H. Johnson, 2008: Mesoscale Processes Contributing to Extreme Rainfall in a Midlatitude Warm-Season Flash Flood. Monthly Weather Review, 136, 3964-39 86.
• Schumacher, R.S., and R.H. Johnson, 2006: Characteristics of United States Extreme Rain Events During 1999-2003.  Weather and Forecasting, 21, 69-85.
• Schumacher, R. S., and R. H. Johnson, 2005: Organization and environmental properties of extreme-rain-producing mesoscale convective systems. Monthly Weather Review, 133, 961-976.

Selected Other Publications

• State Climate Extremes Committee Memorandum, Colorado State Record Hailstone in Yuma County, 2023.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2022: The Colorado killer tornadoes of November 4, 1922. Authorea Preprints.
• Schultz, D.M., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2022: How to be a more effective author, Monthly Weather Review, 150, 2819-2828.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2021: The “Pi Day” Storm of March 2021 and the start of drought relief in eastern Colorado. Colorado Water, Newsletter of the Water Center of Colorado State University, vol. 38, 2 (October), pp. 33-36.
• Schumacher, R.S., Goble, P., and Bolinger, B., 2020: The Drought of 2020 in Colorado. Colorado Water, Newsletter of the Water Center of Colorado State University, vol. 37, 3 (December), pp. 24-27.
• Schultz, D.M., and Coauthors (including R.S. Schumacher), 2020: Data availability principles and practice, Monthly Weather Review, 148, 4701-4702.
• Schumacher, R.S., P. Goble, Z. Schwalbe, and B. Bolinger, 2018: Using CoAgMET, “Colorado’s Mesonet”, to analyze our state’s weather and climate. Colorado Water, 35, 5, September-October 2018.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2018: A CSU student researcher advancing rainfall forecasting. Colorado Water, 35, 3, May-June 2018.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2018: High-impact rainfall and floods in Colorado. Colorado Water, 35, 2, March-April 2018.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2017: Director’s Corner contribution, DTC Transitions Newsletter, Autumn 2017.
• Schumacher, R.S, 2014: Review of Mesoscale-Convective Processes in the Atmosphere by R.J. Trapp, Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 95, 122-123.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2013: Wet weeks in the warm season: Processes supporting widespread, multi-day precipitation episodes. NOAA Climate Prediction Science and Technology Digest, January 2013, 51-54.
• Schumacher, R.S, 2012: Review of Mesoscale Meteorology in Midlatitudes by Markowski and Richardson, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 93, 412-414.
• Galarneau, T.J. Jr., L.F. Bosart, and R.S. Schumacher, 2009: Reintensification of Tropical Storm Erin (2007) over Oklahoma. Conference Notebook, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 90, 306-308.
• Schultz, D.M., R.S. Schumacher, and J.A. Knox, 2007: The unappreciated threat from inertial instability. Conference Notebook, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 88, 1537.
• Schumacher, R.S., and R.H. Johnson, 2005: The organization of flood-inducing storms. Papers of Note, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 86, 634-635.
• Schumacher, R.S., 2003: Climatological and radar-indicated characteristics of United States extreme rain events. M.S. thesis, Colorado State University.
• Schumacher, R.S., and D.M. Schultz, 2001: Inertial instability: climatology and possible relationship to severe weather predictability. Preprints, Ninth Conference on Mesoscale Processes, Fort Lauderdale, FL, American Meteorological Society, 372-375.

Datasets

• Schumacher, R.S., S.J. Childs, and R.D. Adams-Selin, 2022: Simulation datasets for: “Intense surface winds from gravity wave breaking in simulations of a destructive macroburst.” Dryad.
• Schumacher, R.S., A.J. Hill, M. Klein, J.A. Nelson, M.J. Erickson, S.M. Trojniak, and G.R. Herman, 2021: Forecast dataset associated with “From random forests to flood forecasts: A research to operations success story”. Mountain Scholar repository.
• Schumacher, R. 2019. CSU Mobile Radiosonde Data from the RELAMPAGO field campaign. UCAR/NCAR - Earth Observing Laboratory.
• Schumacher, R., and Nielsen, E., 2017. CSU Mobile Radiosonde Data from the VORTEX-SE field campaign. UCAR/NCAR - Earth Observing Laboratory.
• Ziegler, C., M. Coniglio, M. Parker, and R. Schumacher, 2016: CSU/NCSU/NSSL MGAUS Radiosonde Data from the PECAN field campaign. UCAR/NCAR - Earth Observing Laboratory.