Brian Potter, PhD

Research Meteorologist

Pacific Northwest Research Station

brian.potter@usda.gov

Publications & Products
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Treesearch Publications

Andrew M. Chiodi, Brian Potter, Sim Larkin, D. E. Harrison. 2025. Multifactor change in western U.S. nighttime fire weather
Omar Marcillo, Jonathan M. Lees, Kara Yedinak, Keith Bourne, Brian Potter, Steve Flanagan, Joseph J. O'Brien, Joseph Paki. 2025. Acoustic observations of a prescribed burn
Brian Potter, Kara Yedinak, Jay J. Charney. 2024. Measuring wind - Creating new models to gauge impact on wildfire
Brian Potter. 2023. Examining the influence of mid-tropospheric conditions and surface wind changes on extremely large fires and fire growth days
Harry R. Podschwit, Brian Potter, Sim Larkin. 2022. A protocol for collecting burned area time series cross-check data
Yongqiang Liu, Warren E. E. Heilman, Brian Potter, Craig B. Clements, William A. Jackson, Nancy H. F. French, Scott Goodrick, Adam K. Kochanski, Narasimhan K. Larkin, Peter W. Lahm, Timothy J. Brown, Joshua P. Schwarz, Sara M. Strachan, Fengjun Zhao. 2022. Smoke Plume Dynamics
Matthew Reilly, Aaron Zuspan, Joshua S. Halofsky, Crystal Raymond, Andrew McEvoy, Alex W. Dye, Daniel C. Donato, John B. Kim, Brian Potter, Nathan Walker, Raymond J. Davis, Christopher J. Dunn, David M. Bell, Matthew J. Gregory, James D. Johnston, Brian J. Harvey, Jessica Halofsky, Becky K. Kerns. 2022. Cascadia Burning: The historic, but not historically unprecedented, 2020 wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, USA
Andrew M. Chiodi, Brian Potter, Sim Larkin. 2021. Multi‐decadal change in Western US nighttime vapor pressure deficit
Brian Potter, Daniel McEvoy. 2021. Weather factors associated with extremely large fires and fire growth days
P. Ranjan, K. Perez, T. Alvarado, Brian Potter, R. E. Breidenthal. 2020. Chemically reacting transverse plume
Andrea Watts, Brian Potter, Jay J. Charney, Alan Srock. 2020. The Hot-Dry-Windy Index: A new tool for forecasting fire weather
Adam Kochanski, Kirk R. Baker, William E. Mell, Rodman Linn, Ronan Paugam, Yongqiang Liu, Jan Mandel, Aime Fournier, Mary Ann Jenkins, Scott Goodrick, Gary Achtemeier, Fengjun Zhao, Roger D. Ottmar, Nancy H. F. French, Narasimhan Larkin, Timothy Brown, Andrew T. Hudak, Matthew B. Dickinson, Brian Potter, Craig Clements, Shawn P. Urbanski, Susan Prichard, Adam Watts, Derek McNamara. 2019. Fire behaviour and smoke modelling: model improvement and measurement needs for next-generation smoke research and forecasting systems
Susan Prichard, Sim Larkin, Roger D. Ottmar, Nancy H.F. French, Kirk Baker, Tim Brown, Craig Clements, Matthew B. Dickinson, Andrew T. Hudak, Adam Kochanski, Rod Linn, Yongqiang Liu, Brian Potter, William E. Mell, Danielle Tanzer, Shawn P. Urbanski, Adam Watts. 2019. The fire and smoke model evaluation experiment—a plan for integrated, large fire–atmosphere field campaigns
Brian Potter. 2018. Quantitative evaluation of the Haines Index's ability to predict fire growth events
Brian Potter. 2018. The Haines Index – it's time to revise it or replace it
Jay J. Charney, Brian Potter, Scott Goodrick, Alan Srock. 2018. The hot-dry-windy index: A new fire weather index
Brian Potter, Jaime R. Hernandez. 2017. Downdraft outflows: climatological potential to influence fire behaviour
Jay J. Charney, Brian Potter. 2017. Convection and downbursts
Yongqiang Liu, Adam Kochanski, Kirk Baker, Ruddy Mell, Rodman Linn, Ronan Paugam, Jan Mandel, Aime Fournier, Mary Ann Jenkins, Scott Goodrick, Gary Achtemeier, Andrew T. Hudak, Matthew Dickson, Brian Potter, Craig Clements, Shawn P. Urbanski, Roger D. Ottmar, Narasimhan Larkin, Timothy Brown, Nancy French, Susan Prichard, Adam Watts, Derek McNamara. 2017. Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE): Modeling gaps and data needs
Paul A. Werth, Brian Potter, Martin E. Alexander, Craig B. Clements, Miguel G. Cruz, Mark A. Finney, Jason M. Forthofer, Scott Goodrick, Chad Hoffman, W. Matt Jolly, Sara S. McAllister, Roger D. Ottmar, Russell A. Parsons. 2016. Synthesis of knowledge of extreme fire behavior: volume 2 for fire behavior specialists, researchers, and meteorologists
Tara Strand, Brian Gullett, Shawn P. Urbanski, Susan O'Neill, Brian Potter, Johanna Aurell, Amara Holder, Narasimhan Larkin, Mark Moore, Miriam Rorig. 2016. Grassland and forest understorey biomass emissions from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States - RxCADRE 2012
Roger D. Ottmar, J. Kevin Hiers, Bret W. Butler, Craig B. Clements, Matthew B. Dickinson, Andrew T. Hudak, Joseph J. O'Brien, Brian Potter, Eric M. Rowell, Tara Strand, Thomas J. Zajkowski. 2016. Measurements, datasets and preliminary results from the RxCADRE project-2008, 2011 and 2012
Brian Potter, Matthew A. Anaya. 2015. A Wildfire-relevant climatology of the convective environment of the United States
Miriam Rorig, Robert Solomon, Candace Krull, Janice Peterson, Julia Ruthford, Brian Potter. 2013. Analysis of meteorological conditions for the Yakima Smoke Intrusion Case Study, 28 September 2009
Paul A. Werth, Brian Potter, Craig B. Clements, Mark A. Finney, Scott Goodrick, Martin E. Alexander, Miguel G. Cruz, Jason M. Forthofer, Sara S. McAllister. 2011. Synthesis of knowledge of extreme fire behavior: volume I for fire managers
Julie A. Winkler, Brian Potter, Dwight F. Wilhelm, Ryan Shadbolt, Krerk Piromsopa, Randy Bian. 2007. Climatological and statistical characteristics of the Haines Index for North America
Craig B. Clements, Shiyuan Zhong, Scott Goodrick, Ju Li, Brian Potter, Randy Bian, Warren E. E. Heilman, Jay J. Charney, Ryan Perna, Meongdo Jang, Daegyun Lee, Monica Patel, Susan Street, Glenn Aumann. 2007. Observing the dynamics of Wildland grass fires: Fireflux - a field validation experiment
Christopher W. W. Woodall, Jay J. Charney, Greg C. C. Liknes, Brian Potter. 2006. Linking Fuel Inventories With Atmospheric Data for Assessment of Fire Danger
Brian Potter, Jay J. Charney, Lesley Fusina. 2006. Atmospheric moisture's influence on fire behavior: surface moisture and plume dynamics.
Shiyuan Zhong, Hee-Jin In, Randy Bian, Joseph Charney, Warren E. E. Heilman, Brian Potter. 2005. Evaluation of real-time high-resolution MM5 predictions over the Great Lakes region
Christopher W. W. Woodall, Jay J. Charney, Greg C. C. Liknes, Brian Potter. 2005. What's the fire danger now? Linking fuel inventories with atmospheric data
Brian Potter, Scott Goodrick. 2003. Performance of the Haines Index During August 2000 for Montana
Brian Potter, Scott Goodrick, Tim Brown. 2003. Development of a Statistical Validation Methodology for Fire Weather Indices
Brian Potter. 2003. Impact of Released Fual Moisture on Atmospheric Dynamics
Jay J. Charney, Randy Bian, Brian Potter, Warren E. E. Heilman. 2003. Mesoscale Simulations During the Double Trouble State Park Wildfire in East-Central New Jersey on June 2, 2002
Jay J. Charney, Randy Bian, Brian Potter, Warren E. E. Heilman. 2003. Low Level Impacts on Fire Evolution in the Mack Lake and Other Severe Wildfires
Jay J. Charney, Randy Bian, Brian Potter, Warren E. E. Heilman. 2003. The role of a stratospheric intrusion in the evolution of the Double Trouble State Park wildfire .
Brian Potter, Scott Goodrick, Tim Brown. 2003. Development of a statistical validation methodology for fire weather indices.
Brian Potter. 2003. Impact of released fuel moisture on atmospheric dynamics.
Nataly Ye. Chubarova, Nickolay G. Prilepsky, Allen R. Riebau, Anna W. Shoettle, Robert Musselman, Natalia N. Uliumdzhieva, Alla Yu Yurova, Brian Potter, Alexei N. Rublev, Pavel Yu Zhmylev, Elizaveta A Karpuhina. 2003. A natural fire experiment in Central Russia: meteorology, radiative and optical properties of atmosphere and resulting effects in sub-boreal forest plants.
Warren E. E. Heilman, Randy Bian, Jay J. Charney, Brian Potter. 2003. National Fire Plan--Eastern Area Modeling Consortium: Research, product development, and partnerships.
Warren E. E. Heilman, Randy Bian, Jay J. Charney, Brian Potter. 2003. Combining the Haines Index and turbulent kinetic energy for fire-weather predictions.
Jay J. Charney, Randy Bian, Brian Potter, Warren E. E. Heilman. 2003. Low level jet impacts on fire evolutions in the Mack Lake and other severe wildfires.
Brian Potter, Terry F. Strong. 2002. Comparison of Simulated Stem Temperatures and Observed Air Temperatures with Observed Stem Growth in Forest Openings
Brian Potter, Dan Borsum, Don Haines. 2002. Keeping Haines Real - Or Really Changing Haines?
Brian Potter. 2002. A dynamics based view of atmosphere-fire interactions
Brian Potter, Jonathan E. Martin. 2001. Accuracy of 24- and 48-Hour Forecasts of Haines' Index
Brian Potter, Ronald M. Teclaw, John Zasada. 2001. The impact of forest structure on near-ground temperatures during two years of contrasting temperature extremes
J.A. Andresen, D.G. McCullough, Brian Potter, C.N. Koller, Leah Bauer, C. W. Ramm. 2001. Effects of winter temperatures on gypsy moth egg masses in the Great Lakes region of the United States.
Brian Potter, Paul J. Croft. 2000. Spatial Variation In Growing Season Heat Sums Within Northern Hardwood Forest Canopy Gaps
Warren E. E. Heilman, John Hom, Brian Potter. 2000. Climate and atmospheric deposition patterns and trends
Brian Potter, John Zasada. 1999. Biomass, thermal inertia, and radiative freeze occurrence in leafless forests
Brian Potter, Thomas W. Cate. 1999. A climatology of late-spring freezes in the northeastern United States.
Brian Potter. 1996. Atmospheric mesoscale simulations of regional wildland fire episodes: looking for weather-related factors and scales of interaction

University of Washington, Ph.D., Atmospheric Sciences, 1994
Carleton College, B.A., Physics, 1986

Last updated March 10, 2026

Brian Potter, PhD

Treesearch Publications

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