Contact Information
1301 W Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801
Biography
I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Climate, Meteorology, and Atmospheric Sciences. I joined the department in Fall 2021 as an M.S. student before beginning my Ph.D. in Summer 2023. My research focuses on using satellite and radar observations to analyze processes associated with the formation discrete convective updrafts and subsequently tornadoes within quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs). This work is funded as part of the Propagation, Evolution, and Rotation in Linear Storms (PERiLS) field campaign which took place in 2022 and 2023. As part of this campaign, our research group deployed mobile radars, mobile mesonets, instrumentation pods, and radiosondes to collect data on developing QLCS tornadoes. My role involved assembling and operating a quickly-deployable C-band radar. These data, along with other observations, are being used to develop a more robust understanding of how these storms form and how they can be forecasted more accurately.
Prior to attending the University of Illinois, I earned my undergraduate degree in atmospheric sciences from The Ohio State University where I also minored in mathematics and theatre. While there, I participated in research projects with both the OSU Department of Geography and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, the latter of which involved installing and maintaining a network of weather sensors across campus to monitor the university's contribution to the urban heat island. I also completed an honors research thesis focusing on the use of GOES satellite data to estimate tornado strength from the size and temperature of overshooting cloud tops. This thesis was a continuation of work that I began through the REU program at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in Summer 2020.
In addition to my research, I'm also a member of the American Meteorological Society where I serve as a student member on both the Committee on Weather Analysis and Forecasting (WAF) and the Board on Societal Impacts (BSI). I co-chaired the 33rd WAF/29th NWP Conference in New Orleans, LA in January 2025 and will also be co-chairing the 33rd Conference on Severe Local Storms in 2028.
In my free time, I enjoy hiking, coding up fun side projects, and hanging out with our two cats.
Research Description
My primary research focus is on tornadoes and discrete updraft cores in quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs). I use both observational data (such as satellite and MRMS) as well as idealized simulations (CM1) to investigate our hypotheses, namely that identifying the locations of these discrete cores and better understanding their formation and maintenance can improve our ability to predict QLCS tornadogenesis.
In addition to this research project, I'm also interested in warning communication, specifically with regards to tornado emergencies. Along with researchers from Valparaiso University, we are currently investigating how NWS forecasters make decisions during these particularly impactful events.
I also assist in maintaining and deploying the department's instrumentation for outreach events, courses, and field projects including PERiLS, BEST, and CROCUS. In Spring 2026, I designed and built a trio of tripod-mounted weather stations (QDPI: Quickly-Deployable Python-based Instrumentation) for use in undergraduate courses and possibly future field campaigns. These stations make use of 3D printed anemometers and wind vanes, allowing us to build 3 complete stations for less than the cost of a single traditional wind monitor! Additionally, the Python-based software allows for additional instruments to be easily integrated.
Education
- PhD Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (in progress)
- M.S. Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (August 2023)
- B.S. Atmospheric Sciences, The Ohio State University (May 2021)
- Minors: Mathematics and Theatre
Awards and Honors
2026 AMS Severe Local Storms Conference: Oral Presentation Award – 2nd Place
2024 UIUC SESE Research Review: CliMAS Poster Presentation Award – 2nd Place
Courses Taught
Teaching Assistant
- Summer 2025: ATMS 324 - Field Studies of Convection
- Spring 2022: ATMS 100 - Introduction to Meteorology
- Fall 2021: ATMS 302/PHYS 329 - Atmospheric Dynamics I
External Links
Professional Service
Program Co-Chair - 33rd Conference on Severe Local Storms, TBD (2028)
Program Co-Chair - 33rd Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting (WAF)/29th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), New Orleans, LA (2025)
Student Committee Member - AMS Committee on Weather Analysis and Forecasting
Student Committee Member - AMS Board on Societal Impacts
University Service
Podcast Co-Host - Weather Realness (Department of Climate, Meteorology, and Atmospheric Sciences and Illinois Public Media)
Recent Publications
Wolff, E. C., R. J. Trapp, and S. W. Nesbitt, 2026: Characteristics of Discrete Updrafts in Quasi-Linear Convective Systems, Environmental Influences, and Implications for Tornadogenesis Prediction. Wea. Forecasting, e250225, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-25-0225.1, in press.
Wolff, E. C., J. S. Goodnight, L. Blind-Doskocil, E. M. Conklin, E. T. Gustafson, and J. E. Trujillo-Falcón, 2026: Reflecting on a Decade of Formalized Tornado Emergencies. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 107, E1837–E1853, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0245.1.
Trujillo-Falcón, J. E., J. D. Carstens, E. Grow Cei, V. Alonso, J. Martucci, E. C. Wolff, and R. D. O. M. Gomes, 2025: The Emergence of Digital Meteorology: Certification, Standards, and Education for an Evolving Field. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 106, E2179–E2186, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0235.1.
Christo, G., R. Trapp, S. Nesbitt, L. Di Girolamo, E. C. Wolff, C. R. Homeyer, and Y. Hong, 2025: The Spatial Area and Other Attributes of GOES-16 Overshooting Tops as Indicators of Potential Hail. Mon. Wea. Rev., 153, 2121–2137, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-24-0150.1.
Wolff, E. C., R. J. Trapp, S. W. Nesbitt, M. D. Parker, K. A. Kosiba, and J. Wurman, 2025: On Discrete Convective Updrafts and Tornadoes in Quasi-Linear Convective Systems. Wea. Forecasting, 40, 1065–1083, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-24-0080.1.
Kosiba, K. A., and Coauthors, 2024: The Propagation, Evolution, and Rotation in Linear Storms (PERiLS) Project. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 105, E1768–E1799, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0064.1.
Recent Presentations
Wolff, E., J. Trapp, and S. Nesbitt (August 2026). Impacts of Upper-Level Shear on the Formation of Deep Updraft Cores in an Ensemble of Simulated QLCSs. 32nd Conference on Severe Local Storms, Madison, WI
Wolff, E., J. Trujillo-Falcón, L. Blind-Doskocil, E. Conklin, and E. Gustafson (August 2026). Warning the Rarest Tornadoes: Examining Forecaster Decision-Making in Tornado Emergency Issuance. 34th Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Madison, WI
Blind-Doskocil, L. and E. Wolff (March 2026). Recalibrating University Radars: Purpose, Value, and a Sustainable Future. NSF NCAR Radar Technology Community Workshop, Boulder, CO