P. Grady Dixon Assistant Professor Office: Hilbun Hall Room 208 Phone: (662) 325-5801 Fax: (662) 325-9423 email

I am a meteorologist / climatologist with research interests in the effects of climate on human mortality. I am also interested in the spatial and temporal patterns of weather events that are unique to various locations. My previous research has focused on thunderstorms initiated by the urban heat island of Atlanta, moisture transport into Arizona during the annual monsoon season, rainfall patterns associated with mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs) across the country, and sea breezes along the Gulf Coast.  Some of my more recent projects include bioclimate studies of mortality caused by extreme temperatures, the effects of temperature on suicide, and climatic effects on wildfire risks.

Education
Ph.D. (Geography), Arizona State University, 2005
M.S. (Geography), University of Georgia, 2002
B.S. (Geosciences), Mississippi State University, 2000

Experience
Assistant Professor of Meteorology, Mississippi State University, 2005–present

Temporary Member of the Graduate Faculty, University of Alabama, 2008-2011
Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University, 2003–2005
Adjunct Faculty, Maricopa Community Colleges, 2003–2005
Research Assistant, Arizona State University, 2002–2003
Research Assistant, University of Georgia, 2001–2002
Teaching Assistant, University of Georgia, 2000–2001
Meteorological Technician, USDA Joint Agricultural Weather Facility, 1999
Research Technician, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Langmuir Laboratory, 1998

Publications (Student Co-authors underlined, * = undergraduates)

     Refereed:

Allen, J. S., P. G. Dixon, J. Choi, 2009: Defining Dixie Alley: A quantitative analysis of Southeastern tornadoes, 1980–2005. Weather & Forecasting, in review.

Dixon, P. G., and A. J. Kalkstein, 2009: Climate-Suicide Relationships: A research problem in need of geographic methods and cross-disciplinary perspectives. Geography Compass, in review.

Senkbeil, J. C., D. M Brommer, and P. G. Dixon, 2009: Meteorological Factors Influencing Evacuation for Hurricane Gustav, Part I: Perceived vs Actual Landfall (The Cry Wolf Index). Weather, Climate, and Society, in review.

Scheitlin, K. N., and P. G. Dixon, 2009: Variations in diurnal temperature range in the Southeast due to land use/land-cover classifications, 1995–2004. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, in review.

Dixon, P. G., M. E. Brown, M. C. Carter*, W. S. Gunter*, J. S. Allen*, A. M. Hayes, L. E. Becker*, H. S. Eschete*, R. P. Aylward, and K. N. Scheitlin, 2008: Predicting Atlantic hurricane paths using monthly surface pressure data, The Geographical Bulletin, 49, 77–86.

Dixon, P. G., G. B. Goodrich, and W. H. Cooke, 2008: Using teleconnections to predict wildfires in Mississippi. Monthly Weather Review, 136, 2804–2811.  [Abstract] [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., 2008: Effects of precipitable water and CAPE on precipitation in southern Arizona. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science, 40, 66–73.   [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., M. E. Brown, K. Sherman-Morris, and B. L. Kirkland, 2008: Comments on “Seals of (Dis)Approval: Television Weathercasters Debate the Value of Voluntary Credentials.” National Weather Digest, 32, 61–65.

Dixon, P. G., M. E. Brown, K. Sherman-Morris, and B. L. Kirkland, 2008: Meteorology Degrees and Certificates Offered by Mississippi State University. National Weather Digest, 32, 69–70.

Dixon, P. G., A. N. McDonald, K. N. Scheitlin, J. E. Stapleton, J. S. Allen*, W. M. Carter*, M. R. Holley*, D. D. Inman*, and J. B. Roberts*, 2007: Effects of temperature variation on suicide in five U.S. counties, 1991-2001. International Journal of Biometeorology, 51, 395–403. [Abstract] [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., 2006: An ALARMS Climatology of Gulf of California Moisture Surges and the Associated Precipitation, 1993-2004. Physical Geography, 27, 86–108.  [Abstract] [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., 2005: Using sounding data to detect gulf surges during the North American monsoon.  Monthly Weather Review, 133, 3047–3052. [Abstract] [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., D. M. Brommer, B. C. Hedquist, A. J. Kalkstein, G. B. Goodrich, J. C. Walter, C. C. Dickerson, IV, S. J. Penny, and R. S. Cerveny, 2005: Heat Mortality Versus Cold Mortality: A study of conflicting databases. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86, 937–944. [Abstract] [PDF]

Parnell, D. B., D. Brommer, P. G. Dixon, M. E. Brown, and D. W. Gamble, 2004: A survey of Hurricane Frances damage on San Salvador. Bahamas Journal of Science, 12, 2–6.

Dixon, P. G., 2004: The Urban Desert: A temporal study of humidity values in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science, 36, 127–138.

Ashley, W. S., T. L. Mote, P. G., Dixon, J. D. Durkee, E. J. Powell, S. L. Trotter, and A. J. Grundstein, 2003: Distribution of mesoscale convective complex rainfall in the United States. Monthly Weather Review, 131, 3002–3017. [Full Text]

Dixon, P. G., and T. L. Mote, 2003: Patterns and causes of Atlanta's urban heat island-initiated precipitation. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 42, 1273–1284. [Full Text]

Gamble, D. W., M. E. Brown, D. Parnell, D. Brommer, and P. G. Dixon, 2000: Lessons learned from Hurricane Floyd damage on San Salvador. Bahamas Journal of Science, 8, 25–31.

Other:

Dixon, P. G., and A. J. Kalkstein, 2008: Do global temperatures really affect Italian suicides? — comments on “Global warming possibly linked to an enhanced risk of suicide:  Data from Italy, 1974–2003”.  Comments page for the International Society for Affective Disorders [Available online at http://www.isad.org.uk/JADcomments.asp].

Dixon, P. G., 2008: Mississippi State University, Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change, S. G. Philander, Ed., Sage Publications, 1552 pp.

Dixon, P. G., 2005: The effects of gulf surges and low-level moisture on precipitation and severe weather in Arizona. Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Geography, Arizona State University, 102 pp. [Abstract] [PDF]

Dixon, P. G., 2003: Earth - Sun Relationships. Introductory Physical Geography Laboratory Manual, Erinanne M. Saffell, Hayden-McNeil Publishing, pp. 31-40.

Ashley, W. S., P. G. Dixon, J. D. Durkee, E. J. Powell, S. L. Trotter, T. L. Mote, and A. J. Grundstein, 2002: A climatology of mesoscale convective complexes in the United States. Preprints, 21st Annual Conference on Severe Local Storms, American Meteorological Society, San Antonio, Texas. [Abstract]

Dixon, P. G., 2002: Climatological Patterns of Atlanta's Urban Heat Island-Initiated Precipitation. M.S. thesis, Dept. of Geography, The University of Georgia, 149 pp. [Abstract]

Professional Memberships
International Society of Biometeorology

American Meteorological Society
National Weather Association
Association of American Geographers

Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers

Grady's Complete Vita