Stephen J. Vermette
My teaching and research interests are in physical geography, specifically meteorology, climatology, and water-related issues. Current funded research focuses on wetland chemistry and hydrology at Woodlawn Beach State Park, microscale nocturnal radiational cooling at Watertown, NY, and monitoring of the near shore environment (water column and meteorology) of Eastern Lake Erie. Courses taught include: physical geography, meteorology, applied climatology, global climatology, weather forecasting, atmospheric science, air pollution applications, cavern studies, conservation, and arctic geography . Teaching interests also include place-based field courses, most recently including Malyasia, Alpine Field Experience (Adirondacks, NY), The Bahamas, Cambodia, China, and the Arctic.
Past Co-cordinator of the New York Geographic Alliance. Currently coordinates the Meteorology & Climatology Minor at Buffalo State. Full member of the American Meteorological Society, National Weather Association, and the National Speleological Society. Received the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award in 2006, and the Buffalo State President's Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2010.
WeatherPage: http://geographyplanning.buffalostate.edu/Weatherpage.htm This link provides local weather links, information about the Meteorology & Climatology Program at Buffalo State College, and research posters, podcasts and other products.This page also shows current weather conditions at Buffalo State College.
Selected Publications:
Irvine, K.N., Vermette, S.J. and Firuza Begham Mustafa (in press).The "Black Waters" of Malaysia: Tracking Water Quality from the Peat Swamp Forest to the Sea. Sains Malaysiana.
Vermette, S., Kanack, J. Bloom, F., Brzezniak, B., Matalonis, Wm, and Thomas, S. 2012. Sunshine Report: Solar Energy in Western New York. Report to the Western New York Peace Center, Buffalo, NY, 25pp.
Vermette, S. and Kanack, J. 2012. Modeling Frost Line Soil Penetration Using Freezing Degree-Day Rates, Day Length, and Sun Angle. Proceedings of the 69th Annual Eastern Snow Conference, Frost Valley, NY, June 5-7, 2012, 143-156.
Cameron, G. and Vermette, S.J. 2012. The Role of Extreme Cold in the Failure of the San Miguel de Gualdape Colony. The Georgia Historical Quarterly, 96 (3), 291-307.
Vermette, S. J. 2012. Friend and Foe: Weather and the War of 1812. Weatherwise, January/February, 22-28.
Bernosky, J.D. and Vermette S.J. 2012. Temporal Characteristics of Airborne Particulate Matter in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Environment Asia, 5 (2), 11-15.
Vermette, S. J. and Zaff, D. 2012. A Cold Pool Microscale Effect Resulting from Nocturnal Winter Radiational Cooling. Final Report to COMET Outreach Program, COMET Partners Project Z10-83405, 26pp.
Irvine, K.N., Rossi, M., Vermette, S.J., Bakert, J. and Kleinfelder, K. 2011 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: Low Cost Options for Source Identification and Trackdown in Stormwater Systems. Urban Water Journal, 8 (6), 379-395.
Vermette, S.J. 2011. Pre-Restoration Wetland Characterization: Woodlawn Beach State Park, Report to the Great Lakes Research Consortium (GLRC), Project # 235908-01. Syracuse, NY, 22 pp.
Vermette, S.J., Bernosky, J. and Graber Neufeld, D. 2011. Mapping of Airborne Particulates in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Comparisons with Bangkok, Thailand and Phoenix, Arizona. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, 8 (2): 1-9.
Vermette, S.J. 2011. The Afternoon the Sun Disappeared over Western New York. Western New York Heritage Magazine, 14 (1): 58-61.
Vermette, S.J. and Bittner, C. 2010. Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Forecasts Using a Climate Probability Approach: Buffalo, New York. Middle States Geographer, 43: 44-49.
Water Resources and Development in Southeast Asia, 2010. K. Irvine, T. Murphy, V. Vanchan, and S. Vermette, (eds.). Center for Southeast Asia Environment and Sustainable Development. Published by Pearson Custom Publishing.
Vermette, S.J.and Hall, L. 2009. Cave Climatology of Laurel Caverns, PA, Pennsylvania Geographer, 47, 124-140.
Rossi, M.C., Hersey Jr., T.R., Irvine, K. and Vermette, S. 2009. Western New York Stormwater Coalition: Compliance Through Collaboration. Conceptual Modeling of Urban Water Systems, Monograph 17, W. James, K.N. Irvine, E.A. McBean, and R.E. Pitt, eds., Computational Hydraulics International, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Vermette, S.J. and Christopher, S., 2008. Using the Rate of Accumulated Freezing and Thawing Degree Days as a Surrogate for Determining Freezing Depth in a Temperate Forest Soil, Middle States Geographer, 41, 68-73.
Vermette, S.J, Drakes, J, and Niziol, T. 2008. Assessment of Beach Closures Attributed to Rainfall Using Archived Radar Data: Erie County, New York, Prepared for NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 29pp.
McInerney, T. and Vermette, S.J., 2008. Development of a Severe Winter Index: Buffalo, NY. Geographical Bulletin , 49(1): 47-55.
Vermette, S.J. 2007. There is Snow in Our Future, New York Snowmobiler, 3 (5), 21-22.
Vermette, S.J., Torok, D., Wehn, K., Vermette, V.G., 2007. San Salvador, Bahamas Teaching Guide. The College of the Bahamas, Gerace Research Center, San Salvador, Bahamas, 234pp.
Vermette, S.J. and Orengo, E., 2006. A Re-examination of Buffalo's Lost Lake Effect. Geographical Bulletin., 48 (2), 97-108.
Vermette, S.J., 2006. Storms of Tropical Origin: A Climatology for New York State, USA (1851-2005), Natural Hazards, 42 (1), 91-103. (off-prints are available), a review,, poster.
LaRussa, M. and Vermette, S.J. 2005. A Re-examination of the Climatological Impact of the Lake Erie-Niagara Ice Boom on Buffalo, NY. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 31 (3): 288-295.
Vermette, S.J., Gall, W.K., and Fay, T.J., 2003. Physiography and Insect Fauna of Scoby Dam Cave: Western New York, Middle States Geographer, 36: 164-170.
Vermette, S.J. and Hudson, R., 2001. Hydrology of Watling's Blue Hole: San Salvador, Bahamas, Middle States Geographer, 34: 55-62.
Sweet, C.W. ,Weiss, A., and Vermette, S.J., 1998. Atmospheric Deposition of Trace Metals at Three Sites Near the Great Lakes. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 103, 423-439.
Vermette, S.J. and Torok, D.M. 1997. Mid-lake Versus Shoreline Dry Deposition: Eastern Lake Erie. The Great Lakes Geographer, 4 (2):57-63.
Ross, H.B. and Vermette, S.J., 1995. Precipitation. In: D. Salbu and E. Steinnes (eds.), Trace Elements in Natural Waters, CRC Press.