Dr. Scala is a certified meteorology expert who provides consulting services on storm damage and weather events. He has extensive education and experience in meteorology and works closely with the National Weather Service. The document then summarizes several cases where Dr. Scala provided expert opinions on topics including the transport of fire products, snow loading, lightning strikes, water infiltration, hail damage, illumination at the time of a hunting accident, and the cause of an ice-related vehicle accident.

1. Dr. Scala provides expert consulting services leveraging extensive education and experience in
the field of meteorology. His case involvement is varied, and includes expert opinions on
personal injury, questionable death, property loss and storm-related damage. Dr. Scala maintains
a close working relationship with the National Weather Service by collaborating on research
projects designed to improve operational forecasting as well as assisting in site surveys of tornado
and severe storm damage. Dr. Scala earned the CCM (Certified Consulting Meteorologist)
designation from the American Meteorological Society in recognition of his high level of
technical expertise and demonstrated professional and ethical conduct. A brief summary of
relevant subject matter in which Dr. Scala offered an expert opinion is provided in the paragraphs
which follow.
 TRANSPORT OF FIRE PRODUCTS
The policy owner claimed soot damage to the property as a direct consequence of an
explosion and subsequent fire at a refinery located one mile to the southwest. A review of the
winds in the lowest several hundred feet of the atmosphere revealed a persistent flow from
the north that inhibited the smoke plume from being transported the required mile to the
northeast and upwind of the site of the explosion. The results of a transport and dispersion
model confirmed this conclusion.
 SNOW LOADING
The owner of a chicken farm claimed heavy snow from back-to-back snowstorms caused the
failure of a portion of the roof of one of the chicken coops. The policy holder retained the
services of a structural engineer who claimed a total of three feet of heavy snow contributed
to a ground load of 60 lbs ft 2 and the partial collapse of the coop’s roof. A snow depth and
liquid equivalent analysis revealed the amount of snow present on a flat, unaltered surface at
the conclusion of the second storm was 20 to 30 inches leading to a maximum ground load
of 31 lbs ft 2 , far less than the engineer’s estimate.
 LIGHTNING STRIKE
The home owner filed a claim with his carrier alleging a property loss from fire triggered by
compromised Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST). The policy holder stated the failed
CSST was a direct consequence of a lightning strike. A review of National Weather Service
weather surveillance radar data indicated strong to severe thunderstorms accompanied by
multiple cloud to ground lightning flashes occurred in close proximity to the property.
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2. Lightning detection network data identified seven strikes within approximately one mile of
the property, the closest of these occurred between .20 and .35 miles to the southeast. The
absence of a direct strike to the property required the current to travel via electrical lines or
conduit resulting in a likely explanation for the CSST failure.
 WATER INFILTRATION
The property manager of a three-story building claimed interior water damage to a second
floor apartment following the displacement of a parapet cap on an exterior wall. The
dislodging of the cap was claimed by the PM to be associated with a high wind event
enabling precipitation to enter through the resultant opening. A review of peak wind gusts
within several weeks of the date of loss failed to identify a specific event capable of exerting
a wind force from the required direction to lift and displace the parapet cap. The amount of
water entering the compromised cap and the underlying brickwork was calculated per inch of
precipitation and over a several month period. The results produced a singular conclusion: the
failure of the parapet cap occurred gradually leading to repeated episodes of water intrusion
and the observed property damage.
 HAIL DAMGE
The policy holder filed a claim for hail damage to his home citing a specific date of loss. A
review of National Weather Service weather surveillance radar data identified the movement,
intensity and potential wind speeds associated with severe thunderstorms that developed in
close proximity to the claim. The most intense of these storms was accompanied by large hail
(1.25” to 2.5” in diameter). The radar data and derived hail swath analysis indicated the
damaging hail storm bypassed the property to the southwest nullifying the basis of the claim.
 ILLUMINATION
The shooting occurred at 6:10 am, two weeks before Christmas. A hunter upon hearing what
he believed to be was the foraging movements of a deer fired in the direction of the muted
sounds. His shot struck another hunter who was the source of the noise and killed him.
Visibility at the time of the shooting was reduced by low clouds and light rain. The shooting
occurred 69 minutes prior to sunrise and 39 minutes prior to the onset of civil twilight (period
of time prior to sunrise or after sunset when indirect natural lightning is sufficient to discern
objects on the ground). The State Game Commission prohibits hunting prior to civil twilight.
 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
The plaintiff (an on-duty police officer) was engaged in an automobile pursuit when he lost
control of his patrol car after crossing ice on the roadway. The officer’s vehicle jumped the
curb and sidewalk before striking a second vehicle stopped at an adjacent drive-thru resulting
in property damage and significant personal injury. The plaintiff alleged a leaky fire hydrant
contributed the water which led to the formation of ice on the roadway. The accident
occurred during a prolonged period of exceptionally cold weather based on review of the
local climate data. The leaky fire hydrant provided a constant source of running water that
flowed onto a sub-freezing surface leading to a continuous buildup of ice. Sodium chloride as
a deicing agent is known to be ineffective at these extreme temperatures.
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