Dr. Charlie Paxton is an Earth Scientist, Certified Consulting Meteorologist, and cruise lecturer. He was born in London England, lived in locations from the Aleutians to Panama to Antarctica, and has travelled extensively for work including New Zealand, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. He earned degrees in Meteorology and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science/Policy. Dr. Charlie is co-author of the book Florida Weather and Climate – More than Just Sunshine, and author of 50+ science book chapters and articles. As NOAA Science Officer, he spoke 20 times/year to: live television media, civic groups, elected officials, schools, international conferences, and emergency managers.

As cruise lecturer Dr. Charlie tailors his array of presentations for the destinations. He is a storyteller; turning complex topics into easily understood concepts, using clear language and bold graphics.

As a meteorologist and Earth scientist, I provide these 16, 40 minute, picture filled, talks tailored for specific cruise destinations:

1. Working in Antarctica - A dream come true: In this story, Dr. Charlie describes his journey and six months of weather forecasting work at McMurdo Station, Antarctica during 2019-2020. He discusses: daily life, Antarctica’s harsh weather and landscape, and the amazing wildlife that he witnessed.

2. Working on the Frozen Continent – Dr. Charlie focuses on the remote places in Antarctica where people work on research or in support of research. He describes some of the fascinating research and support work done in the inhospitable conditions.

3. Waves and Currents in the oceans of the world - In this presentation Dr. Charlie describes the various ways that ocean waves develop and how to forecast sea conditions. He also tells the story of how ocean currents influence the global weather.

4. Extreme Weather - Meteorologists are fascinated, and love to talk about extreme weather and how to keep people safe from it. Dr. Charlie discusses tornadoes, strong wind, and hail and what the deadliest weather is on a global scale. He also describes how the atmosphere creates extreme weather and how to monitor extreme weather.

5. Alaskan Gold Rush – Dr. Charlie tells the story of two brothers who travelled to the Alaskan gold rush on a four-year quest for gold in the frozen Alaskan wilderness 1887-1901. The story is told through photographs of the time, and is from the memoirs of his grand uncle, Will Paxton. He also contrasts the unforgiving routes taken by other gold rushers in search of riches.

6. Our Changing Climate - As a climate scientist, Dr. Charlie tells the factual story of the temperature record through time, going back one million+ years before the present, and how it is derived. He also discusses the growing global population and greenhouse gas contributors to climate change. Dr. Charlie stresses that the future is unwritten.

7. Weather in Art - Weather often plays a prominent role in works of art. Dr. Charlie explores art works, from ancient to modern where weather is depicted and how some of those scenes depicted relate to actual weather events. He also reveals some of the techniques used to portray the weather and how communication occurs through art.

8. Hurricane Season – Dr. Charlie tells the story of: where tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) come from and where they go, why we “need” hurricanes. He explains how meteorologists use “spaghetti” to forecast storms, obvious and hidden dangers, and how to stay safe. He also shows how the El Niño and La Niña cycle impacts tropical cyclones and the propagation of Saharan dust.

9. Oceans and Beaches - As a beach expert, Dr. Charlie demonstrates how to have a great day at the beach, ocean life, and ocean oddities. He also shows some of the most unique beaches of the world.

10. Forensic Meteorology - Meteorologist plays Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Charlie tells the intriguing stories of weather-related legal cases from the past. He illuminates what weather data is used to solve cases and what imagery used to convince juries.

11. European Weather – Dr. Charlie examines the global circulation and relates it to the European climate. He provides pictorial, cultural, and historical detail on rain, snow, lightning, hail, and wind across Europe from north to south.

12. Weather in the Mediterranean – Dr. Charlie analyzes the global circulation and relates it to the Mediterranean climate. He discusses the important weather parameters and historical events impacted by weather. Dr. Charlie explains the terms “Medicanes” and “Meteotsunami”, and how weather fits into mythology and culture.

13. Asian Weather – Dr. Charlie discusses the global circulation and relates it to the diverse climate of Asia. He relates the important weather parameters and historical events impacted by weather. He explains the terms “Winter Monsoons” and “Summer Monsoons”, and how weather fits into local history and culture.

14. Winter Storms – Dr. Charlie details some of the semi-permanent global low-pressure areas and common global winter storm tracks. He provides background on how winter storms develop at the intersection of air masses and how atmospheric rivers can feed moisture and intensify the storm’s impact. Dr. Charlie also highlights some of the most impactful winter storms from recent history including the Storms of the Century and the 1978 Blizzard.

15. Rings of Fire. Dr. Charlie describes the Earth's tectonic history and hotspots for volcanoes, earthquakes and the resulting tsunamis. Dr. Charlie also examines past legends, current cultural activities, and modern engineering linked to Earth’s ever changing landscape.

16. Early Sailing Explorers – Dr. Charlie links the routes and positive contributions of Columbus, Balboa, Magellan, Vasco de Gama, Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, Richard Byrd, and others in this talk.

I recently completed a very successful Antarctic cruise, on short notice, in which I gave six different talks - tailored for the destinations, on six consecutive days. I have considerable experience, as a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Science Officer, speaking to civic groups, schools, elected officials, and at scientific conferences. As author, I have also given talks to promote the book, "Florida Weather and Climate".

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.