Herbert Riehl: Intrepid and Enigmatic Scholar

Abstract

Herbert Riehl, known as the “father of tropical meteorology,” certainly made outstanding contributions to this field of study. Yet, when his oeuvre is examined retrospectively, there is strong evidence that his view was global and encompassed processes that cut across the latitudinal bands of the tropics, subtropics, and midlatitudes. His pathway into meteorology was unique as a Jewish man who immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1933—that point in time when the fascist regime in Germany gained significant power. Meteorology was not his first choice as a career, but circumstances related to imminent world war led him to the study of meteorology. He was inspired by his teaching and research experiences at the Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Puerto Rico during World War II. Further, he found his scientific calling in the milieu of “Rossby's School” at the University of Chicago (U of C) following the war. Particular attention is paid herein to his early work from the mid-1940s through the lat...