Kaj O'Mara, CCM, CBM
Assistant Chief Meteorologist J.S. Held LLC
- Des Moines IA
Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) | Emmy Award-winning Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) | Severe Weather Specialist
Media
Biography
Throughout his tenure in the broadcast industry, Kaj ’s expertise in a wide range of hazardous and impactful weather was widely utilized by the agricultural and transportation industries, as well as revered by numerous school districts, college campuses, and sports teams. He routinely employed his role as a National Weather Service Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador across numerous municipalities, school districts, and emergency management sectors.
Kaj is a member of the American Meteorological Society’s Board of Certified Consulting Meteorologists, entrusted with maintaining the high standards of excellence, character, and integrity necessary to applicants during the certification process, and is also a member of the Association of Certified Meteorologists.
As an Assistant Chief Meteorologist at J.S. Held, Kaj provides meteorology expertise for a variety of clients in the legal and insurance industries across the United States.
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Media Appearances
Five years after the 2020 derecho, are the storms becoming more common?
The Gazette online
2025-08-10
With a changing climate that continues to warm, forensic meteorologist Kaj O’Mara said derechos could become more common in Iowa. And, thanks to advances in technology, our ability to detect them also could increase the number of confirmed derechos.
Event Appearances
An Inspiring Career in a few short years
2009 | American Meteorological Society’s Eight Annual Student Conference Phoenix, Arizona
A Media Perspective of the Parkersburg EF5 Tornado – Competing Stations Coming Together
2009 | Central Iowa NWA Severe Storms & Doppler Radar Conference Des Moines, Iowa
A Summer’s Worth of Rain in 36 Hours: The Breach of the Hartwick Dam at Lake Delhi
2011 | Central Iowa NWA Severe Storms & Doppler Radar Conference Des Moines, Iowa
What’s in a storm report – do downed trees confirm severe wind?
2024 | Central Iowa NWA Severe Storms & Doppler Radar Conference Ankeny, Iowa
Weather and Natural Disasters
2024 | J.S. Held, LLC Educational Forum Vancouver, British Columbia
What’s in a storm report – do downed trees confirm severe wind?
2024 | Association of Certified Meteorologists Remote Presentation
RAGNAROK: The End of Hail
2025 | WIND 2025 Conference Dallas, Texas
Forensic Meteorology for Insurance Professionals
2025 | J.S. Held, LLC Leawood, Kansas
Weather Impacts on Ag Insurance
2025 | Agricultural Claims Association Conference Altoona, Iowa
The More You Know: About Hail!
2025 | Central Illinois CPCU Chapter Bloomington, Illinois
Iowa Ideas: How Extreme Weather Impacts Iowa
2025 | Iowa Ideas/Gazette Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Affiliations
- American Meteorological Society : Certified Consulting Meteorologist #774
- American Meteorological Society : Certified Broadcast Meteorologist #344
- American Meteorological Society : Board of Certified Consulting Meteorologists
- Association of Certified Meteorologists
Articles
Climatology of Storm Reports Relative to Upper-Level Jet Streaks
Weather and Forecasting2009
Using quasigeostrophic arguments and numerical simulations, past works have developed conceptual models of vertical circulations induced by linear and curved jet streaks. Because jet-induced vertical motion could influence the development of severe weather, these conceptual models, especially the "four quadrant" model for linear jet streaks, are often applied by operational forecasters. The present study examines the climatology of tornado, hail, and severe wind reports relative to upper-level jet streaks, along with temporal trends in storm report frequencies and changes in report distributions for different jet streak directions.
Weather Reports & Insurance Claims: Finding a Trustworthy Source
JD Supra2023
Storm reports are one of the most utilized tools in forensic storm damage assessments for insurance claims and litigation following a weather event. These reports are generally published by the National Weather Service and can be found in both preliminary format at the Storm Prediction Center’s website (among other, third-party sites), as well as in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Events Database.
Derecho, Downburst, or Bow Echo? Thunderstorm Wind Events Explained
JD Supra2023
During the first half of 2023 alone, there were over 7,000 reports of severe-caliber thunderstorm winds or associated damage, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. These wind events are generally characterized as straight-line winds. Some are isolated and short-lived, while others are not. But what’s the difference?
The Role of Forensic Meteorologists in Winter Weather Analysis
JD Supra2023
Winter is complicated whether we are judging the start or stop time of a winter event, the type of precipitation that has occurred, or the amount of accumulation. This article references numerous peer-reviewed studies regarding how winter precipitation greatly affects society through slip and fall accidents, traffic accidents, and aviation accidents.
The Challenges of Snow Forecasting and Snow Measurement
JD Supra2024
Winter weather is a challenge for all of us, especially those who predict it. Whether in a snow-prone area or one that receives only a few inches of snow per year, this time of year presents more hazards for meteorologists to assess and forecast.
Weather Hazards & Insurance Claims Considerations Across the US
JD Supra2024
Every day, somewhere in the United States, some sort of hazardous weather is occurring. The vastness of the nation—from the Arctic Ocean coastline to the tropical beaches of the Florida Keys, to the mountain peaks of the Western United States, to the volcanos in Hawaii, the inhospitable deserts of the Southwest to the eastern shores of the Great Lakes—covers diverse climates and geographical weather patterns.
Social
Links
Languages
- English
Education
Iowa State University
B.S.
Meteorology
2007
Licenses and Certifications
Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM)
American Meteorological Society
Credential ID #344
Issued Dec 2008
Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM)
American Meteorological Society
Credential ID #774
Issued Aug 2021
