Department of Geography and Planning

Education

B.A., Comparative Area Studies, Duke University, 1996
M.A., Geography, Appalachian State University, 1998
Ph.D., Geography, UNC Chapel Hill, 2006

Biography

Dr. Baker Perry is a National Geographic Explorer and a Professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. He is one of a handful of scientists working at the highest elevations of the planet to understand climate change impacts on the critical water towers that sustain hundreds of millions of people downstream. In collaboration with The National Geographic Society, the Government of Nepal, Tribhuvan University, and Appalachian State University, Dr. Perry co-led the expeditions that installed the highest altitude weather station network in the world on the south side of Mount Everest in Nepal and directs the ongoing operation and maintenance activities. The 2019 expedition was reported in a feature-length documentary; articles in the National Geographic magazine (including online here and here) have added to the coverage, with hundreds of millions of views worldwide. He and his colleagues have published many scientific papers on the network, including being featured on the front cover of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society in 2019 and 2022 (the latter broke the news of the summit station, recognized by Guinness World Records as the highest weather station in the world). Dr. Perry also has worked extensively at the highest reaches of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, where he and his teams have investigated climate and glacier changes and associated impacts on water resources.

Explorer Experience

Dr. Perry has 30 years of alpine mountaineering experience that includes multiple ascents to over 26,000 ft on Mount Everest in Nepal Himalaya and over 21,000 ft in the Andes for as part of scientific research expeditions. He has spent extensive time working on glaciers above 16,000 ft – nearly six months in total, including almost one month above 20,000 ft.  He has climbed to his team’s weather station at 18,536 ft on the summit plateau of the Quelccaya Ice Cap in Peru 22 times since 2014.

Social Media

Twitter/X:  @BakerPerry1
Instagram: @l.baker.perry

Scientific Credentials

Since receiving his Ph.D. in 2006, Dr. Perry has published 47 research papers that have been cited over 1,000 times. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society, American Geophysical Union, and the American Association of Geographers.

Research

Dr. Perry’s research interests include alpine precipitation, snow and ice, glacier-climate interactions, and climate change. Mountain regions serve as a focus, with specific interests in the Himalayas, Andes, and Appalachians. His current research is organized around three major topics:

1. Meteorological Research on Mt. Everest: Recent research activities include installation of a network of meteorological stations – including the two highest in the world – in the Khumbu Himal (Everest) region of Nepal as part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition in April/May 2019. The network will greatly improve climber safety on the main climbing routes on the south side of Mt. Everest through real-time meteorological monitoring and bias correction of numerical model output. The highest stations in particular have enabled the first in-situ characterization of the climate at the highest points on Earth and will improve paleoclimatic reconstructions from nearby ice cores. Recent publications include:

• Sherpa, T.C., T. Matthews, L.B. Perry, A. Thapa, P.K. Singh, A. Khadka, I. Koch, M. Pelto, P. Panday, D. Aryal, D. Shrestha, S. Kang, P.A. Mayewski. 2023. Insights from the first observations of winter weather near Mount Everest’s summit. Weather, http://doi.org/10.1002/wea.4374 

• Dragone, N.B., L.B. Perry, A. Solon, A. Seimon, T.A. Seimon, S.K. Schmidt. 2023. Genetic analysis of the frozen microbiome at 7,900 m a.s.l., on the South Col of Sagarmatha (Mount Everest). Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2164999

• Matthews, T., L.B. Perry, A. Khadka, T.G. Sherpa, D. Shrestha, D. Aryal, S. Tuladhar, N. Thapa, N. Pradhananga, P. Athans, D.Y. Sherpa, H. Guy, A. Seimon, A. Elmore, K. Li, N. Alexiev. 2022. Weather observations reach the summit of Mount Everest. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103: E2827-E2835, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0120.1  

• Bessin, Z., J-P. Dedieu, Y. Arnaud, P. Wagnon, F. Brun, M. Esteves, L.B. Perry, T. Matthews. 2022. Processing of VENµS images in high mountain: A case study from cryospheric and hydro-climatic applications in the Everest region (Nepal). Remote Sensing, 14, 1098. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14051098 

• Grey, L., A. Johnson, T. Matthews, L.B. Perry, A. Elmore, A. Khadka, D. Shrestha, S. Tuludhar, S. Baidya, D. Aryal, A. Gajurel. 2022. Mount Everest’s photogenic weather during the post-monsoon. Weather, http://doi.org/10.1002/wea.4184 

• Potocki, M., P.A. Mayewki, T. Matthews, L.B. Perry, M. Schwikowski, A. Tait, E. Korotkikh, H. Clifford, S. Kang, T. Sherpa, P. Singh, I. Koch, S. Birkel. 2022. Mt. Everest’s highest glacier is a sentinel for accerlating ice loss. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science 5, 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00230-0

• Pelto, M., P. Panday, T. Matthews, J. Maurer, L.B. Perry. 2021. Observations of winter ablation on glaciers in the Mount Everest Region in 2020-2021. Remote Sensing 2021: 13(14) 2692. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13142692

• Perry, L.B., T. Matthews, H. Guy, I. Koch, A. Khadka, A.C. Elmore, D. Shrestha, S. Tuladhar, S.K. Baidya, S. Maharjan, P. Wagnon, D. Aryal, A. Seimon, A. Gajurel, P.A. Mayewski. 2020. Precipitation characteristics and moisture source regions on Mt. Everest in the Khumbu, Nepal. One Earth 3(5): 594-607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.10.011

• Perry, L.B., S.E. Yuter, T. Matthews, P. Wagnon, A. Khadka, D. Aryal, D. Shrestha, A. Tait, M.A. Miller, A. O’Neill, S.R. Rhodes, I. Koch, T.G. Sherpa, S. Tuladhar, S.K. Baidya, S. Elvin, A.C. Elmore, A. Gajurel, P.A. Mayewski. 2020. Direct observations of a Mount Everest Snowstorm from the World’s Highest Surface-Based Radar Observations. Weather, Early Online View. https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.3854

• Matthews, T., L.B. Perry, I. Koch, I, D. Aryal, A Khadka, D. Shrestha, K Abernathy, A.C. Elmore, A. Seimon, A. Tait, S. Elvin, T. Subash, S.K. Baidya, M. Potocki, S.D. Birkel, S. Kang, P.A. Mayewski, and National Geographic and Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Extreme Expedition to Mt. Everest Team. 2020. Going to extremes: installing the world’s highest weather stations on Mount Everest. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101: E1870-E1890. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0198.1

• Matthews, T., L.B. Perry, T.P. Lane, A.C. Elmore, A. Khadka, D. Aryal, D. Shrestha, S. Tuladhar, S.K. Baidya, A. Gajurel, M. Potocki, P.A. Mayewski. 2020. Into Thicker Air? Oxygen availability at humans’ physiological frontier on Mount Everest. iScience 23(12):  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.101718

• Mayewski, P.A. L.B. Perry, T. Matthews, S. Birkel. 2020. Climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayas: Basis and Gaps. One Earth 3(5): 551-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.10.007

• Mayewski, P.A., A. Gajurel, S.E. Elvin, P. Athans, T. Dinley, P. Sherpa, A.C. Elmore, J. Ghimire, L.B. Perry, T. Matthews, S. Birkel, S. Guilford, M. Hubbard, A. Putnam, T. Seimon, A. Seimon, S. Ghimere, A. Tait. 2020. Pushing climate change science to the roof of the world. One Earth 3(5): 556-560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.10.021

Video highlighting weather stations on Mt. Everest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqJ7LQ8KGMc

2. Precipitation-Climate-Glacier Interactions in the Tropical Andes Mountains: Research priorities include investigating precipitation patterns and processes across the Andean region, investigating the atmospheric influences on oxygen stable isotopes and trace elements preserved in high-elevation snowfall, and decoding multi-centennial climate histories from tropical Andean ice cores. This work was supported by two grants from the National Science Foundation and currently by National Geographic and Rolex. As part of these projects, Dr. Perry has installed comprehensive precipitation monitoring stations on the Quelccaya Icecap in Peru at 5,650 m and at the Chacaltaya Observatory at 5,160 m in Bolivia. Along with Dr. Gino Casassa and other Chilean partners, Dr. Perry installed the highest weather stations in the Americas at 6,505 m on Tupungato Volcano in the Chilean Andes in 2021. Selected recent publications are available below:

• Clifford, H.M., M. Potocki, C. Rodda, D. Dixon, S. Birkel, M. Handley, E. Korothikh, F. Schwanck, F.A. Tavares, R.T. Bernardo, F.G.L. Lindau, O.V. Gomez, H. Jara-Infantes, V. B. Urviola, L.B. Perry, J. Maurer, A. Seimon, M. Schwikowski, G. Casassa, S. Hou, A.V. Kurbatov, K.R. Miner, J.C. Simões, P.A. Mayewski. 2022. Comparison of shallow ice core records from Quelccaya Ice Cap (Peru) and Nevado Illimani (Bolivia) and potential for future ultra-high-resolution investigation. Journal of Glaciology, In Press.

• Birkel, S., P.A. Mayewski, L.B. Perry, A. Seimon, M. Andrade-Flores. 2021. Reanalysis inter-model comparison of temperature and precipitation for the Andean Altiplano and adjacent Cordilleras. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, http://doi.org/10.1029/2021EA001934

• Fyffe, C.L., E. Potter, S. Fugger, A. Orr, S. Fatichi, K. Medina, R.Å Hellström, M. Bernat, C. Aubry-Wake, W. Gurgiser, L.B. Perry, W. Suarez, D.J. Quincey, E. Loarte, F. Pellicciotti. 2021. The energy and mass balance of Peruvian glaciers. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126, e2021JD034911.  https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD034911

• Jonaitis, J., L.B. Perry, A. Seimon, P. Soulé, C. Thaxton, M. Andrade-Flores, T. Ita-Vargas. 2021. Spatiotemporal patterns of ENSO-precipitation relationships in the tropical Andes of southern Peru and Bolivia. International Journal of Climatology, 41: 4061-4076. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.7058

• Guy, H., A. Seimon, L.B. Perry, B.L. Konecky, M. Rado, M. Andrade, M. Potocki, P.A. Mayewski. 2019. Subseasonal variations of stable isotopes in tropical Andean precipitation. Journal of Hydrometeorology 20:915-933. DOI: 10.1175/JHM-D-18-0163.1.

• Endries, J.L., L.B. Perry, S.E. Yuter, A. Seimon, M. Andrade-Flores, G. Mamani, F. Velarde, R. Winkelmann, M. Rado, N. Montoya, S. Arias. 2018. Radar-observed characteristics of precipitation in the tropical high Andes of southern Peru and Bolivia. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 57: 1441-1458. DOI: 10.1175/JAMC-D-17-0248.1

• Schauwecker, S., M. Rohrer, C. Huggel, J. Endries, N. Montoya, R. Neukom, L.B. Perry, N. Salzmann, M. Schwarb, W. Suarez. 2017. The freezing level in the tropical Andes, Peru: an indicator for present and future glacier extents. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 122, doi:10.1002/2016JD025943.

• Perry, L.B., A. Seimon, M. Andrade-Flores, J.L. Endries, S.E. Yuter, F. Velarde, S. Arias, M. Bonshoms, E.J. Burton, R. Winkelmann, C.M. Cooper, G. Mamani, M. Rado, N. Montoya, N. Quispe. 2017. Characteristics of precipitating storms in glacierized tropical Andean cordilleras of Peru and Bolivia. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 107: 309–322. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2016.1260439

• Kronenberg, M., S. Schauwecker, C. Huggel, N. Salzmann, F. Drenkhan, H. Frey, C. Giráldez, W. Gurgiser, G. Kaser, I. Juen, W. Suarez, J.G. Hernández, J.F. Sanmartín, E. Ayros, L.B. Perry, M. Rohrer. 2016. The projected precipitation reduction over the Central Andes may severely affect Peruvian glaciers and hydropower production. Energy Procedia 97: 270-277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2016.10.072

• Burton, E.J., L.B. Perry, M. Bonshoms, A. Seimon, N. Quispe, G. Mamani. 2015. Vertical structure, melting layer heights, and antecedent upstream air trajectories associated with precipitation events during the 2014-15 wet season in the central Andes of Peru. Proceedings of the 72^nd Eastern Snow Conference, 181-190.

• Poremba, R., L.B. Perry, A. Seimon, D.T. Martin, A. Tupayachi. 2015. Meteorological characteristics of heavy snowfall in the Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru. Proceedings of the 72^nd Eastern Snow Conference, 167-180.

• Perry, L.B., A. Seimon, G.M. Kelly. 2014. Precipitation delivery in the tropical high Andes of southern Peru: New findings and paleoclimatic implications. International Journal of Climatology 34: 197-215. DOI: 10.1002/joc.3679.

Video highlighting our Andes research and partnership with the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation: https://youtu.be/ISmN0MPR83U

Media on research and education activities in Peru and Bolivia: https://today.appstate.edu/2019/03/15/peru

3. Snowfall Patterns and Processes in the Southern Appalachian Mountains: Research activities include investigation of multiscale atmospheric processes influencing snowfall formation, from the hemispheric (e.g., Arctic Oscillation and El Niño-Southern Oscillation) to the cloud microphysical (e.g., snow particle type and degree of riming, moist layer temperature and thickness). Dr. Sandra Yuter (NCSU), Dr. Douglas Miller (UNCA), Stephen Keighton (NOAA-NWS), and the Northwest Flow Snowfall Discussion Group are important partners in this ongoing project. A comprehensive snow and precipitation monitoring station was installed at 1,875 m asl on Roan Mountain, NC, in 2012. Recent publications include the following:

• Eck, M.E., L.B. Perry, P.T. Soulé, J.W. Sugg, D.K. Miller. 2019. Winter climate variability and change in the southern Appalachian Mountains: 1910-2017. International Journal of Climatology, 39: 206-217. DOI: 10.1002/joc.5795

• Sugg, J.W., C.M. Fuhrmann, L.B. Perry, D.K. Hall, C.E. Konrad. 2017. Sub-regional snow cover distribution across the southern Appalachian Mountains. Physical Geography DOI: 10.1080/02723646.2016.1162020

• Keighton, S., D.K. Miller, D.G. Hotz, P.D. Moore, L.B. Perry, L.G. Lee, D.T. Martin. 2016. Northwest flow aspects of Superstorm Sandy in the Central and Southern Appalachian Mountains. Weather & Forecasting 31: 173-195. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-15-0069.1

• Martin, D.T., L.B. Perry, P.T. Soulé, D.K. Miller. 2015. Snowfall event characteristics from a high-elevation site in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Climate Research 63: 171-190. doi: 10.3354/cr01291

• Sugg, J.W., L.B. Perry, D.K. Hall, G. Riggs, C.A. Badurek. 2014. Satellite perspectives on the spatial extent of new snowfall in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Hydrological Processes 28: 4602-4613. DOI: 10.1002/hyp.10196.

Teaching

Dr. Baker Perry inspires students to reach new heights in Appalachian Today

2023-24 Academic Year Courses

Global Climate Change (GHY 1011)
Weather and Climate (GHY 3100)
Research Themes in Geography (GHY 5000)

Dr. Perry is leading an inaugural summer study abroad program to the Nepal Himalaya in Summer 2024. More details available here.

2022-23 Academic Year Courses

Global Climate Change (GHY 1011)
Research Themes in Geography (GHY 5000)

Information on the 2023 Peru Summer Study Abroad Program coming soon! Tentative dates are 7 to 23 July 2023. Contact Dr. Perry for more information.

Recent Master’s Theses Supervised

O’Neill, A. 2021. Analytical Hierarchical Modeling of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Potential in the Khumbu Region, Nepal. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), M. Sugg, S. Shu.

Ita Vargas, T. 2019. Synoptic Patterns Associated with Wet Season Onset in the Tropical High Andes of Southern Peru and Bolivia. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), M. Sugg, I. Moreno.

Jonaitis, J. 2018. Spatiotemporal Patterns of ENSO-Precipitation Relationships in the Tropical High Andes of Southern Peru and Bolivia. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), A. Seimon, P.T. Soulé, C.S. Thaxton.

Guy, H. 2018. Identification of a Regionally Coherent Subseasonal Signal of Stable Isotopes in Tropical Andean Precipitation. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), A. Seimon, B. Konecky.

Eck, M.A. 2017. Winter Climate Variability in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, 1910-2017. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), P.T. Soulé, J.W. Sugg, D.K. Miller.

Endries, J.L. 2017. Radar-Observed Characteristics of Precipitation in the Tropical High Andes of Southern Peru and Bolivia. Committee: L.B. Perry (Chair), S.E. Yuter, A. Seimon.

Selected Media Links

Tuscola to Everest: Haywood-grown climate scientist and explorer to share peak-trotting expeditions, The Mountaineer, 30 September 2023.

On Everest, App State faculty fine-tune tools for sky-high scholarship, Appalachian Today, 27 July 2023. 

Highest Weather Station in the Tropical Andes Installed Near the Summit of Nevado Ausangate in Peru, National Geographic Society Newsroom, 3 August 2022.

Measuring the top of the world: Tuscola alum leads Everest expedition, Smoky Mountain News, 15 June 2022.

App State Mountaineers experience real-world climate science in Peru. Appalachian Today, 16 September 2022.

Baker Perry: Forecasting weather on top of the world, National Geographic, 13 September 2022. 

Live streaming weather data from the top of the world, CNN Weather Brief, 20 July 2022.

Measuring the top of the world: Tuscola alum leads Everest expedition, Smoky Mountain News, 15 June 2022.

A return to Everest: AppState’s Dr. Baker Perry leads climate science expedition to the world’s highest mountain, Appalachian Today, 7 June 2022.

Next-gen weather station installed near Everest’s summit, National Geographic Magazine, 25 May 2022. 

Sound Effect: Baker Perry and Panuru Sherpa on installing the highest weather station in the world. Appalachian Today, 15 December 2021. 

Dr. Baker Perry inspires students to reach new heights, Appalachian Today, 1 June 2021.

Highest weather station in the Andes will help scientists search for climate answers, National Geographic Magazine, 27 April 2021. 

From the Smokies to the Sea: The climate challenges facing North Carolina, WTVD ABC 11 Eyewitness News, 22 April 2021.

AppState climate ‘superhero’ Dr. Baker Perry inspires young Brazilian scientist, Appalachian Today, 16 April 2021.

Everest Summits May Become Easier Due to Climate Change, Outside Magazine, 20 November 2020.

Tracing the Moisture that Nourishes the World’s Highest Glacier, EOS Science News by AGU, 14 December 2020.

Installing a Weather Station on Mt. Everest, WFAE 90.7 National Public Radio, 28 June 2019. 

App State researchers scale Mount Everest to conduct climate research as part of National Geographic expedition, Appalachian Today, 14 June 2019. 

Inside the Everest expedition that built the world’s highest weather station, National Geographic, 13 June 2019. 

World Record for Highest Altitude Weather Station on Land, Guinness World Records, 2019.

AppState Leads Climate Research at the Top of the World, Appalachian Today, 15 December 2019. 

Dr. Baker Perry – ‘cornerstone of research’ in Appalachia and the Andes, Appalachian Today, 15 March 2019. 

Scientists, students, and Quechua community partner to understand climate change, Appalachian Magazine, 28 June 2012.

Research project aims to improve WNC snowfall projections, Appalachian Magazine, 13 October 2008.