WeatherBrains

Tonight is a home-grown show between our regulars.  Sometimes it's nice to sit around the wooden mahogany table and have a chat.  It's a lively discussion as usual, and we are glad you are here to join us for this week's all new episode of WeatherBrains. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Job interview tactics (14:00) Notable 2024 weather events (19:30) Very active year in Oklahoma for tornado activity (21:00) Looking back on the 2024 hurricane season (24:00) 2024 Space weather/Geomagnetic storms (32:30) New Jersey drone situation (38:00) Changing TV business (58:00) Conspiracy theory origins and fighting the spread of misinformation online (01:12:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:28:35) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:31:22) E-Mail Segment (01:33:00) National Weather Round-Up  and more! Web Sites from Episode 987: The Alabama Weather Blog Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - How Does the U.S. Public Get its Weather Forecasts? Jen Narramore - Virtual Tornado Memorial Project Rick Smith - 2024 Oklahoma Tornadoes Neil Jacobs - 2025 Science Policy Colloquium Troy Kimmel - Texas Storm Chasers on X: Severe storm over DFW Airport Kim Klockow-McClain - Support the Houser Family's Fire Recovery Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Iconic Photo after F4 Tornado on December 16, 2000 in Tuscaloosa The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a Research Associate at NOAA's NSSL.  He was previously an Emergency Manager for almost a decade.  He's also previously worked for Kansas State University and even briefly worked in city government.  David Hogg, welcome to the show. Our second Guest WeatherBrain is the Program Lead for Warn-on-Forecast, a position created in 2020.  Growing up in Oklahoma City sparked his passion for convective storms, and he attended the University of Oklahoma and worked as a student at NSSL where he helped improve algorithms that detect mesocyclones in thunderstorms using radar data. He also participated in several field programs, including the Sub-VORTEX outing on May 3, 1999.  Patrick Burke, welcome to the show. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. NSSL's WoFS Forecast System (12:00) WSIS Movement/Weather and Society Integrated Studies (17:00) Value of Probability Information (46:00) Utilizing WoFS (01:01:00) How do TV meteorologists utilize WoFS (01:03:30) Who makes the decision to run WoFS, and on what days?  (01:07:45) The dangers of manufactured housing during tornado events (01:16:00) Pre-convective initiation (01:19:15) Majority of Alabama still in drought conditions (01:37:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:30) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up (01:35:22) and more! Web Sites from Episode 986: David Hogg on X Picks of the Week: David Hogg - Disaster Aid Programs For Farms Patrick Burke - Egyptian Meteorological Authority James Aydelott - Under Every Tombstone: Sherman Levine Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Universe Sandbox Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Google says AI weather model masters 15-day forecast The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a 3-time veteran of the show.  He's a 1992 graduate of the University of Missouri, where he holds a Degree in Journalism and Atmospheric Science.  He has served the National Weather Service in El Paso, Texas for over three decades.  He's passionate about innovation and integrating web tools into weather service operations.  He also co-developed the National School Outreach Team.  Tim Brice, welcome back! The second Guest WeatherBrain tonight is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the NWS in Lubbock, Texas.   She has over fourteen years of experience at the NWS and is a graduate of Texas A&M University.   She's a former senior meteorologist at the NWS Atlanta, and is a key advocate for the NWS Buddy System.  Marissa Pazos, welcome to WeatherBrains. Our third Guest WeatherBrain began her NWS career as an intern, while she studied at Georgia Institute of Technology.  She earned both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Tech.  She served north Georgia for over twenty years, and has been the senior Service Hydrologist for the last six years.  She directed her focus toward operational hydrology and hydroservices, and co-founded the NWS Buddy System in 2023.  Laura Belanger, welcome to the show! Last but certainly not least, our fourth Guest WeatherBrain is the co-Lead of the Tiger Team Task Force within the NWS Office of Organizational Excellence.  She has over twenty years of experience in forecasting and leadership roles.  She's a graduate of Iowa State University with Advanced Degrees in Management and Leadership. Lisa Schmit, welcome to WeatherBrains. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. What is the NWS Buddy System and how does it work?  (13:00) Tiger Team Task Force/Approach (17:15) Limitations of vision in Broadcasting (26:30) Structural changes to accommodate life circumstances (40:30) The migration away from shift work (01:10:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:25:35) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:27:17) E-Mail Segment (01:30:20) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 985: NWS National School Outreach Picks of the Week: Tim Brice - Google Alerts Laura Belanger - NWS Peachtree City GA - Drought Whiplash Lisa Schmit - NWS Organizational Health Toolkit Marissa Pazos - West Texas Mesonet James Aydelott - Spann Statue Photoshop at Bryant- Denny Jen Narramore - Coffee County GA/Damage from Hurricane Helene images Rick Smith - Get your snow smarts on: 9 forecast tools you can use - NOAA Neil Jacobs - When do iguanas fall from trees in Florida? Troy Kimmel - GFA: Prog Chart - Aviation Weather Center Kim Klockow-McClain - Chuck's Chatter Bill Murray - An Uncertain Future Requires Uncertain Prediction Skills James Spann - One of the Greatest Iron Bowl Games Had the Worst Weather of the Series The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is responsible for providing weather forecast and weather safety information to the OU Office of Emergency Preparedness before, during and after weather threats of all types on the OU Campus. He also provides support to the OU Executive Policy Group in severe and winter weather situations in order to facilitate campus protection and closure decisions. He develops and leads high-impact weather safety training on the OU campus for its over 30,000 students, faculty and staff, and for the over 40,000 pre-collegiate students that call OU home during summer sports and academic camps. In addition, Kevin serves as Director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, one of the largest such Surveys in the country. OCS is charged with providing weather and climate data, analysis and expertise to stakeholders and decision makers throughout the state, and operates the Oklahoma Mesonet weather observing network. He also serves on the State of Oklahoma Hazard Mitigation Task Force.  Dr Kevin Kloesel, thanks for joining us tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Big event safety during severe weather (29:20) Distinction between fan injuries and player injuries (24:00) Dealing with severe weather during NASCAR/racing events (37:45) Lightning:  Time, not distance (41:00) Hope Is Not A Plan (50:00) Practical advice for youth baseball parks (01:21:15) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:25:40) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:27:36) E-Mail Segment National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 984: Dr. Kevin Klousel on X Picks of the Week: Dr. Kevin Kloesel - ANSI ES1.7 - 2021. Event Safety Requirements - Weather Preparedness James Aydelott - Radar nerdy: Looks like a Da Brie signature Jen Narramore - NWS Wilmington Rick Smith - Atlantic hurricane season races to finish within range of predicted number of named storms Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Application Documents For Certification Fee Waiver Lottery Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is the Meteorologist In Charge at the NWS in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He's an Illinois native.  Steve Piltz, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our Second Guest WeatherBrain tonight is an engineering professor at Oklahoma State University.  Dr. Jamey Jacob, thanks for joining us tonight. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Oklahoma pre-dawn QLCS tornado event (01:00) Dealing with surrounding aircraft/conflicts as PIC (Pilot in Command) of a drone (20:30) Proper protocol of ultralight aircraft nearby as a drone operator(23:00) How does ice form on drones?  (37:30) When will we stop launching weather balloons?  (45:50) ISARRA:  International Society for Atmospheric Research using Remotely Piloted Aircraft  (51:00) Developments in using drones in clouds (58:30) Difficulty of winter weather forecasting in low-latitudes (01:06:45) Real-time model output (01:10:20) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:15:35) E-Mail Segment  National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 983: Steve Piltz on X Picks of the Week: Dr. Jamey Jacob - Jacob researching solutions to turbulence in unmanned aerial systems Steve Piltz - SondeHub Tracker James Aydelott - Wettest all-time November in Tulsa weather records Jen Narramore - Ryan Hall 24/7 live weather stream Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal Kim Klockow-McClain - Out Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Tornadoes On This Date The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a long-time industry veteran and is currently the MIC at the NWS in Houston, TX where he's worked at that office for the last 10 years.  Jeff Evans, it's great having you with us tonight. Tonight's Guest Panelist has been an operational meteorologist for over 30 years and currently is the MIC at the NWS Louisville.  He received a BS in Meteorology from St. Louis University in 1986 and a Masters in Teaching in Geoscience from Mississippi State in 2002.  John Gordon, thanks for joining us! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Difficulty of messaging heat in Houston (10:45) Wet bulb globe temperature (16:00) Do Emergency Managers understand the extreme heat/cold threat?  (32:30) Wellness checks for the elderly in a major heat event (37:00) Methods for counting heat-related fatalities (43:00) Important recent tech advancements in the field (01:10:45)  November 3rd Oklahoma pre-dawn tornadoes (01:44:15) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:21:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:24:09) E-Mail Segment (01:26:00) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 982: Jeff Evans on X Picks of the Week: Jeff Evans - Aviation Weather Center John Gordon - "Significant Tornadoes: 1880-1989" by Thomas Grazulis James Aydelott - The Great Blue Norther of November 11th, 1911 Jen Narramore - Sarah King on X: Halloween photo Jen Narramore - Symposium on tornadoes: Assessment of knowledge and implications for man Rick Smith - Automated Data Plotter Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Houston scientist who played pivotal role in leading team during extreme weather retiring Kim Klockow-McClain - Influences of Space Weather Forecasting Uncertainty on Satellite Conjunction Assessment Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Remembering the 1989 Huntsville "Airport Road" Tornado The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is the News Director at WBMA-TV (ABC 33/40) in Birmingham, AL.  He's a Macon, GA native and a meteorologist-turned-journalist.  He has a Degree in Atmospheric Science from UNC-Asheville.   After being an on-air broadcast meteorologist for 17 years, he spent two years working in radio at The Weather Channel.  Jeff Cox, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our Second Guest WeatherBrain tonight is the News Director at KCBD-TV in Lubbock, Texas.  He studied Broadcast Journalism at Texas Tech with a Minor in Atmospheric Science.  He then earned a Certificate of Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University.  Matt Earnst, welcome to the show! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Revisiting the Blizzard of March 1993 (07:15) Making the transition from broadcast meteorology to journalism (21:15) Importance of content:  The changing business model in broadcast television (33:00) YouTube weather streamers (47:00) Cultivating value in a difficult media environment (01:09:30) Oklahoma Severe Weather Event/QLCS Tornadoes 11/3/24 (01:19:10) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:51) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up (01:31:35) and more! Web Sites from Episode 981: Jeff Cox on X Matt Earnst on X Picks of the Week: Matt Earnst - November 2nd, 2004 West Texas Snowfall Event James Aydelott - Tornado Warning Event Count By State since 11/01/24 Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Pre/Post-Conference Training Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Tornado Damage in Oklahoma City - Photo of wooden pole through car windshield The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a veteran meteorologist recognized for his years at AccuWeather.  He became well-known for his expertise in winter storms and severe weather forecasting as well as his engaging approach to delivering weather insights. His career has spanned over thirty years and has contributed to significant advancements in meteorological technology. He's built a loyal following among weather enthusiasts. Henry Margusity, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Birmingham's (AL) October rainfall is still zero as of the 28th (09:00) Staffing changes at The Capital Weather Gang/Washington Post (27:30) FAA/NWS Memo controversy (28:30) Funny stories look back at time at AccuWeather (43:45) Change of pace in the weather business over the last few decades (48:30) Maintaining situational awareness in the age of advancement of automation (50:30) Age demographic and it's challenges (01:10:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:19:55) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:21:31) E-Mail Segment (01:23:18) National Weather Round-Up (01: and more! Web Sites from Episode 980: Henry Margusity - Weather Madness on X Picks of the Week: Henry Margusity - Winter 2024/25: October Update James Aydelott - Gesman Tamang on X: Top of Mount Everest Photo Jen Narramore - First barrel ride down Niagara Falls - October 24th, 1901 Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - AI is transforming weather forecasting. Is the U.S. falling behind? Troy Kimmel - Understanding Wyoming's High Winds Kim Klockow-McClain - IAEM Annual Conference 2024 Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Fact Check: Debunking weather modification claims The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a Climatologist at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), specializing in climate data, analysis, severe weather research, and improving access to historical weather data sets.  Jared Rennie, welcome back to the show! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Health of NCEI Database post-Helene (07:45) Pre-Helene North Carolina heavy rain event (16:30) Limitations on forecasting impacts of significant severe weather (29:45) Compound hazards/Cascading disasters (33:00) What would a successful evacuation look like in coastal areas?  (39:40) Public reaction concerning the messaging of Helene's effects (01:09:00) Hurricane Oscar and it's surprises with forecasters/modeling (01:22:23) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:18:20) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:20:40) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up (01:21:45) and more! Web Sites from Episode 979: Jared Rennie on X Picks of the Week: Jared Rennie - Project Jupyter Jared Rennie - North Carolina continues to search for Helene victims after monster storm - 60 Minutes James Aydelott - Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - List of NOAA Open Data Dissemination Program Datasets Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Hurricane Helene: Storm Decision Fatigue Is Getting to Me Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Spann Says - Substack The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is no stranger to the show.  He is a certified consulting meteorologist and a certified Broadcast Meteorologist with a strong focus on weather history.  He's a weather historian and author known for his book "Too Near For Dreams:  The Story of Cleveland Abbe, America's First Weather Forecaster".  He also writes "Retrospect", a regular feature for WeatherWise Magazine, which highlights notable weather events and their impacts in history.  Sean Potter, it's great to see you again and thanks for coming by and chatting with us on this week's episode. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. "Cracking the Code" that the US Weather Bureau used in the late 19th Century (04:45) Revisiting March 1932 tornado outbreak and Weather Bureau protocol (51:45) Reassurances that ASOS data is still being ingested into Asheville/Back-up sites (01:00:20) How much of the Code was shared with the public/Was it a novelty?  (01:02:00) Invest 94L (Atlantic basin) discussion as of 10/14 (01:20:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:18:40) E-Mail Segment (01:19:42) and more! Web Sites from Episode 978: SeanPotter.com "Too Near for Dreams: The Story of Cleveland Abbe, America's First Weather Forecaster" by Sean Potter Picks of the Week: Sean Potter - Emotional John Morales updates on Hurricane Milton James Aydelott - Kyle Benne on X: Aurora photo in Arizona Jen Narramore - Michael Lowry on X: Peter Dodge Tribute Rick Smith - Damage Assessment Toolkit Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Aurora Chasing Cheat Sheet Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - End of an Era: Prioritizing Mental Health and Finding Balance The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.