WeatherBrains

Tonight's show is all about the OTUS Project.  It's a nonprofit research mission lead by President Nelson Tucker, Drone Builder and Ops Coordinator Louis Tucker, Lead Engineer Tanner Beard, and chasing expert Eric Fox.  The OTUS Project was founded by engineering and meteorology students, and is pioneering the use of cutting edge UAV technology, software and sensor engineering to investigate tornadoes in ways never before possible.  Their goal is to protect life and property by improving our understanding of wind forces for structural resilience and collecting thermodynamic data to enhance computer models. Also, they prioritize hazard prediction through advanced drone deployment and strategic partnerships as well as real-time field work.  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. Meet the OTUS Team!  (05:00) How did OTUS Project start?  (11:30) Drone design development (14:30) What does an OTUS project deployment look like?  (17:30) Successful 2025 chasing season (22:00) May 2025 Arnett, OK tornado intercept (33:00) Difficulties of acquiring viable data with difficult variables during chases (43:00) Leverage controlled environments with drones for calibration activities (56:00) How an airspeed sensor works when chasing (57:30) Status on upcoming OTUS Documentary (01:09:00) Nelson shares footage of actual tornado intercept (01:12:00) 2026 National Storm Chaser Summit (01:28:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:36:00) E-Mail Segment (01:37:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1046:   Alabama Weather Network The OTUS Project Picks of the Week: Nelson Tucker - TornadoGenesis.Org Eric Fox - Colorado water officials plan for "exceedingly grim" low reservoir levels James Aydelott - Okie J on Facebook: Shovel Hack video Jen Narramore - SPC Data Viewer Rick Smith - SPC's Liz Leitman explains upcoming changes to SPC convective outlooks Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Panel Discussion 10A - Informed decision-making and ethics: Developing a blueprint for ethical weather and climate communication John Gordon - Barotrophic Instability AKA Karman Vortex Street Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Adding Intensity Information to SPC Convective Outlooks The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's show celebrates 20 years of WeatherBrains, still going strong in January 2026! Former show regulars join the panel to reflect on memorable moments, including Aubrey Urbanowicz, Nate Johnson, Dr. John Scala, and Dr. Neil Jacobs.  Over the years, WeatherBrains has covered nearly every topic in meteorology, and panelist Jen Narramore shares audio highlights from some of the most memorable episodes. Thanks for being part of the celebration tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. NOAA Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs (14:00) Dr. John Scala life update (16:00) Resolving global ensemble model as a prediction system?  (24:30) NVIDIA weather model announcement at AMS (26:00) WeatherBrains Episode 1 - January 31st, 2006 (29:00) J. B. Elliott funny moments (31:00) Groundbreaking weather radar with early broadcast meteorology in the late 1950s (36:00)    Improving providing warnings to immigrant populations (45:30) Looking back at sexual harassment in social media show topic (51:00) Revisiting Episode 1016 concerning the July 2025 Texas Flooding (01:02:30) October 2022 WB Episode on Autism and special needs community (01:10:00) James Aydelott on WB Show 1000 March 2025 (01:17:00)  J. B. Elliott WB highlights (01:22:30) Former WB Panelist meteorologist Kevin Selle life update (01:30:00) Nate Johnson drops in!  (01:39:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:32:50) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:36:05) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1045:   Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Aubrey Urbanowitz - Frozen spaghetti photo in MN Nate Johnson - Why weather apps may note be the best bet during winter storms Dr. John Scala - California is free of all drought, dryness for first time in 25 years. Inside the remarkable turnaround James Aydelott - Okie James Facebook Post Jen Narramore - Steamnado! Rick Smith - February 2021 US extreme cold write-up Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - KOCO Field Meteorologist Michael Armstrong helps driver stuck on snow-packed road in OKC Bill Murray - Out  James Spann - NVIDIA's new AI weather models probably saw this storm coming weeks ago The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's show is dedicated to a deep dive into avalanches!  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is Dr. Ethan Greene from Colorado Avalanche Center.  He's also served as the Director of the NW Pacific Avalanche Center.  We will cover a basic understanding of avalanches, the geographic responsibility of the Colorado Avalanche Center, launch of forecasting avalanches and how they try to prevent avalanches during the off-season.  We will examine how they prepared in this work with the citizens of Colorado and who they collaborate with make this happen.  Dr. Greene joined CAIC as the Director in 2005.  He grew up in Boulder and learned to ski when he was three. He has worked with snow and avalanches since 1990. He worked as a ski patroller (Big Sky Ski Resort) and as a backcountry avalanche forecaster (Utah Avalanche Forecast Center). He studied meteorology (B.S., University of Utah), mountain weather and snow-drift formation (M.S., Colorado State University), and snow metamorphism and microstructure (Ph.D., CSU). In 2016, he received the Bernie Kingery Award and a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Utah. Ethan has published a variety of articles and has been a member of national and international working groups on snow, weather, and avalanche topics. Ethan lives in Leadville with his wife and two children.  Thanks for joining us tonight, Dr. Greene! Also joining us as Guest Panelist is Mark Staples.  He is Director and Avalanche Forecaster at the Gallatin National Forecast Avalanche Center in Boseman.  Mark, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Upcoming AMS Annual Meeting in Houston (03:30) Basic definition of an avalanche (08:00) What do their field technicians do and what instrumentation do they use?  (18:30) How the avalanche watch/warning process works (24:00) Biggest clients in avalanche forecasting (37:00) How does the public get avalanche forecast information?  (42:00) Canadian collaboration on risk communication (47:00) Communicating to young people about avalanche dangers (53:30) Smaller avalanche outbreaks vs major events (01:17:00) FAR and POD metrics vs avalanche warning metrics (01:19:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:27:20) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1044:   Alabama Weather Network Avalanche.Org Picks of the Week: Dr. Ethan Greene - Avalanche Explorer James Aydelott - Impactful snow ahead for Oklahoma and southern Kansas this upcoming weekend Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - 9 rules for using Forecast Models Kim Klockow-McClain - Out John Gordon - Avalanche search and rescue training in Tahoe Bill Murray - Out James Spann - NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center Radio Communications Dashboard The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 Canadian meteorologist Ken MacDonald.  He started his career way back in 1975, and has been an instructor, a forecaster, and a researcher.  He is the former Executive Director of Environment Canada.  Our second Guest WeatherBrain James Abraham is a veteran meteorologist with almost four decades of experience who has forecasted in British Columbia, the U. S. East Coast and even was former and first Director of the Canadian Hurricane Center.  Ken and James, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Environment Canada basics (08:00) Modernization process at Environment Canada (14:00) Reformatted warning polygons (19:00) Recurring issues with zone forecasts (22:30) Canadian meteorology employment/recruiting (28:30) Details of 18 month internship after initial hire (34:00) Canadian Hurricane Center (35:00) The Perfect Storm of 1991 (48:00) Total number of TV meteorologists in Canada (53:00) Death of linear television (56:30) Research efforts across Canada (01:06:00) Most difficult places to forecast meteorology in Canada (01:09:30) 2025-26 Canadian winter highlights (01:10:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:14:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:16:45) E-Mail Segment (01:18:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1043:   Alabama Weather Network Canada's weather warning system has changed. Here's how. Meteorologist Occupational Training Program Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - The OCS/Mesonet Ticker Jen Narramore - Jen shoutout on X Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - NWS Juneau on YouTube John Gordon - Juneau, Alaska buried under 80+ inches of snow Bill Murray - Out James Spann - CIPS Analog-Based Severe Probability Guidance The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Our Guest WeatherBrain couldn't make it tonight, so our panel holds a homegrown episode to kick off 2026.  Discussions include storm-based vs county-warnings, public storm reports, and a deep-dive into fundamentals of modern-day radar. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Severe storms possible on Friday in Deep South 1/9/26 (05:00) Storm-based warnings vs county-wide warnings (26:00) Pete Wolf Charitable Foundation (38:00) Helping the general public with radar interpretation (48:00) Public storm reports and how often they are used in NWS warnings (53:00) MPING (57:30) NWS app is needed (59:00) Protecting people living in mobile homes during severe weather (01:06:00) Threats-In-Motion (TIM) (01:08:00) Threat Confirmation Defined (01:14:00) Social media AI engagement farms (01:16:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:22:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (01:24:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1042:   Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - WeatherBrains 224 Jen Narramore - WeatherBrains 998 Rick Smith - The Annual Lightning Report 2025 Troy Kimmel - US Drought Monitor From 2000-2025 Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Extreme Temperatures Around The World Bill Murray - Out James Spann - AEM Releases 2025 U.S. Lightning Report The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

On WeatherBrains this week this our annual year-ender episode with Greg Carbin.  Greg needs no introduction; tonight we look back at 2025's notable weather events, and what the meteorology community has learned in the past year.  Greg has presented his "Year-in-Review" presentation to the NWA Annual Meeting every year since 2004. His professional society memberships have included the NWA, AMS, International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Greg currently serves as Chair on the NWA's Professional Development Committee.   Thanks for joining us this week for this year's WeatherBrains finale! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Looking back at 2025 (11:45) 2025 Gulf Coast snowstorm (19:30) Legendary meteorologist Chuck Doswell passes away (21:00) 17 tornadoes in Alabama in 2025 (42:00) Mid-May tornado outbreak near St. Louis (53:00) July 2025 Texas flooding tragedy (55:30) Remnants of Typhoon Halong cross Alaska (01:05:30) Dr. Neil Frank 2021 interview clip/Rewatch Episode 819 for entire interview (01:14:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:11:05) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:13:00) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - Happy New Year!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1041:   Remembering former KHOU-11 TV chief meteorologist Dr. Neil Frank Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Greg Carbin - Ensemble QPF Tracking James Aydelott - Tulsa, OK record high temperature graphic Jen Narramore - Ethan Mok on X: Zion, IL fake AI tornado damage Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Tom Niziol on X: Wind-driven seiche on Lake Erie John Gordon - Tom Niziol on X: 80 mph wind gusts at Buffalo, NY Bill Murray - James Spann speaks with FOX Weather's Bob Van Dillen James Spann - Aaron Rigbsy on X: Tree damage video associated with a blizzard The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

On WeatherBrains this week are two special guests.  Friend of the show and WeatherBrains veteran Mark Sudduth is the owner of HurricaneTrack.com and has over three decades of experience documenting landfalling hurricanes and other high impact weather events.  He founded the Hurricane Intercept Research Team, which pioneers the use of unmanned camera systems to safely capture severe weather.  Welcome to the show! Last but certainly not least is our second Guest WeatherBrain Bruce Thomas.  He's the President of WeatherCall and is the former spokesman of Midland Weather Radio and is a former broadcast meteorologist.  He covered the 1997 Jarrell, TX tornado and has even worked with the Red Cross.  Bruce, it's great to have you on the show. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Mark's major projects in 2025 (08:00) 2025 Hurricane season's overall unexpected lack of activity (13:30) Launch of Mark's new podcast (18:00) Self-appointed Mayor of Weatherville (47:00) What is WeatherCall and where is it going?  (53:00) AL/MS are the most dangerous places on Earth for tornadoes (01:08:00) Turning the page to 2026's very early hurricane season predictions (01:19:00) Jobseekers, watch what you post on social media!!! (01:30:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (01:24:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1040:   Alabama Weather Network WeatherCall Picks of the Week: Bruce Thomas - Fire photo from Yuma, Colorado James Aydelott - Tule Fog over California's Central Valley Jen Narramore - 144 MPH Wind Gust On Wednesday One Of The Strongest Ever Recorded in Wyoming Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - StormReady Kim Klockow-McClain - Out John Gordon - Ice Tsunami Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Foghorn The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

On WeatherBrains this week are meteorologist Jim Abraham with Environment Canada and meteorologist Ken MacDonald.  Jim actually started the Canadian Hurricane Center in Halifax, and has been working in meteorology for over four decades.  Ken MacDonald has been in the weather field for over 48 years.  He launched his career in 1975, and has been an instructor, a forecaster, and a researcher in areas all over Canada.  It's great to see you both and thank you for joining us tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Origin of "Boomer Sooner" (07:15) NWS vs Canadian forecast offices (12:00) Canadian forecast offices and their relationship with the Canadian military (18:00) Monitoring/Observational networks across Environment Canada (21:00) Importance of cloud typing in Mexican and Canadian forecast offices vs NWS (27:00) US and Canadian weather radio equivalents (33:30) Environment and Climate Change Canada (56:00) June 2021 British Columbia Heat Dome (01:02:00) 2022 Hurricane Fiona (01:07:00) "Fire Weather:  A True Story from a Hotter World" by John Vaillant (01:17:00) Canadian weather warning Color Coded System (01:18:00) POD/FAR in Canada (01:22:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:30:00) E-Mail Segment (01:33:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1039:   Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Jim Abraham - 11 jaw-dropping videos from the Fort McMurray wildfire James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - Anniversary of the 2021 Historic December 15tyh Derecho Rick Smith - All Things Radar: Severe Weather/From the Girls Who Chase special workshop series Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Western launches Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory John Gordon - Snow tarp video on X Bill Murray - Out James Spann - December 16th, 2000 Tuscaloosa Tornado coverage on YouTube The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

On WeatherBrains this week, we're diving deep into the Weather Prediction Center's Winter Program - how they forecast snow and ice, the challenges of nailing accumulation totals, the coordination calls with NWS field offices, and what the future may hold for winter weather headlines. Joining us are two of WC's best: Peter Mullinax, a lead winter forecaster who produces national snow and ice guidance, Key Messages, and a wide range of surface, short-range, rainfall, and tropical products; and Dr. Owen Shieh, WPC's Warning Coordination Meteorologist, providing national-level decision support for winter storms, flooding, and extreme temperatures. He returns after last week's episode, bringing his deep background in emergency management, training, and operational meteorology from JTWC to the U.S. Navy Reserve. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. How many people work at the Weather Prediction Center?  (15:30) WPC Ops Program (15:45) WPC's Excessive Rainfall Outlook (18:00) What is the Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI)?  (26:00) Why does the SPC do the Winter Weather mesoscale discussions?  (40:00) Does WPC use MBM, and what is their future plan?  (47:00) Probabilistic Precipitation Portal (49:15) AI and its assistance to WFOs in the future (01:08:00) Reducing common gaps between WFO and WPC messaging (01:13:30) Probabilistic Precipitation Portal good/bad (01:19:00) Job-seeking advice at the WPC (01:27:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:30:30) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:33:15) E-Mail Segment (01:34:15) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1038:   Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Owen Shieh - NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal Owen Shieh - WPC URRD (Urban Rain Rate Dashboard) James Aydelott - Creek turnpike bridge over the Arkansas River Jen Narramore - National Weather Network Rick Smith - Dan Robinson - Winter Driving Education YouTube Channel Troy Kimmel - EverythingWeather App on Google Play Kim Klockow-McClain - John Fausett Song: One Team John Gordon - Godzilla atmospheric river in Pacific Northwest Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Nick Petelos on X: Kilauea video The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 WPC's WCM Warning Coordination Meteorologist Dr. Owen Shieh.  He holds a B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Cornell University, an M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii.  We talk tonight about how Owen landed this position and all of the aspects of his role.   He's also a talented gardener and an accomplished musician.  Welcome to the show and thanks for joining us, Owen! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Owen's origin into meteorology (11:00) Path heads from OU to Hawaii (17:30) What is the baseline understanding of weather and emergency management?  (27:15) Discussing the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (34:00) Current and future warning process for Pacific Super Typhoons (41:00) Defining the strength of a tropical cyclone (01:04:00) Geopolitics and meteorology (01:18:00) Battling trolls and misinformation online (01:32:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:37:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:40:00) E-Mail Segment (01:41:45) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1037:   Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Owen Shieh - Untamed Skies: Where Science Meets Humanity James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - Talking Weather by Mark Sudduth: Episode 1 on YouTube Rick Smith - NWS/OCLO Warning Decision Training Division: RAC Course Outline Troy Kimmel - COMET: MetEd Education and Training Kim Klockow-McClain - Midway: Based On Real Events John Gordon - What is Tule fog? Heather Waldman explains! Bill Murray - Out James Spann - NWS Snow Squall Driving Simulation The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight, the Panel takes a deep dive into Hurricane Melissa and the devastation it brought to Jamaica and the Caribbean.  The Panel analyzes the complexities of this natural disaster and the historical precedent of the landfall strength of Melissa.  Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode! Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a FOX Weather Correspondent based in Atlanta, Georgia who has covered major events including Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Idalia.  Recently, he covered historic Hurricane Melissa as it made landfall.   He's a veteran reporter and previously helped launch Fox Business Network and has worked for the Associated Press.  Robert Ray, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. FOX Weather launches in October 2021 (08:00) Robert Ray's career journey (11:45) Logistical complexity of 2025's Hurricane Melissa (23:30) Aid process in aftermath of Hurricane Melissa (37:00) Dealing with mass casualty zones in the aftermath of major natural disasters (01:08:00) The Future of Media and technology shifts (01:25:30) Houston-area tornado 11/24/25 (01:36:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:29:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week - STAY TUNED!) E-Mail Segment (01:31:35) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1036:   Alabama Weather Network Robert Ray on X Picks of the Week: Robert Ray - FOX Weather ROWI (Risk of Weather Impact) James Aydelott - Thailand Songkhla Province Tornado Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - One dies after car catapults into NWS Forecast office in Sioux Falls, SD John Gordon - KLM Pilots take off in dangerous crosswinds at Newcastle UK John Gordon - Man saves dog in Flash Flood Bill Murray - Updates on hurricane recovery in Jamaica James Spann - The Truth About Late Night Flash Flood Warnings And Risk The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 Corey Bunn.  He's a full time Operational Meteorologist with Coastal Weather Research Center.  He prepares daily forecasts and also has a responsibility of issuing severe weather warnings and he also maintains the company website and assists in hurricane forecasting operations.  He joined the CWRC in 2012 after completing his Bachelor's Degree in Meteorology at the University of South Alabama.  Corey, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our next Guest WeatherBrain (in order of appearance) is Jeff Medlin, the founder and CEO of Medlin Meterological Consulting LLC.  He's had a distinguished career; having previously spent over 36 years working with the National Weather Service.  His tenure included 8 years as Meteorologist-In-Charge and 20 years as Science and Operations Officer at NWS Mobile (AL).  Today, he's the severe and winter weather outlook meteorologist for Coastal Weather Research Center.  He's also an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Alabama.  Jeff, welcome to WeatherBrains! Tonight's Guest Panelist is someone whose passion for weather started early—at just five years old—after experiencing a weak tornado that sparked a lifelong fascination with the atmosphere. That early intrigue never faded, and today he channels that enthusiasm into his work as the weekend meteorologist at WHIO-TV in Dayton. A true weather geek at heart, he's recently reached an exciting career milestone by earning his NWA Digital Seal and TV Seal, marking another step forward in his broadcast meteorology journey.  We're thrilled to have him with us tonight—please welcome Nicholas Dunn to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Compare/Contrast Davis and Tempest Weather Stations (09:30) Importance of obtaining the Digital Seals (11:00) Jeff Medlin's origins in the weather field (20:00) 1979's Hurricane Frederic and its aftermath (24:30) Alabama Power's support for Coastal Weather Research Center (36:00) What is CCAPS and when did it begin?  (39:00) Looking back at 1969's Hurricane Camille (56:00) MLLW Tidal Datum (01:25:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:29:30) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:31:45) E-Mail Segment (01:33:30) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1035: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Jeff Medlin - South Alabama Meteorology Program Nicholas Dunn - SpaceWeatherLive.com James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - "Volnado" at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center John Gordon - Noctilucent clouds - Everything you need to know Bill Murray - Weatherwise Magazine: Vol 78, No. 6 (Current Issue as of 11/2025) James Spann - WeatherNext 2: Google DeepMind's most advanced forecasting model The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

We discuss on this week's episode the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the loss of her 29-member crew during a violent fall storm on November 10th, 1975. Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is an author of over thirty books on maritime history.  He's been a consultant to the US Park Service and an on-air expert for National Geographic and Fox and Friends among over ventures.  Dr. Frederick Stonehouse, welcome to WeatherBrains! Tonight's Guest Panelist is Tom Hultquist.  He is the technical program lead for the Analysis and Forecast Branch of the National Weather Service, working out of Minneapolis for the national office in Washington. His office sets requirements for, and does evaluations of, all the different modeling and analysis systems used by the NWS.  Thanks for joining us tonight, Tom! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Area of United States with the most shipwrecks (15:00) Shipwreck Coast (17:00) Great Lake with the most shipwrecks (16:45) RAMS Model (33:00) What type of weather modeling did they have in 1975?  (47:00) What makes a good weather forecast?  (52:00) Significance/impact of the Great Lakes industry base (01:03:00) Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" (01:17:30) Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point (01:20:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:29:30) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:31:45)  E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1034: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Tom Hultquist - "Dive Detectives": Rogue Wave/Edmund Fitzgerald Episode James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - Tornado in La Plata, MD on November 9th, 1926 Rick Smith - The OTUS Project Troy Kimmel - 50 Years Later, the Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald Lives On Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - The Storm That Sank the Edmund Fitzgerald John Gordon - "The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by John U. Bacon Bill Murray - Out James Spann - The Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 meteorologist and trader focused on weather risk management, currently with Munich Re Trading LLC. His career includes experience with the National Weather Service, energy trading, and weather derivatives—blending forecasting expertise with financial market knowledge. Welcome, Tom Paylor! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Correct weather ballon launch procedures (25:00) What are weather derivatives?  (35:30) What is a weather derivative sales group?  (40:00) Weather/Power price triggers (44:15) AI implementation (01:22:15) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:23:55) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (01:26:30) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1033: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Tom Paylor - Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) has reached a new record weekly negative value James Aydelott - Nick Gilby on X: Large hail photo in Ingleside, Texas Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - NWS Atlanta weather observation comment controversy Kim Klockow-McClain - Why Counting Disaster Deaths Is Complicated and How NORC Is Helping Get It Right John Gordon - Ben Noll on X: Record-setting water vapor pulsing across Earth's skies Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - iCyclone Facebook page The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's guest is Dr. Jerry Brotzge, Kentucky State Climatologist and Director of the Kentucky Climate Center and Mesonet. The discussion focuses on climatology, observational data, and building a mesonet network. Dr. Brotzge earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of St. Louis and his Master's and Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma.  Dr. Brotzge, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our second Guest WeatherBrain is Dr. Stu Foster.  He is the former head of the Kentucky Climate Center.  He built the mesonet in the state of Kentucky and earned his PhD from Ohio State University.  Welcome to the show, Dr. Foster! Guest Panelist for tonight's episode is the former chief meteorologist for WBKO-TV.  Shane Holinde is the Outreach Manager for the Kentucky mesonet and the Kentucky climate center.  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. Category 5 Melissa aims for Jamaica (05:30) December 11th, 2021 Bowling Green, KY tornadoes (08:00) What exactly does a State Climatologist do?  (08:45) Seeds of the Kentucky mesonet (12:00) What is a mesonet?  (13:30) Mesonet station offers in very unlikely/ineffective locations (26:00) Major challenges of building the mesonet network in Kentucky (29:30) Decisions made based on precise mesonet data (43:30) Critical importance of NWS wind tables (50:30) Equipment damage due to nature/critters (01:16:30) Representativeness error issue in mesonet data (01:19:20) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:37:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:38:15) E-Mail Segment (01:39:15) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1032: Alabama Weather Network Shane Holinde on X Picks of the Week: Dr. Jerry Brotzge - Kentucky Mesonet at WKU James Aydelott - No Thunderstorm Forecast from SPC on Wednesday Jen Narramore - Roger Hill on X: June 23rd, 2002 tornado video Rick Smith - Storm Front Freaks final episode Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - "On the Economic Nature of Crop Production Decisions Using the Oklahoma Mesonet" by Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain John Gordon - AF Reserve Hurricane Hunters on Facebook John Gordon - Hunter Live Reconnaissance Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Third pass through Melissa video The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 Jen Carfagno, co-host of America's Morning Headquarters and the Weather Geeks podcast on The Weather Channel. A Penn State meteorology graduate with over 25 years of experience, she has covered major weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards, helping audiences understand storm science. Starting behind the scenes before becoming an on-air meteorologist, she earned an Emmy Award for her coverage of Hurricane Helene in 2024. Known as the "Dewpoint Diva," Jen is recognized for her expertise and enthusiasm in meteorology.  Jen, 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. Origin of "Dewpoint Diva" (12:00) Handling demands of the digital world with time constraints in the weather business (20:00) Dealing with negativity and harassment online (22:00) Innovations/major changes in recent years in the weather business (26:00) Support staff at TWC (33:30) TWC providing local forecasts for Allen Media Stations?  (38:00) Reporting in the field vs in studio (49:00) Communication difficulties during major events like Helene and Harvey (56:30) Importance of recognizing past impactful weather events and learning from them (01:01:00) Does the public understand what a wind advisory is and are those warnings heeded?  (01:11:00) Jen Carfagno as a guest DJ (01:18:00) Fox Weather vs TWC (01:26:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:29:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:31:00) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1031: Alabama Weather Network Jen Carfagno on X Picks of the Week: Jen Carfagno - Everything Weather App James Aydelott - Ermont, France tornado Jen Narramore - Violent tornado in France Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Weather Star 4000+ John Gordon - Beach umbrellas go flying in the wind at Florida beach Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Lightning strike kills teenage hunter during weekend storms The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrains are two Kansas City meteorologists who both went to St. Louis for meteorology and both have had incredibly long and storied careers.  They are also unlikely close friends behind camera.  Bryan and Joe, it's great to have you both on the show tonight! Bryan Busby, Chief Meteorologist at KMBC 9 News since 1985, is one of Kansas City's most respected and recognized meteorologists.  Known for his innovative weather programs such as "Guaranteed Weather" and "Instant Weather Network" (for which he holds a U.S. patent), Busby has also served as Chief Meteorologist for the Chiefs Fox Football Radio Network and appears on KMBZ Radio.  Nationally acclaimed, he chaired the American Meteorological Society's Board of Broadcast Meteorologists, was featured by The Weather Channel, and was elected to the National Weather Association's Board of Directors in 2021.  His honors include the AMS Award for Broadcast Meteorology (2010) and lifetime AMS Fellowship (2023). Joe Lauria is an award-winning meteorologist who has delivered nightly forecasts on FOX 4 since 1995.  A New York native fascinated by weather since childhood, he previously served as Chief Meteorologist in Texas, Florida, and Illinois, earning honors such as Texas AP Weathercaster of the Year and multiple Best Weathercast awards in Missouri and Kansas.  A Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and longtime leader in the American Meteorological Society's Kansas City chapter, Lauria is known for educating viewers beyond what apps provide and giving weather talks to the community.  A St. Louis University graduate, he lives in Olathe, Kansas, with his wife and two cats and enjoys golf, travel, and Kansas City's Italian restaurants. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. What is a Billiken?  (15:30) Today's expectations in TV meteorology vs workload of earlier decades (23:00) Streaming is the new frontier (26:30) Model data and graphics technological improvements over the last few decades (30:00) May 4th, 2003 Kansas City High risk (44:00) Relationship issues among TV meteorologists (51:00) IWT/NWS relationships (54:30) Confusion over Areal Flood Advisories (01:01:00) Broadcast meteorologists vs Social Media-0logists (01:09:00) Mentoring young people in the weather enterprise and its impacts (01:23:00) SLU dropping its meteorology program in 2029 (01:25:30) Georgie Global cartoon (01:29:30) Dr. Neil Jacobs confirmed by Senate as NOAA Administrator (01:30:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:32:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:34:20) E-Mail Segment (01:35:35) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1030: Bryan Busby on X Fox 4 Weather KC on X Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Joe Lauria - Winter Storm Warning as 3 feet of snow to hit central California Bryan Busby - SPC Day 4-8 U.S. Convective Outlook James Aydelott - James Aydelot on Facebook: Arizona Dryline Photo Jen Narramore - PSU Electronic Map Wall Rick Smith - Durham's Neil Jacobs confirmed by Senate as NOAA chief Troy Kimmel - Weather Wednesday: Building a better Guam, one can at a time Kim Klockow-McClain - Center for Sportfishing Policy on X: Congratulations to Dr. Neil Jacobs as NOAA Administrator John Gordon - "Dragon's Tail" powerful tidal bore in China's Qiantang River Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Powerful microburst devastates Tempe as Monday storms pushed through The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen.  He last joined the WeatherBrains panel in 2022 when he was first running for office. He is now in his second term in Congress and is a meteorologist who has represented Illinois's 17th congressional district since 2023, covering much of western and central Illinois, including Moline, Rock Island, parts of Peoria, Rockford, and the Illinois side of the Quad Cities.  Congressman, we are honored to have you join us tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Update on Dr. Jacobs (0:45) June 20th, 2025 North Dakota EF5 (02:45) Meteorologists in Congress (09:00) Weather and politics (17:00) Bipartisan SST Committee (18:00) U.S. Government shutdown and how it has affected the weather community (21:30) Science-focused legislators (29:00) Learning to admit you can be wrong and don't know (45:00) Social media reaction to the end of the EF5 drought (46:00) Ted Fujita's tornado scale was created in 1973 (53:00) Is the door open to change ratings of long-past tornadoes and hurricanes?  (56:00) Tornado damage vs straight-line wind damage (01:08:00)  Inaction during Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (01:12:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week - stay tuned!) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:13:30) E-Mail Segment (01:15:20) Tropics discussion (01:19:00)   and more! Web Sites from Episode 1029: Alabama Weather Network Congressman Eric Sorensen on X Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - EF5 tornado drought is over Jen Narramore - Helpful tornado technology created by MU meteorology student Rick Smith - New study reveals potential cause of a 'drought' in violent EF5 tornadoes Troy Kimmel - Delta Flight Museum Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Rain, snow and a double rainbow in Laramie, Wyoming Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Tim Marshall: We have an EF5 tornado in North Dakota! The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 Professor of Meteorology at Penn State University.  He's a former Weather Channel Storm Analyst and co-author of "Philadelphia Area Weather Book".  Dr. Jon Nese, it's great to have you back on the show tonight. Our second Guest WeatherBrain is the author of "Gettysburg's Lost Love Story: The Ill-Fated Romance of General John Reynolds and Kate Hewitt" and has over three decades of experience working with naval intelligence.  Jeffrey Harding, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. "Second Summer" vs "Indian Summer" (05:00) Extreme hardships of Civil War soldiers (12:00) NOAA reanalysis capability regarding the Gettysburg Campaign (15:00) Weather observations available to Civil War-era professionals in early 1860s (21:30) When the reanalysis data disagreed with the soldier's diaries (25:30) 1863's meteorological impacts and the turning point of the Civil War (32:00) Temperature difference between gray and blue uniforms while in blazing heat (37:00) Wet bulb globe temperature guidelines (49:45) Flash flooding and Lee's retreat after Battle of Gettysburg (53:00) Greg Forbes and his involvement in the Gettysburg book (01:02:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week - stay tuned!) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:21:20) E-Mail Segment (01:22:45) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1028: Alabama Weather Network "The Philadelphia Area Weather Book" by Jon Nese, Glenn Schwartz and Edward Rendell "Gettysburg's Lost Love Story: The Ill-Fated Romance of General John Reynolds and Kate Hewitt" by Jeffrey J Harding Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - Okie J in front of funnel cake stand Jen Narramore - Tornado Talk Podcast: September 30th, 1959 Ivy-Mechums River, VA F3 Tornado Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Two hunters die after being struck by lightning while hunting in Florida flatlands Troy Kimmel - Young elk hunting friends who vanished in Colorado wilderness were both killed by lightning strike Kim Klockow-McClain - Fujiwhara typologies discussion John Gordon - What is a sting jet? Bill Murray - Spanning Alabama Ep. 3 - Rickwood Field (YouTube) James Spann - 403rd Wing on X: Lightning Cockpit Video The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, 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 comes to us by way of a suggestion from friend of the podcast and WeatherBrains veteran Kevin Laws. Randy Bowers currently serves as the Severe Weather Program Lead at the National Weather Service, a role that involves strategic planning, technical execution, and maintaining operational consistency across all severe weather services. Before this position, he worked in forecast operations at offices in Indianapolis, Norman (OK), Amarillo (TX), and others. His primary interests lie in mesoscale meteorology and radar, and he has participated in several testbeds aimed at advancing forecasting techniques and technologies. Randy, we're delighted to have you with us tonight. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Nashville April 16th, 1998 tornado (10:30) April 8th, 1998 Birmingham, AL F5 and complications with nighttime tornadoes  (13:30) Randy's A Day In The Life (23:30) Ongoing major projects at the NWS (25:00) Moving forward with weather apps in the future (29:00) "Do No Harm" standard with new weather technology (31:00) Indefinite holding pattern with NWS app timeline (40:00) Household penetration of weather radios (44:30) Twelve minute lead time is not sufficient to move patients to safety in a hospital/Manufactured home residents (56:00) Remote mesoanalysis program (58:30) FAR/Excessive severe thunderstorm warnings (01:01:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:23:50) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:26:00) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1027: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Randy Bowers - NSSL Warn-On Forecast Kevin Laws - Texas Tech University Dr. Ted Fujita Archival Records James Aydelott - James Aydelott on Facebook: Snowplow photo Jen Narramore - Foghorn Rick Smith - Weather Safety Information For Deaf and Hard of Hearing Troy Kimmel - WPC Experimental Urban Rain Rate Dashboard (URRD) Kim Klockow-McClain - U.S. Senate: Nominations Confirmed (Civilian) John Gordon - UPS Fog Technique Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Experienced hunters found dead in Conejos County last week were struck by lightning, authorities say The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.