Ever wonder what it's like to chase tornadoes? First Alert Meteorologist April Warnecke talks with Arizona's own storm chaser, Mike Olbinski, who shares his experiences and thoughts on the new movie Twisters.

Saguaros are the sentinels of the desert, with a life span more than 150 years and heights that can reach over 50 feet. Yet little is understood about how the saguaro will survive and adapt as our climate gets hotter and drier. Meteorologist Royal Norman talked with an saguaro expert, Don Swann, a biologist at the Saguaro National Park in Tucson.

Maricopa County Flood Control wants to save your property and your life. Formed in the late 1950s, the sole job of Flood Control was to limit the damage from desert floods. Over more than 60 years, the organization has grown into one of the top Flood Control Districts in the country, serving a county that’s land area is greater than seven individual states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey. Dan Henz at County Flood Control talks about how he was born to be a meteorologist.

Master gardener Angela Judd returns to the show to recap the spring growing season and give tips on what to grow during Arizona's hot summer. Learn more from Angela at growinginthegarden.com

Just in time for the summer travel season, First Alert Meteorologist April Warnecke shares ideas for exploring, taken from her Good Morning Arizona franchise "April's Arizona Bucket List." She shares her favorite road trips, hikes, hotels, and small towns. April also interviews Chief Meteorologist and Arizona legend Royal Norman about his best stories of exploring Arizona over his decades at AZFamily. 

As the Earth's climate changes, the impacts are felt in just about every way...including baseball. Royal Norman talks with Christopher Callahan from Stanford University about his research into how a warmer planet is impacting America's pastime. 

The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 199 mountain rescues last year. So far in 2024, they have responded to 14 in January, 20 in February, and more than 20 in March. In 2021 the City of Phoenix introduced a pilot program that shut down popular hiking trails like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa on excessive heat days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. That program was put into full force in 2022, and just last year they extended the closure hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round. Phoenix Fire Captain Bobby Dubnow talked about what goes into their training for these types of rescues, and has a look at the difference in mountain rescues calls during different times of the year. 

Arizona has amazing hiking trails from southern Arizona, to the Valley, all the way up to Flagstaff. During this time of the year, a lot of people may want to try out new hikes while the weather is still nice. Holly Bock spoke with a couple of avid hikers who have done it all. They have suggestions for the person who may just be starting out and doesn’t want anything too challenging, or for the person who may want to push themselves and try something new.  

It seems like allergy season is upon us once again, and our wetter and warmer-than-average weather so far this year has made everything come into full bloom. But did you realize you can create a mostly “allergy-free zone” inside your car with a few simple tricks? First Alert Meteorologist Sean Mclaughlin talks with auto-repair expert Glen Hayward, from Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe, on how to find and change your cabin air filter, what to set your air conditioner on, and why that free hand-wipe at your local car wash will become your new, best friend.

In 2008, the National Weather Service decided to start the Arizona Monsoon every summer on June 15 and end it on September 30. Before that, forecasters tracked dewpoints and looked for three consecutive days of dewpoints of 55-degrees or more to decide the “monsoon had arrived” for the year. Tony Haffer, who spearheaded the change, was the head of the National Weather Service office in Phoenix at the time and talked with Royal Norman on the latest installment of the First Alert Beyond the Green Screen Podcast.