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 protected].

• 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 protected].

• "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.

Tonight's First Guest WeatherBrain is a veteran meteorologist and storm specialist with Fox Weather.  He joined FOX Weather earlier in 2024 after 32+years at The Weather Channel.  He became well known for his extensive live coverage of major weather events.  He's reported on over 25,000 live events.  He holds a Master's Degree in Meteorology from Penn State.  Mike Seidel, welcome to WeatherBrains!

Our Second Guest WeatherBrain is a 21 year old meteorologist and owner of North Carolina's Weather Authority, a popular online weather page.   He majors in environmental science with a concentration in Meteorology and Natural Disasters.  He's become a reliable and trusted source of weather in the State of North Carolina.  Ethan Clark, welcome to WeatherBrains!

Later in the show, weather reporter Charles Peek and legendary meteorologist Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel stop by the chat with the panel as Guest Panelists.  

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Milton tied for 5th place in intensity for Atlantic hurricanes on record (02:30)
• Planning for a major hurricane in Orlando (06:34)
• Removing significant amounts of debris from Helene aftermath prior to Milton (20:00)
• Covering Potential Tropical Cyclone #8 earlier in the season on Carolina coast (26:45)
• Learning from the disaster response to Hurricane Helene (32:45)
• Visualizing the potential enormous catastrophic damage ahead of time as a Broadcaster (01:03:00)
• Milton's size and wind fields will expand as shear impacts the storm closer to landfall (01:10:00)
• What would a 15-foot storm surge do in Tampa Bay?  (01:12:00)
• Comparing 2004's Charley vs. 2024's Milton in Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area (01:16:00)
• Hurricane Milton vs 2005's Katrina (01:16:50)
• Responding to disinformation spreading online (01:20:00)
• Hail in tropical systems (01:44:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:38:00)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:39:36)
• E-Mail Segment (01:41:05)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 977:

NCWX Authority

Charles Peek on X

Jim Cantore on X

Picks of the Week:

James Aydelott - Out

Jen Narramore - Brian McNoldy on X: Milton rapid intensification on radar

Rick Smith - Hurricane Threats and Impacts Graphic Neil Jacobs - Day of Days in Alabama from Hurricane Helene

Troy Kimmel - Out

Kim Klockow-McClain - Mis and Disinformation During Hurricane Season: Implications for Emergency Management

Bill Murray - The HDOB Message

James Spann - Flying into Hurricane Milton aboard NOAA's WP-3D Orion "Miss Piggy"

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 weather enthusiast and storm chaser.  Mitch West, it's great to have you on the show for tonight's episode.

Our Second Guest WeatherBrain needs no introduction.  Show veteran, weather enthusiast and famous hurricane chaser Mark Sudduth also joins us on this episode.

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Chasing Hurricane Helene on the ground (09:30)
• Forecasting and messaging ahead of Helene inland impacts (37:00)
• Improving communication and risk perception (40:00)
• Comparing Helene to 2005's Katrina and 1969's Camille (43:00)
• Excessive hyperbole with severe weather in the media (50:30)
• Finding a common sense approach to covering weather emergencies (51:55)
• Ham radio/Weather radio coverage (55:30)
• Avoiding dam failures during Helene (01:00:45)
• Integrating faith into content creation (01:22:00)
• How to build a loyal following online as a content creator (01:25:15)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:13:45)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week)
• E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 976:

Mitch West Weather on YouTube

HurricaneTrack on YouTube

Picks of the Week:

James Aydelott - Stephen M. Strader on X: Tropical Cyclone Inland Flooding Fatalities since 2005

Jen Narramore - Out

Rick Smith - Out

Neil Jacobs - Out

Troy Kimmel - Rapid Reaction: Historic Flooding Follows Helene in Western NC

Troy Kimmel - Pressure obs log from KFPY during Helene

Kim Klockow-McClain - Out

Bill Murray - Foghorn

James Spann - Video of Chemical Fire in Conyers, GA

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 WeatherBrains are a suggestion of friend of the podcast Jay Farlow.

Sam Lashley is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, with 31 years of experience across multiple offices. He is a member of the Central Region Quick Response Team for EF3+ tornado events and has worked on radar, damage surveys, and storm chasing for major tornadoes, including the Van Wert EF4 (2002), Henryville EF4 (2012), and recent EF3 tornadoes in central Indiana.

Mike Ryan is a Senior Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, where he has served since 2009 after starting his career at the Wilmington, Ohio office in 1999. He leads public outreach and decision support through programs like Weather Ready Nation and StormReady, working closely with emergency management, media, and amateur radio. He also heads Indiana's state climate services team. Mike has been involved in operations and storm surveys during significant severe weather events in the Ohio Valley, including the 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2024 tornado outbreaks. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Atmospheric Sciences from The Ohio State University.

Greg Melo is a Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, with over two years of experience. He has worked radar and conducted damage surveys for significant events, including the EF3 tornado outbreaks in March 2023 and March 2024. Originally from New Orleans, Greg's interest in meteorology began after experiencing Hurricane Katrina. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Matthew Eckhoff is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. He began his career at the Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Washington in 2015 where he worked until joining the NWS in 2022. His expertise includes severe weather and mesoanalysis. Matthew holds a BS in Meteorology from Millersville University and completed graduate studies at the University of North Dakota.

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Tropical trouble in the Gulf/Future Fujiwhara Effect? (01:00)
• Studying mesoanalysis (30:00)
• Looking back at 1974 Super Outbreak (35:00)
• Shaping public perception of severe weather in Indiana (42:00)
• March 31st 2023 tornado event impacts (47:00)
• Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposium 2024 (01:01:00)
• AI European weather model (01:32:30)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:07:30)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week)
• E-Mail Segment (01:09:35)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 975:

NWS Indianapolis, IN

CISWS 2024

Picks of the Week:

Mike Ryan - MRCC Purdue

Matthew Eckhoff - Tropical Tidbits

Sam Lashley - "The Great Tri-State Tornado" by Justin Carter James Aydelott - Real Time Tropical Cyclones - Tomer Burg

Jen Narramore - HurricaneTrack

Rick Smith - Out

Neil Jacobs - Automated Tropical Cycle Forecast Data Directory

Troy Kimmel - Out

Kim Klockow-McClain - More than corn in Indiana Beach

Bill Murray - Foghorn

James Spann - Jeremy DeHart on X

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.

This episode of WeatherBrains comes to you live from the NWA Annual Meeting in Irving, Texas.

Former Panelist Aubrey Urbanowicz drops in to chat; it's great to see you again Aubrey!

Kevin Deitsch is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist of NWS St. Louis and drops by to visit with the panelists.

Ken Graham, Director of the NWS, also speaks to panel tonight.  Good to see you Ken!

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Service equity/ NWS St. Louis  (15:30)
• Messaging underserved communities (20:00)
• Side Lobe Contamination (30:00)
• Caution surrounding warning decisions (31:00)
• False Alarm Ratio/POD in St. Louis (34:00)
• Dealing with burnout in the weather field (48:00)
• Hurricane season model performance (01:06:00)
• Hurricane season forecast improvements in recent decades (01:08:30)
• Community-centric warnings (01:11:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:42:05)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:44:02)
• E-Mail Segment (01:45:00)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 974:

Kevin Deitsch on X

Dual Pol Radar: Side Lobe Contamination

Picks of the Week:

James Aydelott - Foghorn

Jen Narramore - Tales of surviving college football rain delays

Rick Smith - Out

Neil Jacobs - Out

Troy Kimmel - Out

Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn

Bill Murray - How Soon Might the Atlantic Ocean break? Two Sibling Scientists Found An Answer

James Spann - Dauphin Island Waterspout

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.

This episode of WeatherBrains features a Guest WeatherBrain who is a seasoned meteorologist who works in Kansas City, MO as Chief Meteorologist at KCTV.  He's previously worked in Miami Florida and Lincoln Nebraska covering extreme weather.  He holds a Certificate of Broadcast Meteorology and was recommended by friend of the show Jeremy Bower.  Luke Dorris, welcome to the show!

Fan and listener of the show and weather enthusiast Emily Conklin Foster also drops by tonight to chat with the panelists.  She's an Architectural Historian and Historic Preservation Planner.  Emily, thanks for dropping by!

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• TS Francine struggles to develop in the Gulf (04:50)
• Kansas City's unique weather and it's forecast challenges (21:00)
• Battling social media weather hype (34:00)
• Future of broadcast meteorology (39:40)
• Francine's origins in GOM (43:45)
• Influencers on why hurricane season has been less active than forecasted (52:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:05:42)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:07:54)
• E-Mail Segment (01:08:57)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 973:

Luke Dorris on X

Picks of the Week:

Luke Dorris - Cool Weather

Emily Conklin Foster - Resilience Guidance for Charleston

James Aydelott - Cold-Season Tornadoes: Climatological and Meteorological Insights

James Aydelott - The Impact of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on Winter and Early Spring U.S. Tornado Outbreaks

James Aydelott - The Gulf of Mexico and ENSO Influence on Subseasonal and Seasonal CONUS Winter Tornado Variability

Jen Narramore - 22 Ohio Counties declared disaster areas by USDA due to ongoing drought

Rick Smith - SondeHub Tracker

Neil Jacobs - Antarctic Vortex Dehydration in 2023 as a Substantial Removal Pathway

Troy Kimmel - Out

Kim Klockow-McClain - A lot has changed: NOAA is rewriting the book on how to rank solar storms

Bill Murray - "Cracking the Weather Code: How Early Weather Observers Used Encryption to Communicate Information"by Sean Potter

James Spann - Tropical Storm Francine Experimental Forecast Cone

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.

This episode of WeatherBrains features a world-famous hurricane chaser known as iCyclone.  Josh Morgerman is the world's top hurricane chaser.  To date, he's penetrated the inner cores of 74 hurricanes and typhoons on the ground... a world record.  When he's not prowling the globe for cyclones, appearing on TV, promoting products, or spreading the gospel of hurricane preparedness, he lives a quiet life in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi - one block from the Gulf of Mexico, in his specially designed and fortified "Hurricane House".  Josh, it's great to you have on the show with us tonight!  

Guest Panelist tonight is renowned storm chaser, entrepreneur and meteorologist Brett Adair.  It's great to have you on the show tonight, Brett.  

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Fluctuating pressures in hurricanes (14:30)
• Chasing 2024's Hurricane Debby (15:00)
• Processing of building the Hurricane House (23:00)
• How should insurance companies deal with fortified coastal homes?  (38:00)
• Protecting windows during tropical systems (44:15)
• Riding out Hurricane Dorian in 2019 (01:06:00)
• Expectations for rest of 2024 Atlantic hurricane season (01:34:30)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:40:25)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:42:15)
• E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 972:

The Story of a Storm Chaser and His Hurricane House

Live Storms Media

iCyclone on X

Picks of the Week:

Brett Adair - Real Time Tropical Cyclones - Tomer Burg

Josh Morgerman - Historical Hurricane Tracks

James Aydelott - Tornado Warning Event Count by WFO as of 9/2/24

Jen Narramore - Rip Currents - Alabama Living Magazine

Rick Smith - Out

Neil Jacobs - Out

Troy Kimmel - Foghorn

Kim Klockow-McClain - Out

Bill Murray - NWS Mobile on X: Hurricane Elena

James Spann - Sandblasted to Death - 1935 Labor Day Hurricane

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.

This episode of WeatherBrains features multiple special guests for Show 971.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a suggestion of Friend of the Podcast Ryan Stinnett.  This WeatherBrain has a rich background in meteorology, including a very profound childhood experience with 1992's Hurricane Andrew in South Florida.  She earned her Bachelor's Degree with a from the University of Miami.  She currently resides in Missouri at KQ2-TV in St. Joseph, Missouri.  She has previously worked at The Weather Channel and is an active member of the AMS and NWA.  Vanessa Alonso, it's an honor to have you on with us tonight.

Guest WeatherBrain No. 2 is also a very special guest we are excited to chat with on episode 971.  She works in the NOAA Weather Program Office as an Observations Program Coordinator and is here to preview sessions at the NWA Annual Meeting 2024.  Sandy LaCorte, welcome to WeatherBrains.

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• NWA Annual Meeting 2024 (12:30)
• Looking back at 1992's Hurricane Andrew (19:00)
• Importance of internships in college (40:45)
• What is astraphobia?  (46:30)
• Shared experiences in Double Majors in college (47:00)
• Experiences with 2011 Joplin tornado (01:02:30)
• AMS Digital Meteorologist Seal (01:17:30)
• Efforts to recruit Spanish speakers in CBM program (01:25:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:00)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:35:00)
• E-Mail Segment (01:36:00)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 971:

Meteorologist Vanessa Alonso on Facebook

NWA 2024 Annual Meeting

Picks of the Week:

Vanessa Alonso - How Texas chocolate maker survives the summer heat: WFAA TV Dallas on YouTube

James Aydelott - Microburst Footage from McConnell AFB Airshow

Jen Narramore - TornadoTalk Podcast On Spotify

Rick Smith - ChickFilA Cows Thunderstorm

Neil Jacobs - Out

Troy Kimmel - NOAA/NWS IDSS Prototype Forecast Points

Kim Klockow-McClain - "The Fifth Risk" by Michael Lewis

Bill Murray - Hurricane Carla Hits Texas AKA Hurricane Carla (1961)

James Spann - Weathernerds ECENS Data

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 highly respected figure in the world of meteorology.  He's known for his extensive experience and expertise in forecasting, broadcasting, and educating the public about weather.  He has multiple degrees in meteorology, including a Bachelor's Degree from Cornell University as well as a Master's Degree from Florida State University.  Over the years, he's been a trusted voice in weather reporting especially along the Gulf Coast.  He's won multiple regional Emmys for his work and is an active member of the AMS and NWA.  Alan Sealls, it's great to have you back on the show!

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected].

• Looking back at 2004's Hurricane Ivan (17:45)
•  History of African Americans in meteorology (25:00)
• "Weather Prophet" (35:00)
• Importance of the Jackson State and Howard University Meteorology Programs (45:20)
• STEM field statistical analysis (50:00)
• Dr. Charles Anderson - first African American to earn a PhD in Atmospheric Science (53:30)
• Current State of Broadcast Meteorology (01:07:00)
• Case Study of 2020's Hurricane Sally (01:16:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:21:19)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:23:34)
• National Weather Round-Up
• E-Mail Segment (01:25:20)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 970:

"A Career in TV Meteorology: From the Best Weatherman Ever" by Alan Sealls

"Weather Things You Always Wanted to Know: The Inside Story on the Outside Story" by Alan Sealls

"Weather Things In Photos: The Art and Science of the Atmosphere" by Alan Sealls

Picks of the Week:

Dr. Alan Sealls - Weather To Bounce House Incidents

James Aydelott - Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023 -NSF

Jen Narramore - Superyacht sinks latest: Daughter, 18, of British tycoon Mike Lynch missing; yacht 'in wrong place at wrong time'

Rick Smith - 2024 Lightning Deaths - National Lighting Safety Council

Neil Jacobs - Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation and Predictability

Troy Kimmel - Foghorn

Kim Klockow-McClain - HooDoo Heritage: A Brief History of American Folk Religion

Bill Murray - From Juneteenth to the Sky: African Americans in Meteorology by Alan Sealls

James Spann - Severe Thunderstorm footage of damaging winds in Hillsboro, AL

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.