Weather Geeks

Latest Episodes:

Can Pollen Change The Weather? Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Jordan Schnell, Research Associate for CIRES at CU Boulder; NOAA GSL

You know the Phil Collins song that goes “I can feel it coming in the air tonight?” Well that’s how allergy sufferers feel when they see the trees starting to bloom again in the spring! It signals the return of pollen, which can be debilitating to millions of people. And that can even extend into the summer with ragweed and grass pollen! Scientists at NOAA have developed a brand new pollen forecast that can both help those with allergies live a sneeze-free life, but can also model how pollen particles move around in and interact with our atmosphere. Today on the show we have Dr. Jordan Schnell to discuss this exciting new product and other air quality hot topics…

Chapters

00:00 The Impact of Pollen on Allergy Sufferers and the Development of a New Forecast
04:03 Dr. Jordan Schnell: Research, Air Quality, and Electric Vehicles
15:38 Modeling Pollen and Its Interaction with Weather
26:11 Impact of Pollen on Weather
33:29 The Future of Pollen Forecasting
42:54 Innovative Projects at Ceres

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From Astrophysics to the AMS Aug 21, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Stella Kafka, AMS Executive Director

The world of meteorology is vast, with the options of different career paths spreading far and wide! You don’t have to be on TV in order to be a successful meteorologist, nor do you have to work for the government at the National Weather Service. In that same vein, you don’t have to be a meteorologist to be involved in the American Meteorological Society, even though it’s in the name! Your career may take you in a different direction, but there is always a weather geek in there somewhere. That’s why today on Weather Geeks, we have the new Executive Director of the AMS Dr. Stella Kafka on the show to talk about her journey into this position and where she wants to take the organization in the future…

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Sargassum, Coral Reefs, and Water Quality Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Brian LaPointe, Research Professor at Florida Atlantic University

As we are heading into the throes of summer, a lot of you are going to be slathering on sunscreen and heading to the beaches! Heck, you may be listening to this podcast while ON the beach! While you’re there, wouldn’t you want to know more about the waters surrounding you and what little microscopic critters could be floating around in there? Maybe, maybe not, but we are going to geek out about it either way! I’m here with Dr. Brian LaPointe from FAU who is an industry expert in water quality across our country’s shorelines.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
08:29 Eutrophication and Water Quality
27:12 Regulation and Management for Coastal Protection
37:13 Warming Water Temperatures and the Growth of Sargassum
45:04 The Human Alteration of the Nitrogen Cycle and Harmful Algal Blooms

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Twisters: Taming the Tornado Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Rick Smith, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NWS Norman

If you feel it, chase it! That is the tagline for one of the biggest movies of the summer and probably the biggest weather movie of the decade: Twisters. After the initial geek out took place, we were left with a lot of questions! Did it live up to its predecessor Twister, which inspired meteorologists all across the country to pursue their passion? Will we see a brand new wave of Kates and Tylers in the coming decades? Before we think too far ahead, we’ve got to break down the SCIENCE in the film, and who better to do that with than Rick Smith, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Norman…

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Twisters and Rick Smith
09:14 Involvement with the Movie Twisters
23:12 Accuracy of Science in Twisters
34:02 Weather Modification and Taming Tornadoes
36:42 The Future of Twisters and Potential Sequels

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The Olympics & Sports Ecology Jul 31, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Jessica Murfree, Assistant Professor at UNC Chapel Hill

The biggest event in the sporting world is taking place in Paris this summer! The Olympics brings in hundreds of athletes and even more spectators from all across the world from so many different backgrounds and ideologies. How do all of these minds come together not just to compete, but also think about our environment and climate as they do so? We have sports ecologist Dr. Jessica Murfree here on the show today to talk about the unique intersection of sports, our changing climate, and extreme weather events, and how that intersection can make all of us more future-thinking so we can go for the gold!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Exploring the Intersection of Sports, Weather, and Climate

09:51 Understanding Sports Ecology: The Study of Relationships Between Sports and the Natural Environment

15:49 The Environmental Challenges of the Olympics: Heat and Climate Change

21:23 Adapting Sports to Climate Change: Considerations for Spectators and Infrastructure

25:47 The Impact of Climate Change on Sports: Spectator Experience and Adaptation

36:10 Rethinking Infrastructure and Practices: How Climate Change is Shaping Major Sports Leagues

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The Sport of Storm Chasing Jul 24, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Charles Peek, Storm Tracker for The Weather Channel

It’s the thrill of the chase! After a record-breaking severe season, countless jaw-dropping videos of supercells and tornadoes were live streamed from every inch of Tornado Alley. Coupling that with the much anticipated release of the movie Twisters this summer, the sport of storm chasing has been a hot topic conversation. A lot of chasers would tell you that the movie Twister inspired them to pursue this career, but a LOT has changed since 1996! More technology, the rise of social media, and other avenues to make money are all on the table! On the show today, we have long-time storm chaser Charles Peek from The Weather Channel to talk about chasing in the year 2024 and beyond…

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Weather Geeks 10th Anniversary Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Shepherd & the Creators of Weather Geeks

As long as there has been weather, we have had weather geeks. Before we had the radar to see storms from different layers and the satellites to see hurricanes from space, the fascination of weather has always been there. But only for the past 10 years has there been a Weather Geeks show; first starting as a half-hour geek out on The Weather Channel and now a podcast that you’re listening to wherever you are! And since the beginning, Dr. Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia has been your host and he’s sitting down with us to reminisce and regale about the past 10 years of Weather Geeks…

Chapters

00:00 The Fascination of Weather Geeks
02:14 Bitten by the Weather Bug
04:28 Creating a Meet the Press for Weather
05:07 The Reluctant Host
10:39 The Evolution of Hosting
16:17 Fascinating Guests
21:39 Geeking Out with Ginger Zee and Janice Hough
22:05 A Place to Geek Out
22:42 The Value of Weather Geeks in the Weathergeek Community
24:21 Challenges and Surprises of Hosting a TV Show
26:33 Influencing Teaching Strategies through Weather Geeks
29:03 The Future of Weather Geeks: AI, Social Sciences, and Immersive Mixed Reality
31:27 Exploring the Fascination of Weather with Weather Geeks

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Using AI to Study Weather & Climate Jul 10, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Campbell Watson, Senior Research Scientist at IBM Research

As artificial intelligence, or AI, continues to become more pervasive in our technology, it’s only natural to wonder what it means for meteorology and climatology. Believe it or not, AI is already revolutionizing how we develop models in the Earth and Space sciences. Joining us today is Campbell Watson, a Senior Research Scientist at IBM Research, to discuss how we are creating these AI models, and the opportunities and advancements we hope to learn from using them.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in Meteorology and Climatology
01:35 Campbell Watson's Background and Interest in Weather
04:18 The Use of AI in Weather Forecasting
05:24 The Evolution of AI in Weather Forecasting
06:26 Understanding AI at its Core
08:09 Difference Between AI and Conventional Weather Model Forecasting
10:44 The Difference Between AI and Conventional Weather Model Forecasting
13:31 AI Models Learning from Weather Models
20:30 Foundation Models and Unsupervised Learning
25:12 Verification of AI in Weather Forecasting
27:57 The Robustness of AI Models
28:24 Learning from Observations
29:23 AI Models Learning from Observations
30:09 The Importance of Observations
30:38 Comparing Deep Learning and AI with Traditional Weather Forecasting Models
35:38 Trustworthiness in AI Forecasting
36:12 Adopting AI in Weather Forecasting
41:46 Nowcasting with AI
44:03 AI in Climate Forecasting
47:38 The Future of AI in Weather Forecasting

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Flash Flood Severity Index Jul 03, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Amanda Schroeder, NWS Fort Worth

Description: Flooding can occur any time of the year and in any part of the United States. It is a weather catastrophe that knows no limitations. Each year, too many people lose their lives to flooding. Communicating the risks of flash flooding can be just as difficult as forecasting flash flooding itself. No one understands that better than Dr. Amanda Schroeder, a Senior Service Hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. She was key in the development of the Flash Flood Severity Index, a scale designed to help convey the risks associated with flood events.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:42 Dr. Amanda Schroeder's Background
04:04 Early Work on Flash Flood Research
05:16 Work on the Spread Project
08:52. Role of a Senior Service Hydrologist
10:21 Challenges of Flood Forecasting
11:34 Impact-Based Forecasting
13:17 Flash Flood Severity Index
19:06 Implementation of the Index
20:17 Potential Global Application
23:16 Memorable Flooding Events
26:01 Impact of Climate Change on Flooding
28:11 Takeaways for the Public
31:08 Overcoming Challenges in the Field
32:27 Availability of Information on the Flash Flood Severity Index
33:46 A Day in the Life of a Senior Service Hydrologist
35:45 Conclusion

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Space Weather Prediction Center Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Guest: Clinton Wallace, Director of the SWPC

Weather Geeks often spend their time looking up at the sky, but there are some Geeks that look even farther up! Forecasters at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center are tasked with looking at everything PAST our atmosphere to warn us of any impending threats. However, sometimes those threats can be visualized as a spectacle with the Northern Lights, which we were ALL treated to one of the greatest shows of our lifetimes back in early May. How did the Space Weather Prediction Center forecasters know this event was coming? Well they were led by Director Clinton Wallace, and we have him on the show!

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