Weather Geeks

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Craig McLean Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Craig McLean

Introduction:

When we think of NOAA, a multitude of things can come to mind from our planet’s oceans and atmosphere. The research in these fields has yielded us scientific advancements in weather forecasting, oceanography, and atmospheric chemistry just to name a few. But what is the process for conducting this research and allocating the resources across such a broad spectrum? Today’s guest helps to do just that. He is the Active Chief Scientist and Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research at NOAA. Please welcome Craig McLean!

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Atmospheric Rivers Dec 01, 2021

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Dr. Marty Ralph

Introduction:

You can’t row a boat in an atmospheric river, but it is a powerful force of nature that transports massive volumes of water vapor. The director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography Dr. Marty Ralph is a pioneer in the study of atmospheric rivers affecting the Western US and has been leading the development of a category scale, like the hurricane saffir-simpson scale, to classify the strength of atmospheric rivers. He’s here today to talk about atmospheric rivers, the scale, and why it's important for forecasting and communication.

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Al Roker - America's Weatherman (repeat) Nov 24, 2021

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Al Roker has been giving forecasts for ‘your neck of the woods’ for over 20 years...He is America’s Weatherman, appearing on the TODAY show, Nightly News and a host of other television and news shows over the years. He has a knack for channeling his on-air charisma into many different media platforms, including penning a New York Times best seller, dishing out award-winning cookbooks, and lending his voice to critically-acclaimed movies. In this week's Weather Geeks podcast we learn about Al’s deep passion for weather, how he continues to evolve with the ever-changing media landscape and how he manages to balance it all.

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Mighty Storms of New England Nov 17, 2021

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Guest: Eric Fisher, Author of Mighty Storms of New England

Meteorologist Eric Fisher says there are few places on earth that produce weather like New England. It offers the challenges of blockbuster snowstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, frigid cold snaps and dramatic seasonal shifts. Eric just penned a book: “The Mighty Storms of New England - The Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Blizzards, and Floods that Shaped the Region”. He writes that knowing the past is a critical part of understanding and forecasting the weather. The stories in his book describe not only the loss and damage caused by the storms but also the progress made as a result. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons we can learn from the past is how to better communicate the risks. And Eric is just the meteorologist to talk about this…

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GIS and Storm Damage Assessment Nov 10, 2021

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Guest: Ryan Lanclos

Introduction:

When disasters strike, emergency responders and government agencies must act quickly, but large-scale events make it difficult to determine where resources should be allocated first. Technological advances in Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, have helped improve disaster responses across the globe and become an invaluable way to process data. Today we’re joined by Ryan Lanclos, Director of Public Safety Solutions at Esri, who will share how GIS is being used to supplement a variety of natural and man-made disasters. Plus, we’ll discuss other GIS applications that are used in our everyday lives, even though we may have taken it for granted...

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Getting a GRIP on the tropics Nov 03, 2021

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Guest: Dr. Scott Braun

After a record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and this season’s forecast to be above average, it might be a good time to get a grip on the tropics. In this case: GRIP is an acronym for Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes and is the name of a NASA field experiment that was designed to understand how tropical systems form and develop into major hurricanes. Dr. Scott Braun worked on the GRIP project and joins us today to dive into the project and other hurricane research of which he’s been a part.

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ENSO & Climate Communication Oct 27, 2021

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Guest: Tom Di Liberto

It’s baaack!! The NOAA Climate Prediction Center recently announced that La Nina has returned and will likely remain with us throughout the 2021-2022 winter season. But what exactly does that mean for us? For the globe? Luckily, we have someone who can help shed some light on its potential impacts. Tom Di Liberto is a meteorologist at Collabralink Technologies, and throughout his career, he has been researching, forecasting, and blogging about ENSO events for NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Today, we’ll shed light on how these events form and discuss if climate change is impacting them. Plus, we’ll touch on the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference known as COP26, which could impact climate change policies across the globe.

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Flooding & America's Infrastructure Oct 20, 2021

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Guest: Dr. Jeremy Porter

When we talk about weather disasters, our minds often go towards tornadoes, hurricanes, and severe weather. But flooding is the most common, and most expensive, natural disaster in the United States. First Street Foundation, a science and technology nonprofit, has released a new study evaluating the flood risk to our nation’s critical infrastructure. The study evaluates the risk for every neighborhood, zip code, city and county in the country. Joining us today is Dr. Jeremy Porter, who leads the research & development efforts at First Street Foundation, to break down the findings and impacts of this expansive research study.

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Forecasting the Road Ahead Oct 13, 2021

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Introduction:

Technology is advancing at an amazing pace, creating products and services that were only dreams a decade ago. One of those long lasting dreams, and has been for decades, is an automobile that drives itself. We’re just now getting to the point where that technology is not only possible but available, and part of that process is for a vehicle to be able to sense conditions on the road. Joining us today is Dr. Bill Gail, CEO and co-founder of Global Weather Corporation, a company that is helping to predict road conditions all across the globe. He’s also the former president of the American Meteorological Society, so we’ll be picking his brain a bit on other areas as well! Please welcome Dr. Bill Gail.

Guest:

Dr. Bill Gail

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MLB Stadiums & Lightning Dangers (repeat) Oct 06, 2021

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Guest: Chris Vagasky

Introduction: The joy that fills sports fans' hearts as they loudly sing, “Take me out to the ballgame…” is almost palpable, but one thing that may not come to their mind is the threat lightning poses. We’ve seen the images of lighting bolts racing across the sky as fans hunker down in their seats, and this reminds us how deadly this phenomenon can be. Meteorologist Chris Vagasky, who is the Lightning Applications Manager at Vaisala, has dug through the data and found some shocking statistics for some of the league’s most popular stadiums. We’ll break down who’s most at risk for lighting and discuss how his research is being used to improve MLB’s weather safety policies. Get your peanuts & join us for the discussion...

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