WeatherBrains

• WeatherBrains 1001: You And Your Jet Cores

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is one of the most respected voices in the field of broadcast meteorology. He celebrated his 45th anniversary with WGN-TV in August 2023, and officially retired from WGN-TV at the end of February 2024.  Tom Skilling, it's great to see you tonight!   Meteorologist and Former Director of NWS (2013-2022) Louis Uccellini also joins us tonight as a Guest Panelist. He was also director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and served as the Permanent Representative of the United States for the World Meteorological Organization.  Thanks for joining us tonight, Louis!    Joining us as Guest Panelist is a brilliant researcher and recently tenured Professor in the Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment at Northern Illinois University. His research umbrella covers a wide range of topics related to severe weather, particularly the relationship between severe convective storms and climate change by utilizing dynamical downscaling.  Dr. Victor Gencini, welcome to the show! Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. New Panelist Introduction (05:15) 1990 Plainfield tornado tragedy (18:00) Lack of feasibility to privatize government warning systems for severe weather (25:00) Writing on the wall with budget cuts/staffing reductions and concerns for working in Government Sector/NOAA (41:00) Losing younger scientists to the private sector (55:45) November 17th, 2013 Washington, Illinois Tornado (01:00:30) Long-term budget concerns (01:05:00) Importance of not losing upper-air data when assimilating a public forecast (01:08:00) Development of global radiosonde network (01:20:00) Final thoughts on uncertain times in the industry (02:01:00) Inexpensive cost to taxpayers for NOAA's forecasts and services (01:53:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:54:57) E-Mail Segment  National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 1001: Midland Weather Radio Victor Gensini, PhD, CCM on X Tom Skilling on X Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - Foghorn James Aydelott - James Aydelott on X: "Twisters" Sequel? Jen Narramore - Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center Rick Smith - 2024 Severe Weather Year In Review Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Foghorn Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - NSSL Severe Convection and Climate Research 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.

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• WeatherBrains 1000: We're Just Getting Started

  Tonight's WeatherBrains is a celebration.  Nineteen years and 1000 shows! We are looking back on our journey and celebrating all of these years together, and we wouldn't be a podcast without our most important asset - our listeners!  Tune in for this is a one-of-a-kind episode.  We are also excited to announce our new permanent Panelist, meteorologist John Gordon!  Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Montage of David Black's work on early WxBrains episodes (05:10) Happy 1000th Episode Greetings (09:45) Dancing With the Stats:  Most Guest Appearances (12:45) Favorite Clips From Listeners (14:30)  First Ever WeatherBrains 101 with Professor Peters (36:26) Former Panelist Kevin Selle Congrats (40:15) Marshall Shepherd Congrats (41:50) Favorite Panelist Guests (49:30) Tom Skilling Guest Appearance Recording (59:00) Thanking meteorologist Bob Baron (01:12:00) Looking back at Nov. 15th, 1989 F4 Huntsville tornado (01:12:45) NWS Birmingham Congratulates WeatherBrains on milestone (01:24:50) Remembering J. B. Elliott (01:31:00) Bruce Jones with Midland Weather Radio shoutout for show 1000! (01:49:50) Looking back at difficult/eye-opening subject matter (01:53:50) Meteorologist Ginger Zee Congrats Video (02:07:30) John Gordon introduced as new WeatherBrains Panelist (02:11:50) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (02:07:55) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 1000: Midland Weather Radio Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) James Aydelott - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) Jen Narramore - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) Rick Smith -Foghorn (Just For This Week!) Troy Kimmel - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) John Gordon - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) Bill Murray - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) James Spann - Foghorn (Just For This Week!) 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.

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• WeatherBrains 999: I'm Muting As Fast As I Can

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a veteran meteorologist at Bluewater Forecasting in Montgomery, Alabama.  He's got almost five decades of experience in the field, and formerly served as the Chief Meteorologist at WSFA-TV in Montgomery for 34 years, before transitioning to radio.  Rich Thomas, welcome to WeatherBrains!  Brooks Garner of FOX 35 TV in Orlando also stops by to discuss the tornado that made a direct hit on their studios on March 10th, where he covered the tornado live on air and warned his viewers, and in this case, his co-workers!  Brooks, thanks for hanging out with us.  Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Tornado hits FOX 35 TV studio in Orlando (06:30) Strong unexpected tornado hits Orlando in area that wasn't outlooked/forecasted for severe weather (12:00) Disc jockey/radio, and improving communication skills in order to transition to broadcast meteorology (25:45) Looking back at April 3-4, 1974 tornado outbreak (32:00) Major changes in broadcast television in the last 35 years (38:00) March 1st, 2007 Enterprise tornado analysis/When do we send children home from school during severe weather threats? (45:00) 4/27/2011 modeling analysis/Morning QLCS (47:00) Looking back at 2004 Hurricane Ivan's second landfall on Gulf Coast with same name (58:30) A day in the life of Rich Thomas (01:00:30)  NWS layoff rumors (01:35:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:15:40) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:18:20) E-Mail Segment (01:20:15) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 999: Midland Weather Radio Rich Thomas on X Rich Thomas Weather Network Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - "The New Richmond tornado of 1899: A modern Herculaneum" by Anna P Medley and Michael G Corenthal James Aydelott - Where Have the EF5s Gone? A Closer Look at the “Drought” of the Most Violent Tornadoes in the United States" by Anthony W. Lyza, Harold E. Brooks, and Makenzie J. Krocak Jen Narramore - Tornado Hits Fox 35 Orlando on X Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Everything Weather App by Cory Mottice Kim Klockow-McClain - Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008 Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - National Hurricane Center Products and Services/Update for 2025 Hurricane Season The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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• WeatherBrains 998: Bangers and Mash

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a retired meteorologist with thirty-five years of experience at the NWS.  That includes twenty-six years as a SOO, and he's been a leader with forecaster training, mesoscale analysis and radar interpretation, which helps NWS offices improve proving warning decision-making and lead times for severe weather hazards.  Pete Wolf, welcome to WeatherBrains!   Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Critical Fire Danger for several areas around the country (05:15) Petersburg, VA F4 tornado/outbreak on August 6th, 1993 (9:45) Key changes seen with Doppler radar/Warning systems since the early 1990s (13:45) WoFS (Warn on Forecast System) (15:25) Appreciating the important tools of hodographs and soundings (18:00) SW Oklahoma sounding analysis (Live on 03/03/25) (21:15) Reconciling SRH in QLCS situations (28:00) Tools needed to downscale warnings (43:15) No relation between VIL (Vertically Integrated Liquid) and tornado formation (56:15) Least-understood radar signatures by meteorologists (01:09:00) Improving efficiency of operations in the NWS (01:13:30) AI-generated weather broadcasters and battling automation (01:20:00) NOAA banned from having its own app (01:29:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:35:22) E-Mail Segment (01:37:00) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 998: Midland Weather Radio My Monster Storms/Pete Wolf on X Monster Storms Main Page Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - "But Wait ... There's More!: Tighten Your Abs, Make Millions, and Learn How the $100 Billion Infomercial Industry Sold Us Everything But the Kitchen Sink" James Aydelott - Forecast Sounding From SWOK Jen Narramore - NWS Louisville on X: Final Forecast Discussion from Meteorologist in Charge John Gordon Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Roswell, NW extreme winds Kim Klockow-McClain - SPC Severe Thunderstorm Forecasting Video Lecture Series Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Director of NWS Louisville retires after nearly four decades The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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  2:02:02
• WeatherBrains 997: Merry Go Round of Craziness

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a retired Lead Forecaster for the Storm Prediction Center with nearly four decades of Federal service, specializing in severe convective storms and tornado forecasting.  He's a passionate storm chaser, researcher, and an advocate for weather safety.  He co-founded the Electronic Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology and remains an influencial voice in meteorology.  Roger Edwards, it is great to see you! Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Roger's arrival at OU and opening horizons in meteorology (20:30) Connections between operations, research, and visual conceptualization (34:00) Importance of critical thinking in the science (35:00) Importance of growing, building, and passing on knowledge gained in the field of meteorology (40:30) Witnessing rapid progress of technology and applying that to visuals in the field (41:50) Trade-offs between improving technology and what it can show us and lead to development of theory (49:00) May 4, 2003 High Risk (01:01:00) Mesonets and scan strategies (01:05:00) Storm chaser responsibilities (01:12:00) Reduced funding and its impact on severe weather forecasting and research (01:17:00) Loss of institutional knowledge and looking forward (01:23:00) Memorable shifts at SPC (01:36:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:38:19) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:40:15) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up and more! Web Sites from Episode 997: Midland Weather Radio Roger Edwards on X Picks of the Week: Roger Edwards - Al Moller - "The Zen of Weather Forecasting" James Aydelott - Pro tip: Gravity is a cruel hunter When there is a bare, wind-swept spot with no snow, it might be polished ice. Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Jamposium 2025 Troy Kimmel - Experimental Beach Forecast Webpage Kim Klockow-McClain - Federal agencies can ignore "What did you do last week?" email, Trump administration says Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Planetary Defense The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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