Guest: Dr. Rick Spinrad, Outgoing NOAA Administrator 

From predicting hurricanes and monitoring our oceans to leading cutting-edge climate research, NOAA plays a critical role in protecting lives, property, and our planet. The phone that you may be listening to this podcast on right now would not have weather apps without NOAA. The computer you may be listening on won’t have easily accessible radar data over the internet without NOAA. But as the world faces more extreme weather and environmental challenges, strong leadership for the administration is more important than ever, especially in the face of political turmoil. Today on Weather Geeks, we’re sitting down with Dr. Rick Spinrad, the outgoing NOAA Administrator, to reflect on his tenure and the future of the agency. What were his biggest accomplishments? What challenges remain? And perhaps the biggest question of all—is NOAA going to be okay?

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to NOAA and Its Importance
2. 09:55 The Role of Private Sector in NOAA's Mission
3. 19:55 Challenges Faced by NOAA
4. 30:11 Successes During Dr. Spinrad's Tenure
5. 35:57 Future Directions for NOAA

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Guest: Daniel Swain

Winds are howling outside Los Angeles, California on a dry January day. The hillsides north and east of the city erupt in flames. A wall of fire begins to consume neighborhoods faster than firefighters can keep up. As wind-driven embers continue to fly down hill - a thousand miles away, Daniel Swain’s phone begins to light up. Journalists, companies, officials - all want answers to California’s extreme weather and the impact of climate change. On this week’s episode of Weather Geeks we learn how one high schooler, with a blog, ignited his career to become one of the leading communicators on climate change and the Weather out West.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 California's Wildfires and Climate Change
2. 10:08 Daniel Swain: The Weather Geek's Journey
3. 19:52 The Importance of Effective Communication
4. 27:05 Linking Climate Change to Extreme Weather
5. 40:05 Understanding the Complexity of Weather Events

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Guests: John Banghoff, Jonathan Guseman, Jase Bernhardt

We’ve all seen it. A multi-car pile-up accident that seems unstoppable. One weather phenomenon is often at the root of these - snow qualls. These aren't your typical snow flurries; they can bring sudden, near-zero visibility and treacherous driving conditions in a matter of minutes. We're joined today by 3 meteorologists with snow squall experience: John Banghoff, and Jonathan Guseman from NWS State College and Dr. Jase Bernhardt, Associate Professor at Hofstra University. We'll explore the science behind these intense bursts of weather, why traditional winter warnings often fall short, and the critical steps being taken to better communicate the dangers. This is a deep dive into the evolving world of snow squall warnings.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Snow Squalls and Their Impact
2. 04:51 The Evolution of Snow Squall Warnings
3. 10:02 Challenges in Communicating Snow Squall Warnings
4. 15:06 Understanding Snow Squall Warnings and Their Importance
5. 20:05 Forecasting Snow Squalls: Techniques and Challenges
6. 22:22 Challenges in Forecasting Snow Squalls
7. 24:37 Understanding Snow Squalls vs. Blizzards
8. 26:41 Vulnerability on Highways During Snow Squalls
9. 28:16 The Importance of Road Temperature Data
10. 29:12 Communicating the Risks of Snow Squalls
11. 33:46 Future of Snow Squall Warnings
12. 38:20 Advancements in Weather Forecasting Technology
13. 43:49 Climate Change and Its Impact on Snowstorms

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Guest: Dr. Sean Waugh, National Severe Storms Laboratory research scientist

As we’ve seen in the movies, and real life, tornadoes are some of the most destructive forces in nature, capable of leveling homes and damaging entire communities in a matter of minutes. And what about hail? It causes BILLIONS and billions of dollars in damage in the US every year. But how do we get up-close, real-time data on these violent storms in order to learn what is needed for better predictions? That’s where cutting-edge field research comes in. Today on Weather Geeks, we’re diving into the world of storm observation and mobile weather technology with Sean Waugh from NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory. From deploying instrumented drones and mobile mesonets to braving the extreme environments of tornadoes and hailstorms, his work is helping scientists better understand the atmospheric conditions that drive severe weather for years to come…

Chapters

1. 00:00 The Destructive Power of Tornadoes and Hail
2. 02:58 Sean Wu: A Journey into Meteorology
3. 05:57 Innovative HAIL Camera Technology
4. 08:47 Chasing Hail: The Challenges and Safety Measures
5. 11:59 Observing Hail: The Role of High-Speed Cameras
6. 14:46 Mobile Mesonets: Gathering Atmospheric Data
7. 17:59 Machine Learning and AI in Weather Prediction
8. 21:02 AI in Meteorology: Enhancing Forecasting Accuracy
9. 24:23 Hands-On Learning: Training the Next Generation of Meteorologists
10. 26:00 Tornado Research: Understanding Formation and Behavior
11. 28:05 Behind the Scenes of Twisters: A Meteorologist's Role
12. 32:20 Authenticity in Film: The Science of Twisters
13. 36:41 Passion in Meteorology: Inspiring Future Generations

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Guest: Jason Deese, CEO of Flash Weather AI

Weather forecasting has always been a mix of art and science, relying on tools like the Euro and GFS models to predict everything from tomorrow’s sunshine to next week’s storms. But now, artificial intelligence is reshaping the field, offering faster and more precise insights than ever before. Today on Weather Geeks, we’re exploring Flash Weather AI, a cutting-edge tool designed to revolutionize how we predict and prepare for the weather. How does it compare to the traditional models we’ve trusted for decades? And what could it mean for the future of meteorology? We’re excited to welcome Jason Deese, the creator of Flash Weather AI, to discuss this game-changing technology.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Revolutionizing Weather Forecasting with AI
2. 13:42 The Future of Flash Weather AI
3. 23:27 Real-World Applications and Success Stories
4. 35:34 Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead

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Guest: Anthony Edwards, Newsroom Meteorologist with the San Francisco Chronicle

With every new year comes hope for a prosperous year. For thousands in southern California, that hope quickly turned into a nightmare. One week into the new year, devastation quickly set in when multiple wildfires began to spread in Los Angeles County. A historic Santa Ana Windstorm, with winds gusting to 100 mph in spots, sent flames into highly populated areas, prompting evacuation orders.Our next guest was following along every step of the way. Anthony Edwards is the newsroom meteorologist with the San Francisco Chronicle and joins us today to discuss the devastating start to the year for many residents in southern California.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to California's Wildfires
2. 03:10 Understanding Santa Ana Winds and Their Impact
3. 06:05 Meteorological Conditions Leading to Wildfires
4. 09:00 The Role of Urban Areas in Fire Spread
5. 11:47 Communication and Evacuation During Wildfires
6. 14:59 Analyzing the Destructive Nature of Recent Fires
7. 17:54 Preventative Measures and Resilience in Fire Management
8. 20:59 The Interplay of Drought and Atmospheric Rivers
9. 24:11 Air Quality and Smoke Management
10. 27:03 The Future of Meteorological Journalism

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Guest: Eric Berger

4.…3….2….1…. Liftoff! - of this week’s episode of Weather Geeks with our special guest - Eric Berger. Launching his career as a science & space writer, Eric’s trajectory would be considered - by most in the space industry - as ‘nominal’. However, Eric’s late stage separation would send him on a new course to launching the website we all know today - Space City Weather. Since 2015 - Space City Weather has kept Houston informed during extreme weather events. Hurricane Harvey, the February Freeze of 2021, extreme drought to extreme floods, and last year’s Derecho - to name a few. In all, you can sum up Eric’s career - so far - as one small step for weather and giant leap for science-kind.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Eric Berger and His Journey
2. 05:31 Transitioning from Space to Weather
3. 11:42 The Impact of Hurricane Harvey
4. 16:10 Lessons Learned from Hurricane Harvey
5. 19:56 Experiencing a Range of Extreme Weather Events
6. 25:02 Navigating the Era of Social Meteorology
7. 29:43 Key Lessons and Future Directions

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Guests: Dr. Ilan Price, Senior Research Scientist, & Matt Willson, Research Engineer

From the Euro to the GFS to the Canadian, there are multitudes of models that forecasters use to predict our daily weather. There are models for short-term severe forecasting, 10-day outlooks from your local news, and even models that predict our climate years into the future. As technology advances, so do all of these models and the technology we are focusing on today on Weather Geeks is AI. While it may seem like a buzzword these days, it can be used to enhance our industry and help us all reach our common goal: saving lives and property. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ilan Price to discuss GenCast, Google’s weather forecasting model that is entirely powered by AI. How does it stack up to the models we know and love? The answer may surprise you…

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to AI in Weather Forecasting
2. 02:10 Meet the Experts: Ilan Price and Matthew Wilson
3. 06:34 Understanding GenCast: The AI Weather Model
4. 10:47 Machine Learning vs Traditional Forecasting
5. 13:22 Data Sources and Ethical Considerations
6. 15:10 Handling Extreme Weather Events
7. 21:15 Validation and Verification of GenCast
8. 23:26 Impact of GenCast on Weather Forecasting

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Guest: Dr. Philip Mulder, Assistant Professor at UW-Madison

Once you become a homeowner, you are flooded with the overwhelming responsibility of protecting your home, which means that you are going to need home insurance! But is it fair that your insurance may cost significantly more because of the weather that tends to happen around you? Or, what if homeowner’s insurance isn’t even available to you at all because of the weather? That is the current reality for some home and business owners across the U.S. Today on Weather Geeks, we brought on economist Dr. Philip Mulder who has already crunched the numbers about why that is and how insurance providers can get away with this..

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Homeowner's Insurance and Climate Risks
2. 02:53 The Role of the National Flood Insurance Program
3. 05:54 Challenges of Flood Mapping and Insurance Coverage
4. 09:08 Impact of Recent Hurricanes on Insurance
5. 11:54 Understanding Mortgage Escrow and Insurance Premiums
6. 14:56 Trends in Homeowners Insurance Premiums
7. 17:49 The Role of Reinsurance in Insurance Markets
8. 21:05 Climate Change and Future Insurance Trends
9. 23:59 Insurance Burden on Low-Income Communities
10. 27:04 Future Research Directions in Insurance and Climate Risk

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Guest: Dr. Victor Gensini

When discussions are had about Billion-Dollar Disasters, odds are your mind goes to the biggest hurricane landfalls and tornadoes that struck the country this year.  But the sneakiest of disasters has become hail storms.  As the convective storm passes through a town and dumps tons of ice on cars, roofs, and windows, the costs very quickly add up and the infrastructure is put to the test.  But do we know all we can about these hail storms and how we can mitigate future disasters? Today, we are welcoming back a friend of the show Dr. Victor Gensini to discuss his upcoming field campaign, which is the largest one that has ever been funded that focuses solely on hail.

Chapters

1. Introduction to Hailstorms and Their Impact
2. Victor Gensini's Journey in Meteorology
3. Understanding Hail: Current Knowledge and Gaps
4. The IceChip Field Campaign: Goals and Logistics
5. A Day in the Life of a Field Campaign
6. Future Aspirations in Hail Research

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RECORDED MARCH 28, 2024 Originally released MAY 29, 2024

Guest: Dr. Paul Markowski, Penn State

We are in the throes of the springtime severe season and even as we transition to summer, the potential for supercells and tornadoes doesn’t slow down. In fact, the severe risk moves more from the Central Plains and into the Eastern states…and that’s where we find today’s guest! Dr. Paul Markowski is the Head of the Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Department at Penn State and an expert in tornado research. You will be surprised with how many papers he’s written on aspects of tornadoes you’ve probably never even heard of! We’ve also got Dr. Greg Postel on the show today so we can have an all-encompassing tornado geek out!

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to the Guest and Topic
2. 01:26 How Dr. Paul Markowski Became Interested in Weather
3. 05:51 Dr. Markowski's Journey in Meteorology
4. 06:19 Dr. Markowski's Career at Penn State
5. 07:10 Dr. Markowski's Research and Field Work
6. 09:22 The Experience of Storm Chasing
7. 18:19 Transition to New Research and Theories
8. 29:02 Previous Understanding of Tornado Formation
9. 29:31 Dr. Markowski's Perspective on Tornado Research
10. 30:03 Statistically Identical Environments
11. 31:21 Sensitivity of Storm Behavior
12. 32:19 Discovering New Paradigms
13. 33:21 Role of Turbulent Eddies
14. 34:17 Impact of Cold Air
15. 35:16 Laminar Environments vs. Turbulent Environments
16. 37:18 Theoretical Outcome vs. Real Atmosphere
17. 38:34 Implications for Predictability
18. 39:04 AI in Tornado Warnings
19. 46:52 The Role of AI in Forecasting

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