WeatherBrains 204: Joe B Comes to WB
WeatherBrains Episode 204 is now online (Dec. 21, 2009). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!
WeatherBrains - December 21, 2009Another dual guest episode this week. Todd Foisy joins us from Alaska who grew up in Birmingham. He works the television desk at the Anchorage NWS office. Alaskan weather has turned warm with 33 degrees and rain! Rain on top of 30 inches of snow. The Alaska Weather Show comes from the NWS and started in the 70s as a partnership between NWS and local PBS.
When you think long range weather, you often think of some of those tremendous discussions from Joe Bastardi. Joe B from Accu-Weather joins us this week on WeatherBrains.
Bastardi was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He spent his childhood moving frequently, first to Texas in 1960, then to Somers Point, New Jersey in 1965. His fascination with weather, like many in this profession, dates to his childhood; he reportedly carried an anemometer around with him as a teenager to measure wind speed. He enrolled at Penn State University, where he was a member of the varsity wrestling team, and he graduated with a degree in meteorology 1978 and was hired by AccuWeather shortly after.
Bastardi’s forecasts were previously offered free to the public on Accuweather’s main site. However, in the early-2000s, Accuweather launched its “professional site,” and his forecasts were made available to paying subscribers only. He also forecasts for corporate clients. Despite his recent focus on private forecasting, Bastardi frequently appears on cable news channels, such as CNN and Fox News during storms.
Bastardi produces several weather analysis videos most weekdays and some weekend days including “Bastardi’s Big Dog”, “Long Ranger”, and “Point-Counterpoint”. His Long Ranger video features his thoughts on long-range trends, while the Point-Counterpoint video features an “argument” between himself and another AccuWeather meteorologist, such as Ken Reeves. Bastardi rarely touches upon short-range topics in these videos, even ignoring an impending storm in favor of the next one that may still be several days off. In addition to his videos, Bastardi contributes to official Accuweather press releases, such as annual winter forecasts. He also serves corporate clients such as oil companies, who depend on the weather for their revenue streams.
Bastardi writes a column that generally summarizes his views in the videos. Bastardi sometimes contributes columns several times a day when a storm is approaching. He maintains that he hasn’t taken a day off since 2002, including “Christmas and Easter.”
Bastardi’s forecasting style is to make a definite prediction of what he believes will occur. Other forecasters believe that forecasting is too imprecise a science to make definite calls, and instead provide clients with probabilities of weather events. One writer described Bastardi’s forecasting style as “seeing Mother Nature as a foe.” Bastardi, whose title at the Accuweather meteorological service is “expert senior forecaster,” is brash, driven and outspoken. When he is not poring over weather maps he is likely to be pumping iron as part of his bodybuilding regimen.
Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:
Keep those letters coming. Kevin gives us a rundown of what has come in this week.
From The Weather Center:
WeatherBrains 101: The winter solstice occurred earlier on the 21st, the day we recorded this episode, around 1747Z or GMT. The professor takes a look at the solstice of which this is just one!
TWIWH: Bill Murray looks back at the week of December 22nd. How about a lake effect snow event that occurred for nearly five days!
Listener Surveys: Okay, we continue to drive this topic into the ground, but we really do like to hear from you. Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to fill out the Listener Survey. The survey takes just a minute or two to complete and provides us with an opportunity to learn where you are and hear your thoughts and comments on the show. Click here to take the survey.
Web Sites from Episode 204:
Ed Berry’s Atmospheric Insight Blog
Email Links:
Al Gore Spoof – Second Al Gore Spoof – Paul Friend
100 Reasons why Climate Change is Natural – Matthew Romei
Al Gore At Copenhagen – Al Gore Prediction Comment – Jim Walker
Picks of the Week:
Dr. Tim Coleman – Teleconnections and Oscillations
JB Elliott – No Pick This Week
Todd Foisy – Alaska FAA Web Cam
Bill Murray – Eric Pinder’s Life at the Top
Brian Peters – East Coast Snow Storm from Space
Kevin Selle – Another Reference to Snow From Space
James Spann – Forecast Precipitation Type
The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like JB Elliott, Kevin Selle, Dr. Tim Coleman, Bill Murray, and Brian Peters. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.
We love to hear from you! To leave a recorded message, call 1-888-247-8627. Some calls may be used in future episodes. Also, feel free to post comments to the site and drop us an email at email at (at symbol) weatherbrains dot com.
