Archive for June, 2010

WeatherBrains 230: Sausages and Lemons

WeatherBrains Episode 230 is now online (June 22, 2010). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

WeatherBrains - June 22, 2010

Tonight’s Guest Panelist is the meteorologist for Today in Florida the Saturday edition on WSVN Channel 7 in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Vivian Gonzalez. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Geosciences from Mississippi State and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Florida International University. She is a native of Miami and holds the AMS Seal of Approval. She enjoys being a part of the community teaching children about math and science.

Vivian supports causes such as La Liga Contra El Cancer and participates with the Community Partnership for the Homeless and Habitat for Humanity. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with family and friends, enjoys cooking, kick-boxing, watching movies, and following sports especially from her hometown teams.

Back for another round on WeatherBrains tonight is Les Lemon. Les was on episode 209 in January of this year. Les Lemon has had a 42-year carrier with the US Government, a number of private sector corporations, and the University of Oklahoma. He has been doing severe storms and weather radar research since 1968 when he joined, as a student, the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in their radar program. Nearly all his research has been oriented toward understanding convective storms, the phenomena, its radar detection, and the operational application of this understanding. Les developed a number of radar warning applications including “The Lemon Technique” and criteria, and among others, the mesocyclone signature, the Tornadic Vortex Signature, the Three-body Scatter Spike, the current supercell model, and the Deep Convergence Zone. In 1997 he received from the American Meteorological Society the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advancement of Applied Meteorology “for pioneering work including design and development of the WSR-88D Doppler weather radar system”.

He is well known globally for his operational weather radar research, weather radar design and development, and teaching Doppler radar operational applications to the phenomena of severe convective storms. Lemon began doing related radar and severe storms training in 1976 teaching radar and severe convective storms for the NWS, the private sector, and international weather services. He now teaches internationally for several countries (China, Vietnam, Romania, etc.). Les recently updated FMH-11, the US Government handbook on Doppler Radar Meteorological Observations for the Radar Operations Center. He has published extensively.

Les was selected in 2001 to serve on a National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council committee concerning “Weather Radar Technology Beyond NEXRAD”. He has been a visiting professor for the China Meteorological Administration since 2000 teaching their advanced course in Doppler radar and severe convective storms. He also received a 1976 Department of Commerce/NOAA Special Achievement Award for the co-discovery of the Doppler weather radar Tornadic Vortex Signature (TVS) and a NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories’ Outstanding Authorship Award.

Our mail bag officer, the honorable Kevin Collins, er, Selle, opens all of your cards and letters to give a complete rundown on what the WeatherBrains audience has to say.

From The Weather Center:

WeatherBrains 101: Our atmosphere goes up really high, so this week the world renowned professor tackles the topic of a jet streak, sometimes known as a jet max or a jet surge. He’ll have your head spinning over diverging and converging wind before the segment is over.

TWIWH: Bill Murray looks back at the week of June 29th.

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 230:

Picks of the Week:

JB Elliott – StormEyes.org weather data

Bill Murray – HBO Show Treme

Kevin Selle – Shelf Cloud Omnibus

Vivian Gonzales – Central Florida Hurricane Center

James Spann – No pick… the bum was across the hall doing TV during the pick segment!

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like JB Elliott, Kevin Selle, and Bill Murray. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.