Archive for June, 2011

WeatherBrains 283: Back Hair and Catheter

WeatherBrains Episode 283 is now online (June 27, 2011). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

Dr. Greg Forbes, The Weather ChannelTonight’s Guest WeatherBrain needs no introduction to our audience. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. His graduate degrees came from the University of Chicago, where he studied under the legendary Theodore Fujita. He taught at Penn State, became a Fellow of the AMS, and has authored two books on forecasting and disasters. He has been on the team at The Weather Channel where he is known as StormMasterG. It is with great pleasure we welcome the Severe Weather Expert at The Weather Channel, Dr. Greg Forbes, to WeatherBrains.

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

  • Lubbock met visits Kevin on their anniversary
  • Lubbock 112 last Sunday, second hottest ever there
  • All time highs in Texas Panhandle over the weekend
  • Flooding in North Dakota is severe
  • Wildfires still going in Southwest US
  • 27 West Yellowstone today for the coolest in the country
  • and more!

    • Our email in box is still getting letters even though our Email Officer is trying to pawn off the job to anyone.

    From The Weather Center:

    WeatherBrains 101: Everyone knows what a vortex is but do you know what VORTEX is? Or what is VORTEX2? This week on 101 we explore two ambitious projects to improve our understanding of tornadoes.

    TWIWH: Bill Murray does a live weather history quiz.

    Listener SurveyListener 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 283:

    The Weather Channel

    Dr. Greg Forbes bio

    Picks of the Week:

    JB Elliott – Non-Tornado Clouds

    Bill Murray – Tom Hanks Dancing with Univision Weather Girl

    Brian Peters – Weird and Beautiful World of Fluid Dynamics

    Kevin Selle – NWS Dissemination Re-architecture

    James Spann – Warn on Forecast

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

    Jun 28, 2011 | 0 comments View Post

    WeatherBrains 282: I Hit the Wrong Button

    WeatherBrains Episode 282 is now online (June 20, 2011). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

    Tonight’s Guest WeatherBrains, Jeff and Kathryn Piotrowski, were detained by a moderate risk on the Plains today. Last we heard, they were setting up shop near Grand Island, NE.

    But, Nate Johnson graciously agreed to stand in. He is an old friend of the show. Nate is a weather producer/meteorologist, WRAL-TV in Raleigh. He is extremely active in societal impacts and social media.

    He will be hosting a panel discussion at the 39th Conference on Broadcast Meteorology/The Conference on Weather Warnings and Communication in Oklahoma City later this week. The panel will include some big names including Harold E. Brooks, NOAA/NSSL; Jay Prater, KAKE-TV; Catherine Smith, East Carolina University; Dan Threlkeld, KJRH-TV and Doug Heady, KOAM-TV. The topic will be Communicating Disaster: Insights, Lessons, and Lingering Questions From the Deadliest Tornado Year In Decades.

    He has agreed to come on the show tonight and moderate that same topic with us knuckleheads as the panel in hopes that we could give him some practice in case there are any rabble rousers on his panel in OKC.

    Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

  • False Alarm Ratio (FARs) versus PODs (Probability of Detection)
  • Heat and fires in the Southwest US
  • 113 in Childress over the weekend
  • 25 at Grand Canyon for the lowest this morning
  • Some snow above 10,000 feet
  • Lightning Awareness Week this week
  • Tropics are quiet
  • and more!

    • The mail bag always gets some attention, but we never know which email our illustrious Email Officer receives. So listen in for the mystery of the hour as Kevin puts all the email in perspective.

    From The Weather Center:

    WeatherBrains 101: 101 takes a look at one of the biggest contributors to the advancement of knowledge in meteorology – Dr. Ted Fujita. Best known for the Fujita Scale of tornado classification, Dr. Fujita really established himself with defining a microburst.

    TWIWH: Bill Murray takes a break.

    Listener SurveyListener 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 282:

    39th Conference on Broadcast Meteorology

    Picks of the Week:

    JB Elliott – Global Hawk Pilot Interview

    Nate Johnson – NC Near Space

    Bill Murray – Birmingham News Look at April 27, 2011, in Alabama

    Brian Peters – Boltmeter from Allison House

    Kevin Selle – FCC Study on Local News Traffic

    James Spann – Joe Bastardi’s Employer

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

    Jun 21, 2011 | 2 comments View Post
    Next Page »