Archive for February, 2018

WeatherBrains 632: WeatherBrains After Dark

WeatherBrains Episode 632 is now online (February 26, 2018). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

Joining us for this episode is Gregory Mandt who has overall responsibility for the JPSS Program. In this role, Mandt oversees the development, acquisition, integration, installation, and acceptance of major system elements (spacecraft, instruments, launch services and ground systems) for all four JPSS satellites, the first of which was successfully launched in November, 2017, and the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite. Before coming to JPSS, Mandt served as System Program Director for the GOES-R Series program for nine years, culminating in the successful launch of the GOES-R/16 satellite in November, 2016.

Previously, Mandt served as Director of the National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Science and Technology where he was responsible for science and engineering planning, the acquisition and refresh of critical technologies, and the scientific developments of the Meteorological Development Laboratory. His previous assignments at NWS included Director of the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services from 2000 to 2005 and Chief of the Science Branch, Office of Meteorology, from 1996 to 2000.

Mandt also served as the Program Manager and Lead Engineer for the NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) Program from 1992 to 1996.

During his 14 year tenure as an officer in the United States Air Force, Mandt held several management and executive-level positions, including Acquisition Manager of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP); Executive Officer for the Space Systems Division; Chief of the Spacecraft Engineering Branch, DMSP Program Office; Research Engineer in the Flight Dynamics Laboratory; and Flight Test Engineer.

Mandt holds Master of Science degrees in Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy and is also a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College Program Management Course.

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

  • Extremes: 90 at Titusville, FL, and -12 at Gothic, CO
  • First tornado deaths in US late last week
  • Possible severe wx Wednesday in Lower MS River Valley
  • Relatively mild across much of Lower 48
  • Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice
  • and more!

Our email bag officer thumbs through the incoming messages from our listeners. Always love to hear from listeners.

From The Weather Center:

WeatherBrains 101:

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 632:

JPSS Web Page

Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposium

Picks of the Week:

Bill Murray – Satellite Information Familiarization Tool (SIFT)

Brian Peters – Hurricane Heist (2018)

Kevin Selle – 40th anniversary of the blizzard of 1978

James Spann – GOES-16 at College of DuPage

Aubrey Urbanowicz – The StormHour

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Nate Johnson, Bill Murray, Aubrey Urbanowicz, Rick Smith, Kevin Selle, Kim Klockow-McClain, and Brian Peters. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.

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WeatherBrains 631: Just the Regulars

WeatherBrains Episode 631 is now online (February 19, 2018). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

No guest this week on WeatherBrains… just an extended discussion among our regulars!

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

  • Near record highs on Monday in certain areas of U. S.
  • The Alliance for Integrative Approaches to Extreme Environmental Events
  • The difficulty of social media as a forecaster
  • The contemporary warning system’s complexities
  • Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice
  • and more!

Our email bag officer is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners.

From The Weather Center:

WeatherBrains 101:

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 631:

Picks of the Week:

Nate Johnson – Out

Kim Klockow-McClain – National Preparedness Report

Bill Murray – Out

Brian Peters – Out

Kevin Selle – Out

Rick Smith – AMS on the Air

James Spann – The Vision of The Alliance

Aubrey Urbanowicz – Water spouts on the Potomac

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Nate Johnson, Bill Murray, Aubrey Urbanowicz, Rick Smith, Kevin Selle, Kim Klockow-McClain, and Brian Peters. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.

Audible.com graphic