WeatherBrains Episode 1072 is now online (August 3rd, 2026). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE podcast for you!
This week’s WeatherBrains episode is all about the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center.
Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is the Director of the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center. Growing up in Minnesota, he always had exposure to severe weather and took a keen interest early in his life. He earned his Bachelor of Science in meteorology from Iowa State University. Their research focuses on X-band radar that operates jointly between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. They have done extensive research, with a major focus on lightning. Michael Peterson, welcome to WeatherBrains!
Tonight’s Guest Panelist is a research scientist at the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from Penn State University, and earned her Master’s Degree in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma. Jessica Losego, thanks for joining us tonight!
Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.
- Jessica’s early background in the field of weather (17:00)
- REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) (2:00)
- IHOP (International H2O Project) (21:00)
- When was the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center founded and what do they do? (24:30)
- Dual Pol variables in X-Band (26:30)
- North Georgia Lightning Mapping Array (39:30)
- 2008 Downtown Atlanta, GA tornado during SEC tournament (57:30)
- GA Tech’s research on tornadogenesis (01:01:00)
- What is cold air damming (CAD)? (01:03:30)
- New world record lightning flash discovered by SSRC (01:06:30)
- What is the definition of a mega flash? (01:11:45)
- Difficulties forecasting random airmass convection in the Deep South (01:19:30)
- The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:25:00)
- This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:27:30)
- E-Mail Segment (01:29:30)
- Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:38:30)
- and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1072:
North Georgia Lightning Mapping Array
Georgia Severe Storms Research Center
Picks of the Week:
Jessica Losego – Weather with a Twist – Aaron Price on Substack
Jessica Losego – “Atlanta Tornado of 1975” Volume 104 Issue 8 (1976) by E. F. Greneker
Michael Peterson – Call for Papers – 2027 AMS Annual Meeting
James Aydelott – OU Launches Oklahoma 3D Mesonet
Jen Narramore – The Governor’s Tornado – March 24, 1975
Rick Smith – Where Have the EF5s Gone? A Closer Look at the “Drought” of the Most Violent Tornadoes in the United States
Troy Kimmel – GOES Image Viewer
Kim Klockow-McClain – The Tiny Rain Icon On Your Weather App is Crushing Small Businesses
John Gordon – Tornadoes in Wisconsin since 1950
Bill Murray – Out
James Spann – NOAA’s use of cloud infrastructure grows to include weather prediction models
The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.
