WeatherBrains 217: Discussing Warnings
WeatherBrains Episode 217 is now online (Mar. 24, 2010). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!
WeatherBrains - March 24, 2010Our guest panelist for tonight’s show is Richard Lewelling, Radio Broadcast Meteorologist for The Weather Channel in Atlanta, and is heard on radio stations around the nation. Ask anyone who knows Richard and you will find out that 
he has a passion for the weather. Since Richard was a child growing up in the Mississippi Delta, he was always fascinated with weather, watching severe weather moving across the wide open spaces. As a teenager, Richard moved to Northwest Florida and experienced nature’s fury first hand with the hurricanes that raked their across the state in the 80’s and 90’s. It was after Opal that he decided to help others before severe weather strikes.
Richard is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, but he calls Northwest Florida home. He began his radio career at WZEP Radio in De Funiak Springs, FL, where he worked doing weather, including hurricane coverage, before moving to Atlanta to become a member of The Weather Channel family. Richard is a ham radio operator, call sign KG4EFQ, and is actively involved in Skywarn operations across the Southeast. He enjoys music, long walks on the beach, storm spotting, the computer, and spending time with his wife, Teresa, his dog and his 6 siblings.
And our special guest WeatherBrain for this week is Kevin Scharfenberg, Severe Storms Coordinator for the National Weather Service. Kevin is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He has worked for CIMSS and the NSSL. In his current position, he keeps up with the NWS severe weather verification statistics and reports them to Congress and he is helping to redefine the warning process. He has worked on some fascinating projects such as dual polarimetric radar, VORTEX2, boundary layer radars, and WDSS-II to name just a few.
Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:
Our email officer (EMO), Kevin, wades through the email bag to recap the numerous incoming items.
From The Weather Center:
WeatherBrains 101: Our in-house professor continues his look at the view from space with an explanation of the second most used type of satellite view, the visible image. What makes this one useful and what are the drawbacks? Listen to this second part of a three part series to get the story.
TWIWH: Bill Murray looks back at the week of March 24th. 1948 saw the first effective tornado forecast in Oklahoma.
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 217:
Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
Picks of the Week:
JB Elliott – No Pick – gets the fog horn!!
Richard Lewelling – World Agricultural Outlook Board
Bill Murray – National Cherry Blossom Festival
Brian Peters – Rivers seen from Space
Kevin Scharfenberg – Fan Group on Facebook
Kevin Selle – Earl’s Model Skew-T Web Page
James Spann – Steve Jobs in food
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.
