WeatherBrains 255: Sit on your Bottom

WeatherBrains Episode 255 is now online (December 13, 2010). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

Colleen CoyleThe WeatherBrains guest panelist is Colleen Coyle. She joined the WFAA weather team in Dallas in July, 2010, coming there from KPSP-TV in Palm Springs, CA. Colleen is originally from Atlanta and received her meteorology degree from Georgia Tech. She enjoys bungee jumping, roller coasters and chasing tornadoes. You can catch Colleen’s forecasts on News 8 Daybreak’s weekend edition.

Dr. Mary Ann CooperTonight’s Guest WeatherBrain took her BS in Biochemistry from Michigan State University in 1971 and continued at MSU for her medical degree in 1975. Dr. Mary Ann Cooper completed residency training in Emergency Medicine (1978) at the University of Cincinnati, the first emergency medicine program in the US. During her residency she developed an interest in electrical injuries and progressed to lightning injuries for which she is now considered one of the world’s experts in this narrow field. She remains a practicing emergency physician and senior faculty member at the University of Illinois Hospital. In addition to seeing general emergency patients in the emergency department, teaching medical students, residents, serving as a senior faculty member on university and medical school committees, she directs the Lightning Injury Research Program. Her research interests span prevention to clinical interventions to development of an animal model of lightning injury.

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

  • Cold, cold, cold, bitter cold!
  • Huge blocks of cold air coming out of Alaska
  • Lake effect snows big events
  • -47 in Yukon, Alaska, -32 in lower 48
  • State of emergency issued by Florida Governor due to cold air
  • 17″ of snow on ground in Minneapolis
  • and more!


  • Our mail bag has been getting some attention and Kevin puts it in perspective.

    From The Weather Center:

    Snow rollersWeatherBrains 101: With cold gripping much of the country, it’s time to turn our attention to that four letter word snow! So have you ever heard of a snow roller? Snow rollers are fascinating and quite rare, so we take a look at the conditions that can produce this unusual phenomena.

    TWIWH: Bill Murray looks back at the week of December 14th through the 20th. The week included a great snow storm in Arizona that produced 27 inches of snow, an airplane’s encounter with a volcanic plume, a cold day that set aviation history, plus other storms.

    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 255:

    Lightning Injury Research Program

    WFAA TV 8 Dallas-Fort Worth

    Lightning Safety

    Picks of the Week:

    Colleen Coyle – Hurricane Track
    Space Weather
    Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Wall Calendar

    JB Elliott – Tells Story Instead of a Pick – gets the horn, too!

    Bill Murray – Satellite Loop of Entire 2010 Hurricane Season

    Brian Peters – Video of Snow Collapsing Metrodome

    Kevin Selle – HYSPLIT Trajectory Model

    James Spann – Overblown Snow Forecasts

    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.

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