WeatherBrains 329: WeatherBrains Funky VooDoo
WeatherBrains Episode 329 is now online (May 14, 2012). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!
Tonight’s Guest WeatherBrain is Keith Stammer, the Emergency Manager for Jasper County, Missouri. He will be discussing the tornado that devastated his community last May 22nd.
Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:
- J. B. and Brian take the week off
- An attempt at a video conference using Google Hangout didn’t quite go as planned!
- A recent tornado warning in Columbia, SC is largely ignored in rural areas
- Aletta becomes the first tropical storm in the Eastern Pacific
- Wireless Emergency Alert System discussion
- and more!
Our mail bag has been getting some attention and Kevin puts it in perspective.
From The Weather Center:
WeatherBrains 101: Last week we discussed some of the characteristics involved in thunderstorms that produce hail. This week we take a look at the process of hail growth in thunderstorms.
TWIWH: Bill Murray looks back at the week of May 15th.
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 329:
Picks of the Week:
Bill Murray – Grand Isle, LA Tornado Video
Kevin Selle – Gets the horn!
James Spann – RAP Computer Model output
JP Spann – http://www.youtube.com/user/wxrenny
The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like J.P. Spann, Kevin Selle, and Bill Murray. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.
About time someone addresses the Columbia, SC media about their tornado coverage..Or lack thereof, I should say. This has been ongoing for years. When there’s a tornado warning issued, you’ll typically get a brief 30 second cut in and then return to regular programming. The cut in is usually very poorly constructed with a weather anchors that will do nothing but stutter and act as if they’ve never been on television before. In the event that a warning comes out during a newscast, they will not even divert to full weather coverage then. They will go to the weather center for 30 seconds and then go back to talking about the rest of the crimes and upcoming social events like there is no emergency. This happens on all of the stations. While not of tornado alley proportions, this area is prone to tornadoes. I would say an average of about 6 to 8 tornadoes in the Columbia market per year. This is a pretty decent number considering the small size, geographically speaking, of the market.
There was only one time I can remember in recent years when the two main stations did several hours of wall to wall coverage. This was during an unusually large outbreak back in 2008 in which about 6 counties were under tornado warnings at any given time. Even then, it was very little time spent in the weather departments. It was mostly controlled by the news anchors that spent most of their time talking with reporters away from the storms saying “clouds look dark here, but no rain yet” and talking about power outages. Only about once every 15 minutes would they go to the weather center for a quick 1 minute look at the radar.
Such a shame considering how some markets do such a great job while we are stuck with this nonsense.