WeatherBrains 81 “Talking Tropics”

WeatherBrains Episode 81 is now online (August 13, 2007). The netcast audio program for people who love weather.

In this week’s Episode:

Hurricane Forecasts Updated:  We catch up on the latest forecasts for the current Atlantic hurricane season with Dr. William Gray at Colorado State University. And NOAA has also updated its hurricane forecasts. Find out what the two forecasts have in common, but also what the current data says about the season just as we are about to enter the peak phase.  And what’s this about a bell Dr. Gray rings on August 20th? 

You Make The Landfall Call:  What happens when you mix a very unscripted show like WeatherBrains and an interesting looking tropical weather system?  You get an impromptu contest where listeners can make a guess about landfall … and maybe win a prize!   

Tipping the Hat:  James Spann tips his hat to a journalist – now what could that be all about?

Heat and Drought:  The two do have a relationship and parts of the country are feeling the effects. Learn about how one contributes to the other.

What?  No Air Conditioning in the Heat?  J.B. Elliott looks at how the needs of a New York City printing plant led to the first version of air conditioning, courtesy of Willis Carrier, a young engineer who came up with a cool idea…

From The Weather Center:

• WeatherBrains 101: Weather Folklore. Professor Peters gives us a ring! No, not that kind, a ring around the sun and/or the moon. Find out what makes those rings. And what could they mean for the weather ahead?  Or is it just folklore?



• This Week In Weather History: Camille – a name that is well known to weather buffs as one of the strongest storms ever to affect the Gulf Coast. But did you know that reconnaissance data contributed to some last minute changes in warnings? Bill Murray talks about Camille and some of the events surrounding that catastrophic event.

Websites From This Episode:

Tropical storms and human induced climate change (study by Greg Holland and Peter J. Webster)

Hurricanes and Hot Air: William Gray’s Wall Street Journal Commentary

Join J.B. Elliott, Bill Murray, James Spann, Brian Peters, and David Black for the latest look at the field of weather in the newest episode of WeatherBrains.

We would love to hear from you! To leave a recorded message, call 1-888-247-8627. Some calls may be used in future episodes. Also, feel free to post comments to the site and send us an email at question@weatherbrains.com.