WeatherBrains 1008: No Cookies In Cookietown

WeatherBrains Episode 1008 is now online (May 12th, 2025). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE podcast for you!

Tonight’s episode is a homegrown show discussing a wide range of topics.  Notably, the panel discusses resume-building and interview skills in a changing world, the controversial topic of non-NWS issued watches and warnings, and so much more.  As always, our show is all about YOU.  Thanks for listening!

Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce!

NWS Jacksonville on X: "Today we celebrated the 35+ years ...

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.

  • Mississippi flash flooding due to persistent upper low (06:00)
  • Relationship between improved physical health and improved cognitive health (10:30)
  • Importance of following your passion in life and in your career (18:30)
  • Do you want to work for the NWS?  (19:45)
  • Gift of perseverance and owning up to your mistakes, and learning from them (24:30)
  • Critical importance of diversification in the weather enterprise (30:20)
  • GIS is IN! (31:20)
  • Write an attention-grabbing resume to stand out (37:00)
  • Is it appropriate for a meteorologist or weather entertainer to issue their own watches and warnings?  (46:30)
  • Issues with FAR (False Alarm Ratio) in the weather enterprise (01:12:00)
  • Lightning is frightening (01:25:55)
  • Bruce Jones/Midland Weather Radio  (01:31:33)
  • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:27:42)
  • This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:00 )
  • E-Mail Segment (01:30:55)
  • and more!

Web Sites from Episode 1008:

Midland Weather Radio

Picks of the Week:

Bruce Jones – FAWN – Florida Automated Weather Network

James Aydelott – JWISHstory: 1965 Palm Sunday tornado broadcast

Jen Narramore – Ohio Roots Podcast

Rick Smith – OUT

Troy Kimmel – FOGHORN

Kim Klockow-McClain – NSF Unidata Pause in Most Operations

John Gordon – Quantitative intensity forecasts to Spc mesoscale convective discussion text and graphics

Bill Murray – FOGHORN

James Spann – James Spann: ‘Hold off on the rage’ when he says Gulf of Mexico this hurricane season

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.

WeatherBrains 1007: I Am Unsettled

WeatherBrains Episode 1007 is now online (May 5th, 2025). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE podcast for you!

Tonight’s Guest WeatherBrain is author and researcher Kati Wylie Ray.  Tonight we learn about and discuss the devastating F4 tornado that struck Poplar Bluff, Missouri on May 9th, 1927.  She’s been on the Board of the Poplar Bluff Museum since 2001, and has been involved with the Butler County Historical Society since 1999.  She started researching the people who died in this tornado in 2017 and has written a book about the event.  Kati, welcome to the show!

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Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce!

NWS Jacksonville on X: "Today we celebrated the 35+ years ...

Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.

  • Memorial for Poplar Bluff MO 1927 tornado (08:30)
  • 98th anniversary of 1927 Poplar Bluff MO tornado (12:45)
  • Tornado distance and path it took through Poplar Bluff (31:00)
  • Opening windows and pressure equalization fallacy when preparing for an imminent tornado (36:50)
  • Artifact collection from the tornado (50:45)
  • Origins of funding to rebuild Poplar Bluff after the tornado (57:00)
  • Differences in how fast news was spread and the mechanisms in the 1920s compared to today (59:20)
  • Origins of the National Weather Service (01:03:00)
  • May 5, 1933 Helena Alabama tornado (01:09:00)
  • Emergency medicine in the 1920s (01:10:00)
  • Mass exodus at the NWS (01:30:30)
  • Bruce Jones/Midland Weather Radio  (01:42:25)
  • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:17:40)
  • This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:19:35)
  • E-Mail Segment (01:21:35)
  • and more!

Web Sites from Episode 1007:

Midland Weather Radio

Picks of the Week:

Kati Wylie Ray – “Poplar Bluff Tornado: May 9, 1927” by Kati Wylie Ray

Kati Wylie Ray – Poplar Bluff History Museum

Bruce Jones – Flightradar24 App for iOS and Android

James Aydelott – West Texas Mesonet on X: Seymour 3NW gusted to 106 mph

James Aydelott – Dual Pol Images of the 5/3/99 Moore F5 Tornado

Jen Narramore – May 31st, 1985 Great Lakes Tornado Outbreak – Tornado Talk

Rick Smith – National Weather Service forecasting is more crippled than previously thought as hurricane season nears

Troy Kimmel – Amid Oklahoma tornado season, scientists warn NOAA cuts could impact forecasting, public safety

Kim Klockow-McClain – Out

John Gordon – National Weather Service Space Prediction Center: Coronagraph

Bill Murray – Foghorn

James Spann – National Weather Service on guard after threats to weather radars from militarized conspiracy theorist group

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.