Geeking Out About “Wicked Weather”

Geeking Out About “Wicked Weather”

From Weather Geeks by Weather Group Television

February 18, 2026 · 30 min · Episode 402

About this episode

Dr. Alexander Gates discusses how extreme weather events have historically shaped societies and the importance of understanding these events for future resilience.

Guest : Dr. Alexander Gates, Rutgers University - Newark Weather doesn’t just shape our daily plans — sometimes, it shapes the course of history. From floods that altered empires to storms that changed the outcome of wars, extreme weather has quietly (and sometimes violently) rewritten the human story. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Alexander Gates, professor at Rutgers University–Newark and author of the upcoming book Wicked Weather. In it, he explores the natural disasters that didn’t just make headlines, but changed societies, politics, and the world as we know it. In this episode, we’ll talk about the historical storms, droughts, and disasters that left lasting marks on civilization, what those events teach us about risk and resilience, and why understanding the past may be one of our best tools for preparing for the future. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Weather's historical influence on civilizations 00:32 - Dr. Gates’ background & inspiration for  Wicked Weather 01:06 - How natural disasters shape human societies 03:29 - The significance of weather-related events like hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes 06:37 - Most impactful natural disasters in history…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr Alexander Gates

Topics covered

  • historical weather events
  • natural disasters
  • impact on society
  • risk and resilience

Keywords

  • Wicked Weather
  • Rutgers University
  • natural disasters
  • climate change

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Wicked Weather

Books & works: Wicked Weather

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