Inside Severe Season: A Conversation with the SPC Director

Inside Severe Season: A Conversation with the SPC Director

From Weather Geeks by Weather Group Television

March 4, 2026 · 41 min · Episode 404

About this episode

The episode features a conversation with Dr. Russell Schneider about the severe weather season and the role of the Storm Prediction Center.

Guest : Dr. Russell Schneider Spring may mean blooming flowers and warmer days, but for meteorologists, it means something else entirely: severe weather season is officially here. As we head into the months when thunderstorms sharpen, tornadoes spin up, and the atmosphere becomes anything but predictable, there’s one place every forecaster and weather enthusiast looks to: the Storm Prediction Center. Today, we’re joined by the Director of the SPC Dr. Russell Schneider, the person who helps oversee the outlooks, mesoscale discussions, and tornado and severe thunderstorm watches that millions depend on when the stakes are high. We’ll look back at what last season taught us, talk about what’s on the horizon for this year, explore how new tools — including emerging AI guidance — are shaping the forecasting landscape, and discuss the growing influence of storm chasers and open-access model data. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Severe Weather Season 01:03 Dr. Russell Schneider's Journey to Meteorology 04:42 Understanding the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) 10:17 Reflections on the 2025 Severe Weather Season 11:54 Break 1 12:38 Shifts in Tornado Activity and Trends 15:54 The Spectrum…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr Russell Schneider

Topics covered

  • severe weather
  • storm prediction
  • meteorology
  • tornadoes
  • thunderstorms
  • weather forecasting
  • AI in weather

Keywords

  • severe weather season
  • SPC
  • forecasting technology
  • storm chasers
  • open-access model data

Mentioned in this episode

Products: AI guidance, weather forecasting technology

Books & works: Introduction to Severe Weather Season, Understanding the Storm Prediction Center

Places: California

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