WeatherBrains

This week's WeatherBrains episode is a home-grown show all about storm chasing: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Waning interest in storm chasing (04:00) Holding it while dealing with long-form severe weather coverage (10:00) Current state of storm chasing in 2026 (16:00) Importance of enforcing traffic laws when dealing with a saturated chaser community (27:30) Oklahoma traffic laws concerning emergency lights (31:30) Liability insurance requirements for those who continue to storm chase? (36:00) NOAA's OPG (Operations Proving Ground) (49:30) What is the purpose of a service assessment? (59:30) State of Connecticut doesn't need 3 WFOs! (01:02:00) Importance of interacting directly with the people we serve in the field of weather to mitigate loss of life (01:10:00) Discriminating between weaknesses and strengths in the warning process (01:21:30) Effectively utilizing user generated content during long-form severe weather coverage (01:23:30) Private Slack chat session with trusted weather professionals to weed out AI/fake images (01:28:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week - stay tuned!) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:30) E-Mail Segment (01:30:30) Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:41:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1066: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - Illinois: More tornadoes than Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas combined, year to date. (225 vs 191) Jen Narramore - Tennessee Valley Weather on X: "Tennessee Valley Weather Adds Weather Balloon Launch Capability to Strengthen Severe Weather Forecasting" Rick Smith - Facts About Derechos Troy Kimmel - IEM Generated Regional Temperature and Precipitation Report Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Dave Throup on X: Shelf Cloud pic at Glastonbury Tor Bill Murray - Out James Spann - SkyeCalm Storm Anxiety App 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.

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all flash flooding. Our First GuestWeatherBrain is the President of Project ENKI. This project is working to revolutionize flood intelligence and community preparedness through advanced modeling, visualization tools and education designed to help people better understand their flood risk and take proper action. Brad Newman, welcome to WeatherBrains! Second Guest WeatherBrain for tonight's episode is the technological backbone of Project ENKI. She's a key leader in the science modeling and visualization work behind the project's flood intelligence mission, helping turn complex flood data into information communities can understand and use. Dr. Tracy Fanara, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. What is Project ENKI? (07:30) Dr. Fanara's background and early life (12:30) Story behind the name ENKI (Emergency Network Turning Knowledge Into Actionable Intelligence) (19:30) Influencing weather events as a precursor to starting the project (22:00) Unity Alliance Foundation's ability to communicate effectively (42:30) Issues/difficulty with real-time flash flooding analysis (49:00) National Water Model and what makes it revolutionary (55:30) Actionable information to improve flooding forecasts and warning process (01:01:30) Reflecting on July 2025 Texas flooding tragedy (01:07:00) Communication issues with complicated dual/triple hazard events (01:20:00) Reflecting on 2024's Hurricane Helene (01:23:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week - stay tuned!) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1064: Project Enki Unity Alliance Foundation USA National Water Model Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Dr. Tracy Fanara - World Ocean Day James Aydelott - Lithuanian tornado video James Aydelott - June 8th, 1974 Tornado Outbreak and Flash Floods Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - SounderPy Sounding Analysis Kim Klockow-McClain - Last Ones Left In A Toxic Kansas Town John Gordon - PRESSURE official trailer Bill Murray - June 8th 1966 Topeka Tornado James Spann - Alabama Weather Network Live Storm Coverage 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.

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about lightning. Joining us tonight will be Dr. Mary Ann Cooper, internationally recognized for her work in lightning injury prevention. She's an emergency physician, and has received awards from both the medical and the lightning communities. She has a BS in biochemistry and completed her medical internship in Cincinnati. We are also joined by John Jensenius, longtime NWS meteorologist and lightning safety specialist. He's been in the weather business for over four decades. We will discuss lightning injuries, safety, myths, and how to better protect people during thunderstorms. Thanks for joining us! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Getting the media involved in lightning safety (24:30) Annual lighting fatalities and average trends (25:30) 30/30 lightning rule (34:00) "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors" (37:30) Lightning back to basics: Voltage, temps, thunder, ect (39:30) What is a flashover? (46:30) Lasting nervous system injuries after lightning strike (01:01:00) "The Deadly Dozen" (01:10:30) Lightning safety and cars: What is fact and fiction? (01:15:00) ACLE (African Centres for Lightning Education Network) (01:23:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:28:45) Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains Episodes (01:31:00) E-Mail Segment and more! Web Sites from Episode 1062: African Centres for Lightning Education Network National Lightning Safety Council Alabama Weather Network Books - Cope Disaster Champions Picks of the Week: John Jensenius - "The Clouds Outside My Window" by John Jensenius James Aydelott - May 26-27, 1984 Tulsa Memorial Day Flood Jen Narramore - Forecasters rely on phased array radar for tornado warning Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Mexico tornado John Gordon - Burns Israelsen on X: Pyrocumulus cloud Bill Murray - Out James Spann - James Spann on X: Houston/Henry County Alabama tornado 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.

This week's Guest WeatherBrain and WeatherBrains veteran is one of the most recognizable and respected storm chasers in the country. As an excellent field weather reporter, he's known for documenting some of the most powerful tornadoes in the modern era. He's produced unforgettable severe weather coverage over the years, and he is known for his use of drones and live-streaming technology. Charles Peek, it's great to have you back on with us tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. May 9th severe weather/Luke Combs concert (2:00) Charles Peek's background and entry into the world of weather (14:00) Misreported tornado fatalities before era of social media (33:30) Rolling Fork MS tornado and the resulting discussion about building codes in low income areas (39:45) Relationship between manufactured housing and tornadoes (40:30) Social media hyperbole and unnecessary fear (42:00) Key skills required in assisting people after destructive severe weather (43:00) Persistent issues with people recklessly crowding under overpasses during severe weather (45:00) Notable instances of resilience in disaster zones (53:30) Artificial Intelligence and the future of forecasting (59:00) Handling positioning during a hurricane or tropical storm (01:06:00) Responsibilities and advice for new chasers (01:24:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:28:55) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:30:30) E-Mail Segment (01:32:30) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1060: The Weather Channel Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - Physics-based models outperform AI weather forecasts of record-breaking extremes Jen Narramore - Where the Music Went Rick Smith - Bridge Bozos video Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Lubbock, Texas tornado May 11th, 1970 John Gordon - Tornado in Argentina video Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Waco Tornado May 11, 1953 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.

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is Melinda Beerends. She is the MIC (Meteorologist in Charge) of Grand Forks, ND. Welcome! Our Guest WeatherBrain No. 2 tonight is meteorologist Carl Jones. He's a forecaster for the NWS in Grand Forks, ND. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Florida State University. His professional focus remains operational forecasting and photography. Thanks for joining us tonight! Last but certainly not least, Guest WeatherBrain No. 3 is a meteorologist from the NWS office in Grand Forks, ND. He is a St. Cloud State graduate and is seasoned photographer who previously worked in the private sector for several years before entering government service. Tyler Thomas, welcome to the show! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Deep South Valentine's Day Weekend QLCS controversy (01:15) Importance of being connected with the people you serve! (06:00) Environmental setup for June 2025 EF5 event (13:00) ND has never had a High Risk outlook (15:30) Flaws/misses in that event's forecast prior to EF5 event (18:00) Did the June 2025 Enderlin event meet the SPC thresholds in place? (21:00) LCL heights and radar data on day of Enderlin EF5 (22:30) Reflectivity data presentation of Enderlin EF5 (29:30) QRT ( NWS Quick Response Team) preliminary tornado rating of EF3 (50:00) Outside data and sources concerns/review (01:03:00) Rarity of direct observational evidence in these types of events (01:12:30) The three fatalities in the Enderlin EF5 and what we know (01:22:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:28:30) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:30:35) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1048: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Tyler Thomas - Copernicus Browser Carl Jones - NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal Melinda Beerends - YouTube: What clues from tornado outbreaks can help improve prediction? James Aydelott - WeatherFront on X: February 14-15 QLCS Jen Narramore - The Historical Marker Database Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - The Blue Board - United Airlines Flight Tracker and Live Status Kim Klockow-McClain - Louis Uccellini, NWS Director, visits Oklahoma John Gordon - John Kucko on X: Ice Volcano Erupts Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Brian Emfinger video of Enderlin, ND EF5 damage indicators 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.

Tonight's show is all about the OTUS Project. It's a nonprofit research mission lead by President Nelson Tucker, Drone Builder and Ops Coordinator Louis Tucker, Lead Engineer Tanner Beard, and chasing expert Eric Fox. The OTUS Project was founded by engineering and meteorology students, and is pioneering the use of cutting edge UAV technology, software and sensor engineering to investigate tornadoes in ways never before possible. Their goal is to protect life and property by improving our understanding of wind forces for structural resilience and collecting thermodynamic data to enhance computer models. Also, they prioritize hazard prediction through advanced drone deployment and strategic partnerships as well as real-time field work. Thanks for joining us tonight! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Meet the OTUS Team! (05:00) How did OTUS Project start? (11:30) Drone design development (14:30) What does an OTUS project deployment look like? (17:30) Successful 2025 chasing season (22:00) May 2025 Arnett, OK tornado intercept (33:00) Difficulties of acquiring viable data with difficult variables during chases (43:00) Leverage controlled environments with drones for calibration activities (56:00) How an airspeed sensor works when chasing (57:30) Status on upcoming OTUS Documentary (01:09:00) Nelson shares footage of actual tornado intercept (01:12:00) 2026 National Storm Chaser Summit (01:28:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:36:00) E-Mail Segment (01:37:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1046: Alabama Weather Network The OTUS Project Picks of the Week: Nelson Tucker - TornadoGenesis.Org Eric Fox - Colorado water officials plan for "exceedingly grim" low reservoir levels James Aydelott - Okie J on Facebook: Shovel Hack video Jen Narramore - SPC Data Viewer Rick Smith - SPC's Liz Leitman explains upcoming changes to SPC convective outlooks Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Panel Discussion 10A - Informed decision-making and ethics: Developing a blueprint for ethical weather and climate communication John Gordon - Barotrophic Instability AKA Karman Vortex Street Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Adding Intensity Information to SPC Convective Outlooks 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.

Tonight's show is dedicated to a deep dive into avalanches! Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is Dr. Ethan Greene from Colorado Avalanche Center. He's also served as the Director of the NW Pacific Avalanche Center. We will cover a basic understanding of avalanches, the geographic responsibility of the Colorado Avalanche Center, launch of forecasting avalanches and how they try to prevent avalanches during the off-season. We will examine how they prepared in this work with the citizens of Colorado and who they collaborate with make this happen. Dr. Greene joined CAIC as the Director in 2005. He grew up in Boulder and learned to ski when he was three. He has worked with snow and avalanches since 1990. He worked as a ski patroller (Big Sky Ski Resort) and as a backcountry avalanche forecaster (Utah Avalanche Forecast Center). He studied meteorology (B.S., University of Utah), mountain weather and snow-drift formation (M.S., Colorado State University), and snow metamorphism and microstructure (Ph.D., CSU). In 2016, he received the Bernie Kingery Award and a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Utah. Ethan has published a variety of articles and has been a member of national and international working groups on snow, weather, and avalanche topics. Ethan lives in Leadville with his wife and two children. Thanks for joining us tonight, Dr. Greene! Also joining us as Guest Panelist is Mark Staples. He is Director and Avalanche Forecaster at the Gallatin National Forecast Avalanche Center in Boseman. Mark, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Upcoming AMS Annual Meeting in Houston (03:30) Basic definition of an avalanche (08:00) What do their field technicians do and what instrumentation do they use? (18:30) How the avalanche watch/warning process works (24:00) Biggest clients in avalanche forecasting (37:00) How does the public get avalanche forecast information? (42:00) Canadian collaboration on risk communication (47:00) Communicating to young people about avalanche dangers (53:30) Smaller avalanche outbreaks vs major events (01:17:00) FAR and POD metrics vs avalanche warning metrics (01:19:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:27:20) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1044: Alabama Weather Network Avalanche.Org Picks of the Week: Dr. Ethan Greene - Avalanche Explorer James Aydelott - Impactful snow ahead for Oklahoma and southern Kansas this upcoming weekend Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - 9 rules for using Forecast Models Kim Klockow-McClain - Out John Gordon - Avalanche search and rescue training in Tahoe Bill Murray - Out James Spann - NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center Radio Communications Dashboard 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.

Our Guest WeatherBrain couldn't make it tonight, so our panel holds a homegrown episode to kick off 2026. Discussions include storm-based vs county-warnings, public storm reports, and a deep-dive into fundamentals of modern-day radar. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Severe storms possible on Friday in Deep South 1/9/26 (05:00) Storm-based warnings vs county-wide warnings (26:00) Pete Wolf Charitable Foundation (38:00) Helping the general public with radar interpretation (48:00) Public storm reports and how often they are used in NWS warnings (53:00) MPING (57:30) NWS app is needed (59:00) Protecting people living in mobile homes during severe weather (01:06:00) Threats-In-Motion (TIM) (01:08:00) Threat Confirmation Defined (01:14:00) Social media AI engagement farms (01:16:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:22:00) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) E-Mail Segment (01:24:00) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1042: Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - WeatherBrains 224 Jen Narramore - WeatherBrains 998 Rick Smith - The Annual Lightning Report 2025 Troy Kimmel - US Drought Monitor From 2000-2025 Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - Extreme Temperatures Around The World Bill Murray - Out James Spann - AEM Releases 2025 U.S. Lightning Report 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.