Weather Geeks

Guest:  Dr. Jamese Sims, NOAA Senior Physical ScientistArtificial Intelligence…or AI... When you hear that term, it’s likely that your mind is flooded with images from the latest Sci-Fi flick you’ve seen, or maybe you have visions of robots taking over the world!  Well fear not, because the AI we’re focusing on today revolves around its applications to meteorology and earth sciences. We’re sitting down with Dr. Jamese Sims, senior physical scientist with NOAA, who currently serves as the agency’s Special Assistant for Artificial Intelligence.  We’ll discuss the goals of NOAA’s AI strategy and how we can use machine learning to help improve everything from numerical forecasts to interpreting the chemistry of exoplanets!  And with all the opportunities AI has to offer, we’ll discuss how agencies are working together to access the latest technology and greatest minds to help us achieve our goals.

Guest: John LanierIntroduction: As geeks, we can do a lot to help out our environment by doing little things like using less water while brushing our teeth or using reusable bags instead of plastic bags while at the grocery store.  But as individuals, it is hard for us to make a large impact on the well-being of the entire globe!  That is where businesses and corporations can step in to be leaders in combating climate change!  The Ray C. Anderson Foundation is based on the values of creating a better world for tomorrow’s child through encouraging businesses to take action.  John Lanier is the Executive Director of RCAF and we are going to talk about his family ties to this wonderful foundation.

Guest:  Glenn “Hurricane” SchwartzIntroduction: If you were to ask a meteorologist who their top 3 superheroes are, odds are X-Men’s Storm would be on that list. Sure, that may be because of Halle Berry’s portrayal of her in the movies, but mainly because she has the ability to harness the power of the weather and use it at her will! What would YOU do if you could control the weather? Would you make it rain on the house of your high school bully everyday, or keep the sun shining bright while you are on vacation on the beach? My guest today is the legendary Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz of NBC10 in Philadelphia who wrote a book about this fictional power and the consequences that can arise from it...

Guest:  Nelly Carreño, KUVNIntroduction: For those of you who are hurricane buffs like us, you know where they tend to form and where they track: they either are born from a tropical wave off Africa and cross through the Caribbean OR form within the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico.  In these areas, there is a much higher population of people who speak only Spanish while the majority of the products that the National Hurricane Center puts out are in English.  This puts a lot of pressure on our bilingual meteorologists in the community, like my guest today, to communicate the science accurately and quickly.  I’m (virtually) sitting down with Nelly Carreño from Univision in Dallas Fort Worth to discuss these challenges and what changes can be made for the future.

Guest: Troy KimmelIntroduction: The state of Texas has many different microclimates, from the deserts in West Texas to the flood-prone grasslands of Houston to the raging heat in South Texas. How about the weather right in the middle of the state’s hill country? Austin, Texas is an eclectic city that is growing in popularity and population...but my guest today has been there for decades! Troy Kimmel is a well-known broadcast meteorologist for the city and has dedicated his life to enhancing Austin’s weather knowledge and natural disaster support.

Guest: Dr. Gavin Schmidt, Director of NASA GISSIntroduction:NASA scientists aren’t just focused on OUTER space. They’re also focused on the INNER workings of our atmosphere, oceans, and how each has evolved over time. As past discussions on our show have confirmed, one aspect of our world we know is changing is our climate. Today we’re joined by Dr. Gavin Schmidt, Director of NASA Goddard’s Institute for Space Studies. He’s been at the forefront of climate research, using models to see how our planet has changed over centuries and how it may keep changing for centuries to come. To model a more accurate picture of our planet’s future, we must take a look at the past and understand the impacts that both internal & external forces have had. What kinds of forces, you ask? Well, let’s find out...

Guest: Dr. Bill Bauman, FAAIntroduction: With more than 5 MILLION square miles of U.S. Domestic airspace and 24 MILLION square miles of U.S. Oceanic Airspace to cover, it’s easy to see how important weather observation and forecasting are to aviation. The FAA is in the midst of a massive modernization of its air traffic management systems, and you can bet, a major focus of this overhaul includes minimizing the impacts of day-to-day weather on flight operations. Today, we welcome the manager of the FAA’s Aviation Weather Division, Dr. Bill Bauman, whose industry experience spans nearly 4 decades! Please put your trays and seat backs in the upright position, and get ready for an inside look at the next generation of the FAA!

Guest: Dr. William McDowell, University of New HampshireEcology is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans like you and me, and their physical environment. It seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them! So why am I giving you a lesson on ecology in this episode of Weather Geeks? Well, what if I told you that hurricanes have a large impact on our ecology?! That is what my guest Dr. William McDowell from the University of New Hampshire is here to teach us all about. Unlike with flash flooding and storm surge, we may not know the direct impacts a storm has on our ecosystem until we are many months or even years down the road!

Special Tropical Edition - Tracking LauraWeather Geeks host Dr. Marshall Shepherd and Meteorologist & The Weather Channel's Dr. Rick Knabb discuss the latest forecast and impacts expected from Hurricane Laura threatening the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

Guest: Jamie Rhome, NHC Storm Surge UnitStorm surge…a tropical cyclone’s most deadly threat… Many may recall images that flooded news outlets in 2018 following Category 5 Hurricane Michael after it sent a nearly 15-foot wall of water into the seaside town of Mexico Beach, FL. If you’ve experienced storm surge, you know how quickly a hurricane can send a wall of water rushing into homes and businesses, washing away lives and livelihoods. Today, we’re joined by Jamie Rhome, leader of the Storm Surge Unit at the National Hurricane Center. Jamie will offer us an inside look to the inner-workings of this life-saving agency and its critical forecasts we depend upon. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Hide from the wind, run from the water,” today’s discussion will make you understand why...

Weather Geeks host Dr. Marshall Shepherd and Meteorologist & Weather Geeks Producer Sarah Dillingham discuss the latest forecast and impacts expected from Hurricane Laura threatening the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

Special Tropical Edition - Tracking Laura and MarcoWeather Geeks host Dr. Marshall Shepherd and Meteorologist & Weather Geeks Producer Sarah Dillingham discuss the latest forecast and impacts expected from the duo of tropical systems Laura and Marco threatening the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

Guest: Steve PouposIntroduction: When disaster strikes, establishing a reliable communication network is critical!  Someone who knows all too well about that is Steve Poupos, Director of AT&T’s Emergency Management Preparedness & Response.  This emergency response team has been aiding disaster communications for nearly 30 years, and that kind of effort certainly requires an experienced team of meteorologists, technicians, and first responders. We’ll learn about the inner workings of the recovery teams and how they’re able to spring into action at a moment’s notice. And as many of may have been wondering, we’ll discuss how they’re planning to adapt their team’s response during this global pandemic, as they gear up for what could be a very busy hurricane season...

Guest:  Sean Swarner, Mountain Climber & Cancer SurvivorIntroduction:The odds that you will ever find yourself in the middle of a snowstorm in Miami, Florida are slim to none.  Those are the same odds that young Sean Swarner had to survive when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer TWICE.  He survived and wanted to seize the life that he was lucky to still have.  Since then, he has climbed the highest peaks on all 7 continents, among other feats...while only having one lung.  We are talking to him today about the grueling environments he was subjected to while pushing the human body to impossible limits.

Guests:  Richard Henning & Kevin Doremus, Hurricane HuntersAs we’ve highlighted nearly a hundred of times on this podcast, there is a lot more to meteorology than what you see on TV!  A meteorologist can work in insurance, they can work for NASA, and they can work for airlines just to name a few.  But one of the most important and dangerous jobs that is in the field of meteorology is that of a Hurricane Hunter.  These brave men and women fly into the eye of a hurricane multiple times a day in order to bring back data that can help save lives.  I have two of these men with me today, Richard Henning & Kevin Doremus, so we can get an in-depth look at the life of a Hurricane Hunter through their eyes...

Have you ever heard someone say that they know a storm is coming because their joints start aching or they have a migraine?  Well there is a scientific basis to that, but what about general pain receptors during common weather patterns?  In past decades, it was difficult to answer such a general science question...but it’s not anymore!  Today’s guest is Dr. David Schultz from the University of Manchester to talk about his study and how smartphones helped his team complete their research!

The racial injustices experienced by millions of Americans have been brought to greater attention in recent weeks.  Among those Americans are members of our scientific community who have endured their own instances of racial discrimination along their paths to success.  Many have felt marginalized, placated, and that they are often not being offered the same opportunities as many of their fellow white colleagues. Joining me today are 3 incredibly talented atmospheric scientists: Dr. Brad Johnson, Dr. Melissa Burt, and Tevin Wooten .  While we each have had great achievements in our careers, we have still felt the added pressures of working twice as hard to be considered equals in our respective fields. Our goal in this discussion is to share the stories of our personal challenges throughout our careers and offer a guide for others to know they are not alone. The Weather Geeks team is proud to offer their support to our minority colleagues and show that by embracing diversity and inclusion, we

Guest : Dr. Andrew Grundstein, UGAIntroduction: Many of us have seen first-hand the impacts weather can have on our daily lives, and today we’re going to focus on the dangers associated with heat and thunderstorms. Heat related illnesses are often underrated and sadly, this can lead to many trips to the emergency room...or worse. Today’s guest, Dr. Andrew Grundstein of the University of Georgia, has been focusing on one particular aspect of the heat: how it impacts athletes and children in hot cars. These situations can lead to dozens of deaths each year, so we’re going to discuss the meteorological and even some of the psychological factors at play in these events. Finally, we’ll discuss the impacts of thunderstorms on asthma...an idea which may be counterintuitive to many of you...

Guest: Dr. Greg Dusek, NOAA Ocean ServiceThe oceans hold more than 96% of the Earth’s water, and it’s the motions of those oceans we’re focusing on today!  As people hit the beaches, many are unaware of underlying dangers lurking close to shore, and we’re not talking about JAWS…  We’re talking about RIP CURRENTS, which lead to some 30,000 rescues EACH YEAR!  Today’s guest is Dr. Greg Dusek, Senior Scientist at NOAA’s National Ocean Service, and he knows all about rip currents.  We’ll discuss how to spot these hazards and how you can break the grip of the rip. We also couldn’t let Greg get away without discussing a few other topics, so if you’re already wondering what a meteotsunami is...we’ll get to those later. Let’s dive in!