WeatherBrains

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about FOX Weather. Our Two Guest WeatherBrains tonight are members of FOX Weather.  FOX Weather has recently celebrated five years on the air.  Together they give us a fascinating look into how a national weather network got built, how it has evolved and where weather communication goes next.   Ian Oliver and Hailey Meier , we are honored to have you on thi...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about fire weather from both a historical and modern perspective.   Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode is NWS meteorologist Tom Hultquist .  Our discussion begins with the Peshtigo Fire of 1871, the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history.   Dr. Stephanie Hoekstra and Robyn Heffernan also join us to explore how fire weather information is used today -...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about weather wisdom, forecasting in the model era, communicating uncertainty, climate change, and what meteorologists can still learn by opening the window and looking outside. Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode is Dr. Lou McNally AKA "Altitude Lou".  He's spent half a century proving that good forecasting involves more than simply reading model...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about 2022's devastating Hurricane Ian. Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode is very special guest and author Scott Withers .  He's a 4-time Emmy Award winning meteorologist and journalist with more than two decades of TV experience.  On September 28th 2022, Scott was reporting live in Fort Myers when Hurricane Ian's storm surge submerged his vehic...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about Wisconsin Public Radio's "Weather Guys". Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode are some of the smartest people in the weather enterprise.   Dr. Jonathan Martin joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994.  He won the Edward Lawrence Teaching Award in 2016 by the AMS.  He's authored 90 papers and has helped publish several...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about "The Next Big Thing" by Meteorologist Rob Marciano. Our Guest WeatherBrain for tonight's episode is an award-winning meteorologist with more than two decades of experience covering some of the nation's biggest weather stories. His career includes positions at major networks such as CNN and ABC News, and he now serves as a Senior Meteorologist at CBS N...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about hydroplaning and why it happens. Guest WeatherBrain for tonight's episode is the Assistant Director of the Vision of Maintenance for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.  Discussing a national hydroplaning project with the panel in the episode, she has over two decades experience in transportation and is a friend of the field.   Randi Feltner , thanks...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about the July 2025 flooding tragedy in Texas. Our Guest WeatherBrain for tonight's episode is Dr. JJ Gourley .  An Oklahoma native, he's a senior research hydrometeorologist at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory .  He manages an interdisciplinary team there that is developing the FLASH product, which is a flash flood forecasting product that Dr. Garl...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about the Enhanced Fujita scale and the path toward implementation. Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is the EF Committee Chairman.  He's the master instructor at the NWS Operations Training Unit, and he's the Team Lead in NWS forecasters course development.   He's also acting Director of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program at the National Institute...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about Hawaii. Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is the Chief Meteorologist at Hawaii News Now .  She has given over 15 years of service and has provided trusted coverage for the Hawaiian Islands including tropical cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, and other natural disasters.  She earned her Bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Ocean Science at San...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center.  Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is the Director of the Georgia Severe Storms Research Center.  Growing up in Minnesota, he always had exposure to severe weather and took a keen interest early in his life.  He earned his Bachelor of Science in meteorology from Iowa State University .  Their research...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about the 1976 Big Thompson Flash Flood. Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is meteorologist Matt Kelsch .  He earned his Master's Degree from the University of Oklahoma and has written numerous papers on mountain meteorology and hydrology.  Retiring in 2022, he's an avid outdoorsmen, biker and gardener.  It's great to see you tonight, Matt ! Our emai...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about dust storms. Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is the MIC (Meteorologist in Charge) of NWS Goodland, Kansas.  A Nebraska native, he's logged over a quarter century of service for the NWS, with prior stops in Omaha, Sioux Falls, and North Platte.  He earned his Bachelor's degree from Nebraska-Lincoln.   Jeremy Martin , welcome to the show! Guest...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about hydrology.  Tonight's episode examines the devastating 1997 Red River Flood.   Joining us tonight as Guest WeatherBrain is from Devils Lake, North Dakota. She is the Service Hydrologist at NWS Grand Forks, and is a twenty-year veteran in Federal service.   Amanda Lee , welcome to WeatherBrains! Second Guest WeatherBrain is the Senior Hydrologist at NW...

This week's WeatherBrains episode examines the July 2025 Texas flooding disaster.   Our Guest WeatherBrain tonight is the Chief Meteorologist of KABB-TV Fox News At Nine in San Antonio, Texas.  He is a multi-disciplined individual with professional experience as an educator and broadcaster. He holds several degrees and certifications, including a B.S. in Education, a Master's in Education with Cer...

This week's WeatherBrains episode turns back to the clock to June 8th, 1966 and the Topeka, KS F5 tornado. Our Guest WeatherBrain on tonight's show is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) for the NWS in Topeka KS .  With over three decades of experience in the field, he's been at the NWS for over 17 years.  As a Wisconsin native, he earned his degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences fro...

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) Im...

This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about Dallas-Fort Worth TX TV Market. We are excited to have Chief Meteorologist Rick Mitchell from NBC 5 and David Finfrock , NBC 5 Senior Meteorologist, who just surpassed 50 years on TV.  This is third of many upcoming WeatherBrains episodes focusing on various media weather markets around the country.  On episode 1030 last October we focused on Kansas C...

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 G...

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 Je...

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.  Char...

Guest WeatherBrain Jan Null joins us tonight on WeatherBrains.  Armed with over 50 years experience as a meteorologist, he earned his Bachelor of Science from UC-Davis and his Master's Degree from San Jose State University.  He's been an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University since 1987.  Jan, welcome!  University of South Alabama student Jackson Quinn also joins us tonight as Guest P...

Tonight is a homegrown show with our regular WeatherBrains panelists.  Tonight we mark the somber 15th anniversary of the April 27th, 2011 super outbreak.  So much has changed in the field of meteorology, in the field of technology/AI, and society in general since 2011.  Where do we go from here?  Also, the panel discusses the EF4 tornado that occurred in Oklahoma last week, as well as other hot t...