Alaska Climate and Aviation Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Senior Climate Scientist, Brian Brettschneider with the National Weather Service in the Regional Headquarters office in Anchorage, Alaska is today's guest for the Alaska Climate and Aviation Podcast.  According to Brettschneider, the Climate Prediction's Center is soon to be renamed the Extended Prediction Division. Brettschneider's expertise on this past spring&apo...

Send us Fan Mail The 12th Arctic Encounter Summit was held April 15-17, 2026 in Anchorage, Alaska at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center. Many leaders and attendees that gather year after year for the Arctic Encounter come for renewal and friendship with the common bond of all things Arctic, including discussions about climate change, scientific research, fisheries, natural resources, Ar...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode includes an interview with David Kochevar of AAWU, Alaska Aviation Weather Unit of Anchorage, Alaska.  David has been a long time meteorologist and loves to share his work on helping not only aviators with weather forecasting, but serving the public as well.  This past year, updates were made to the forecasting models for general aviation as an improvement to...

Send us Fan Mail Brian McCullough moved to Alaska in 1977 from Fresno, California to work on his uncle's gold mines in the foothills of Denali. Brian quickly caught the adventurous spirit and built his homestead on a high ridge above Talkeenta. His passion for all things mountaineering and building custom homes filled over four decades while living in Alaska. His first mountain rescue with th...

Send us Fan Mail Some of the greatest observers of climate change are mountain guides. They travel on foot or ski, day after day, year after year, decade after decade, with clients from all around the world sharing their passion for nature.  Their profession requires diligence for the safety of not only their clients, but for other outdoor recreations sharing the same mountain meccas. Their intima...

Send us Fan Mail The 20th edition of the Arctic Report Card was released on December 16th, 2025 with an impressive compilation of scientific reports on the Arctic.  Today's conversation is with editor and long-time contributor, Rick Thoman, who is an award winning climate specialist at IARC’s Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness(ACCAP). Rick has attempted retirement more than...

Send us Fan Mail Long time contributor and climatologist, Brian Brettschneider, who works for the National Weather Service, provides in depth knowledge on why it was so windy in Palmer and Anchorage, Alaska for several days in a row recently.  Brian explains how NOAA plays an important role in forecasting weather for aviation as well as the public on how to be prepared for wind events, cold snaps...

Send us Fan Mail On October 11th and 12th, 2025, coastal villages of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta were hit by Typhoon Halong that devastated entire communities.  Weather forecasters saw the track of Typhoon Halong coming and yet most of those communities are located on low lying lands without roads to higher grounds. The aftermath of Typhoon Halong just prior to winter has required the evacuation of...

Send us Fan Mail A strong storm impacting Kotzebue on Oct. 8th, 2025 ...(one year after a 2024 storm)has the community evacuated from homes along the coast to the high school, which is on higher ground. Climatologist, Rick Thoman discusses the conditions that is causing the storm. In addition, weather forecasters are watching Typhoon Halong's path,  that could impact the Bering Sea on Saturda...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode includes an interview with climate specialist, Rick Thoman. Rick discusses the conditions that lead to an atmospheric river, La Nina winter predictions and also the importance of weather forecasts and radio coverage for Alaskans.  Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at IARC’s Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP).  Rick is a contributor and edi...

Send us Fan Mail The 11th Arctic Encounter was held at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage Alaska, July 30-August 1st, 2025.  This years Arctic Encounter was attended by participants of over 27 countries.  Founder and CEO of Arctic Encounter, Rachel Kallander, Advisor, Jackson Blackwell, and team members,  Reed Davidson, Anna Kardashyan, Harmony Wayner, and Trina Landlord we...

Send us Fan Mail The 11th Arctic Encounter was held at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage Alaska, July 30-August 1st, 2025 as well as the popular Far North Fashion Show held at the Anchorage Museum. This years Arctic Encounter was attended by participants of over 27 countries, including Arctic policy makers, Indigenous leaders, scientists, ambassadors, and business leaders...

Send us Fan Mail Arctic Adventure by sailboat has been a longtime dream of American Arctic explorer, Lonnie Dupre.  Lonnie has been an Arctic explorer by dogsled, ski, and canoe for decades and is also a film maker documenting the impact of global warming on Arctic environments. His award winning movie, AMKA~One with a Friendly Spirit , shows his connection and his love for the Arctic and Arctic p...

Send us Fan Mail On January 12, 2025, Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport experienced high winds and severe turbulence that made it very difficult for landing aircraft. Lake Hood was temporarily closed and most of all other air traffic was diverted to Fairbanks International Airport. A heavy 777 Korean Cargo plane had to execute 3 missed approaches before safely landing. The teamwor...

Send us Fan Mail Today's conversation is with climatologist Brian Brettschneider. Recently, Brian was chosen for a new role for the National Weather Service of Alaska as "Senior Climate Scientist" and is a passionate communicator about expanding climate awareness. Topics include: weather forecasting, data & development of evolving technologies, La Nina Winter 2024 predictions an...

Send us Fan Mail Today's conversation is with climate specialist, Rick Thoman. Topics discussed include climate impacts on caribou herds of the Arctic, The Arctic Report Card 2024, Arctic ERMA, CAPRI, and the challenges Arctic communities face as marine traffic increases in the Arctic.  Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at IARC’s Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP).  Rick...

Send us Fan Mail The Arctic Encounter Symposium celebrated it's 10th year in Anchorage, Alaska at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center.  Arctic leaders, policy makers and creatives gathered from April 10-12th, 2024 to discuss challenges and successes of the today's current events in the Arctic. This episode is about the importance of empowering storytelling of the Inupiaq and ho...

Send us Fan Mail The Arctic Report Card is an annual report led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA). The efforts of scientists and climate specialists to create this robust scientific report every year is impressive.  The amount of work contributed to this scientific document is extremely important in documenting climate change in the Arctic, which is warming at an alarmin...

Send us Fan Mail Lonnie Dupre is a polar explorer and mountaineer who has spent considerable time in cold climates. Over a span of 4 decades, Lonnie has witnessed tremendous changes of polar regions of the world due to global warming, including Greenland and Alaska. While Lonnie is mostly an adventurer, he is also an advocate for spreading the awareness of global warming. Recently, the film AMKA ,...

Send us Fan Mail At the end of August, 2023, Alaska has been seeing some record continuous rainfall in Anchorage while South Central Alaska is experiencing flooding. Today's conversation with Climate Scientist, Brian Brettschneider, we discuss observations and challenges of the information age where people get overwhelmed by  weather overload. While climate change can cause grief and despair,...

Send us Fan Mail The Arctic Encounter Symposium, 2023 has been completed! After tremendous teamwork by event organizers, Rachel Kallander and Jackson Blackwell and staff, this year's Arctic Encounters Symposium was hugely inspiring. It was held March 29-31, 2023 at the Dena'ina Center in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. This episode brings you to the wonderful voices and sounds of this year&a...

Send us Fan Mail The Arctic Report Card is an annual report led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA). The efforts of scientists and climate specialists to create this robust scientific report every year is impressive.  The amount of work contributed to this scientific document is extremely important in documenting climate change in the Arctic, which is warming at an alarmin...

Send us Fan Mail Eaglecrest Ski Area on Douglas Island near Juneau, Alaska hosted it's first IFSA Freeride Ski Event in March, 2022. This episode is conversations with IFSA Judge, Joe Turner, Eagle Crest Freeride Head Coach, Kevin Stell, and Eaglecrest General Manger, Dave Scanlan about the exceptional skiing of Junior Freeriders who travelled from all around the country to compete at Eaglecr...

Send us Fan Mail Danial Doty has been working for Talkeetna Air Taxi for 19 years as a mechanic pilot. She enjoys working on the Turbine Otter as much as numerous challenging flying missions of South Central Alaska. She can multi-task with the best of them and when not flying or fixing aircraft, she can be seen fishing off the float plane with her son and Alaskan huskies. Support the show You can...

Send us Fan Mail The Turbine Otter is not only the favorite airplane for glacier landings and expedition support in the Alaska Range, it has flown life stock from Talkeetna, Alaska to the Big River, which is on the other side of the Alaska Range.  The Alaska Range Homestead, a horse farm in Big River has slowly been growing it's Icelandic horses, one foal at time. Listen to veteran Alaska Ran...