Carolina Weather Group

We're excited to welcome Tony Rice back to the Carolina Weather Group.  Tony,  a NASA JPL Ambassador, joins us to discuss the upcoming Perseverance rover launch to Mars. We'll be introduced to the Mars 2020 rover's tools, equipment, and mission on the martian planet.  And speaking of martians... no, those weren't UFOs over North Carolina and South Carolina. "Loon Balloons" are high altitude balloo...

A study found the public does not interpret the Storm Prediction Center naming conventions for severe weather outlooks correctly - - - do you?  This week on the Carolina Weather Group, we talk with Mississippi State University student Alex Forbes, whose survey consisted of over 4,000 participants across the Southeast. All but one of the five categorical tiers for the SPC's outlook were misran...

A comet visiting from the most distant parts of our solar system is putting on a spectacular early morning display. Named Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, the comet made its once-in-our-lifetimes close approach to the Sun on July 3, and will cross outside Earth's orbit on its way back to the outer parts of the solar system. People wishing to catch a glimpse of the glowing comet can spot it as it swings th...

We're catching up this week with Jim Gandy. Jim spent 45 years in broadcast meteorology, including 20 years as chief meteorologist at Columbia's WLTX News19 before retiring in 2019. Jim shares memories from his career, including working in Oklahoma City and covering Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina.

When it rains, it floods these Carolina homes. From Charlotte, North Carolina to Horry County, South Carolina, a look at what residents are doing to protect their homes against urban flash flooding. Plus, the steps you need to take to protect your home from flooding even if you don't live near a waterway.  WCNC Charlotte's Bill McGinty explains how he's helping a Myers Park resident overcome a sto...

Did you know the wind forecast could change the layout of a golf course? Or how a sea breeze can bring about a change in your golf game? This week, we're talking with Stewart Williams, the DTN on-location meteorologist for the PGA Tour. Stewart and the PGA Tour are on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina this week for the 2020 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. Stewart explains how they forecast for...

Is surface pressure a better predictor of hurricane damage than maximum sustained winds, which is the basis of the Saffir-Simpson scale? Back this week are Dr. Carl Schreck, of NC State and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, and Dr. Phil Klotzbach, of Colorado State University. They will explain the study they co-authored, which says minimum sea level pressure is more easily quantif...

We're in the first week of the 2020 hurricane season and already have three named storms. This week, Dr. Phil Klotzbach returns to the show with his outlook for the 2020 hurricane season. We're joined by guest panelist Dr. Carl Schreck, of NC State and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies.

The first attempt to launch SpaceX's Demo-2 may have been scrubbed, but that didn't keep us from celebrating the return of NASA astronauts to the International Space Station from United States soil. Tony Rice joins us from Raleigh to discuss the mission, which hopes to launch this weekend from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. We explore the weather rules that govern the launch criteria: How lightn...

After four days of rain, North Carolina and South Carolina are battling a flood threat across the region. Rivers have crested, roadways have flooded, and at least 3 water rescues occurred Thursday.  One person died after a tree fell on a home in Surry County, North Carolina. Strong-to-severe thunderstorms have produced damage and will be a threat again Friday when more scattered rain moves th...

Tropical Storm Arthur is flirting with the North Carolina coast, where it is expected to bring tropical storm force winds, rip currents, and rain to the Outer Banks and eastern Atlantic shoreline. The Carolina Weather Group is tracking the storm's current conditions, forecast, and expected weather impacts across North Carolina and South Carolina. The biggest threat will be along North Carolina's O...

This week we're checking in with more meteorologists at home. We're gearing up for a fun and lighthearted conversation with the weather team from Greenboro's WFMY News 2 featuring Meteorologist Tim Buckley, Christian Morgan WFMY News 2, and Meteorologist Terran Kirksey.

This week, we're hanging out... virtually... with the meteorologists from WECT TV in Wilmington, North Carolina. The weather team joins us for a fun, lighthearted conversation about their interests and how they're spending their COVID-19 coronavirus time at home.   Guests: Gannon Medwick, Eric Davis, Kellie McGlynn and Gabe Ross.   Plus, confirmation of an EF-1 and EF-2 tornado in South...

This week we remember the April 16, 2011 tornado outbreak. It claimed 24 lives and injured over 300 people in North Carolina. We're talking with the National Weather Service forecasters who issued the life saving warnings, the storm chasers who relayed the vital storm reports, and the television meteorologists who relayed the information to the public.  Guests: Gannon Medwick,  Tim Buckl...

More than a dozen people died Monday from tornadoes and damaging winds during a severe weather outbreak in the Carolinas. Across the Southeast, more than 77 tornadoes. Tonight we're joined with broadcast meteorologists across both North Carolina and South Carolina to talk about the impacts in their communities.   Guests: Brad Panovich and Brandon Goldner, WCNC Charlotte, NC Tim Buckley, WFMY...

In the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, storm chasers are trying to keep themselves safe from both the weather and the virus. Chasers and storm spotters provide essential on-the-ground, eyewitness reports of severe weather. With more people staying at home, what will the weather enterprise look like with less reporting? Storm chasers, including Live Storm Media's Brett Adair, photograph...

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is effecting severe weather tracking and weather forecasting.  This week we explore weather, forecasting, and television broadcasting in the age of the COVID-19 coronavirus.   Our guests:  1. Ryan Vaughan, meteorologist at KAIT-TV, who tracked an EF-3 tornado in Jonesboro, Arkansas from home. 2. Brad Panovich, who is broadcasting for WCNC Charlotte from home, incl...

The Waffle House Index is used by the restaurant chain to track which restaurants are open and which are closed - but it's so much more than a list of operating restaurants. The federal government has traditionally used it to track community responsiveness after major storms. The wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, Waffle House's operation center in Atlanta has activated the index, which as...

With schools closed amid concerns for the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich and the entire First Warn weather team are producing at-home weather classes for students, teachers, and parents. Brad conducted his first set of science experiments Wednesday with daily lessons starting this week on the WCNC Charlotte YouTube page. Brad provides us a preview o...

Severe Weather Awareness Week continues in the Carolinas this week. We check in with WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich, who had just completed weather-proofing work on his house a week before an EF-1 tornado in Charlotte.  Plus we'll revisit the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety in Chester County, South Carolina. This lab generates the weather-proofing certific...

More people die every year from floods than from tornadoes, lightning, or hurricanes. WCNC Charlotte's Iisha Scott with ways to know your flash floods risk.

You see lightning and you start to count until you hearing thunder. If you stop there, you're horribly miscalculating how far away the thunderstorm is. Chris Mulcahy from WCNC Charlotte is back to help us prepare for severe weather.

While hail and straight line winds generally do not father the same attention as tornadoes, they can be just as deadly. On this Wednesday, we continue our severe weather preparedness partnership with WCNC Charlotte's Chris Mulcahy.

It's severe weather preparedness week in the Carolinas. The Carolina Weather Group has teamed with WCNC Charlotte to help you prepare. On this Tuesday, chief meteorologist Brad Panovich explains ways to receive severe weather alerts. And don't forget to practice on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. for the statewide drill!

It's severe weather preparedness week in the Carolinas. On this Monday, we're talking severe thunderstorms and tornadoes with WCNC Charlotte's Larry Sprinkle.