GeoTrek

Join “Hurricane Hal” Needham as he sits down with Carl Schneider, insurance agent and co-founder of Smart Home America, for a story that spans continents and communities. Drawing on the ingenuity of his Swiss ancestors and the perspectives they passed down, Carl shares how smarter construction methods—honed in the rebuilding efforts of post-Katrina Mississippi—can safeguard disaster-prone areas an...

Join host Hal Needham as he talks with Meteorologist Robert Speta about the stark differences in preparing for and experiencing tropical cyclones. Speta shares invaluable insights into forecasting and living through powerful typhoons in East Asia, a region renowned for its exceptional disaster preparedness. He also raises critical concerns about hurricane complacency in northeast Florida, where he...

How do we protect our past from our future? On the latest GeoTrek, we tackle this crucial question with preservation powerhouse Lisa Craig-Hensley! With over 30 years' experience, Lisa reveals the strategies and innovations for making historic properties, from Annapolis to Lodi, more resilient to climate impacts. Prepare to be inspired.

How does forensic meteorology help protect homeowners and insurers from fraud? In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 Allied Trust Litigation Summit , we sit down with Amy Fail and Ron Ligocki from Allied Trust to explore how advanced weather science is being used in insurance claims investigations. They share insights on: The role of forensic meteorology in detecting fraudulent claims How All...

Coastal communities face growing threats from erosion, storms, and rising sea levels—but could nature itself be the key to resilience? In Episode 110 of the GeoTrek Podcast, we explore how living shorelines blend natural and engineered solutions to protect our coasts. Our guest, Ryan Gilbert, a natural resource specialist and project manager with Headway Environmental, shares insights on where the...

Hailstorms cause billions of dollars in damage each year, but how do we study hail to build stronger homes and communities? In Episode 109 of the GeoTrek Podcast , we dive into the world of hail research, forensic meteorology, and building science with two incredible guests: Brenna Meisenzahl – Researcher at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) , leading field studies on h...

In Episode 108 of the GeoTrek Podcast , we explore how extreme winter weather impacts the transportation and logistics industry . From blizzards to icy roads, truck drivers and logistics professionals must navigate unpredictable and often dangerous conditions to keep supply chains moving. Our guest, Gary Falldin , Senior Director of Industry Solutions at Platform Science , shares expert insights i...

In Episode 107 of the GeoTrek Podcast, we analyze the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Southern California and discuss how communities can better prepare for future wildfire threats. Our special guest, Steve Hawks, Senior Director for Wildfire at IBHS and former CAL FIRE Battalion Chief, brings decades of expertise in wildland firefighting and fire prevention. Having been deployed to the LA f...

In Episode 106 of GeoTrek, we explore the fascinating intersection of extreme weather and professional sports. Special guest Mark Paquette, an expert on how weather influences sports, gambling, and betting, joins Dr. Hal Needham to discuss the surprising ways weather conditions impact athlete performance and game outcomes. From wind and rain to heat and humidity, discover how teams and athletes ad...

Join us for Episode 105 of the GeoTrek Podcast, where we dive deep into the world of avalanches! Simon Trautman, Director of the National Avalanche Center, breaks down the science behind how avalanches form, the tools forecasters use to predict them, and the essential steps to interpret avalanche ratings for safer mountain adventures. In this episode, Simon and Dr. Hal Needham discuss the Avalanch...

Hurricanes Helene and Milton recently impacted west-central Florida, including the Tampa/ St. Pete metro area. Dr. Jennifer Collins, Professor in the School of Geosciences at the University of South Florida shares insights on the physical and social impacts of these massive storms.

Gain insights on the challenge of freshwater flooding below sea level, as we explore New Orleans with Chris Franklin, Andrew Woodroof and Johnny Vindigni.

In this episode of the GeoTrek Podcast, we bring you exclusive insights from the 2024 Texas Groundwater Summit, where industry experts and thought leaders gathered to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in groundwater management in Texas. Join us as we sit down with special guests from the summit to explore the critical issues surrounding groundwater sustainability, drought res...

After making landfall in Florida as a hurricane, Tropical Storm Debby stalled out along the South Carolina coast, bringing days of heavy rain impacts to the region. This podcast investigates the science behind the increasing number of slow-moving tropical cyclones impacting the U.S. over the past decade.

Historic Hurricane Beryl broke many Atlantic basin hurricane records, becoming the farthest east hurricane and the only cat-4 hurricane to form in June, then the earliest cat-5 hurricane on record. This podcast features interviews with Brian McNoldy and Phil Klotzbach, who provide historic context for this record-breaking storm, as well as on-the-ground interviews with storm survivors in Texas.

Engineering provides many solutions to reduce losses from coastal hazards. But how do we determine optimal solutions, considering design criteria, budgets, and community input? Dr. Bret Webb, Professor of Civil Engineering at University of South Alabama, provides engineering perspectives on coastal resiliency in this episode.

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) President and CEO, Leslie Chapman-Henderson, shares her vision to reduce property losses through groundbreaking awareness initiatives for homebuilders, homeowners and design professionals.

Join us to dive deeper into the journey Alan Sealls took to become the meteorologist we know and love! Hear about Alan's early life, education, and the path that lead him to where he is now.

As we kick off the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season we want to be prepared and informed about tropical weather communication. Join us as none other than meteorologist Alan Sealls joins us to share information about tropical weather communication.

Mark Sudduth, founder of HurricaneTrack, takes us along on his journey through more than two decades of hurricane videography and storytelling.

Hurricanes are complex storms that generate four deadly hazards- destructive winds, storm surge flooding, rainfall flooding and tornadoes. In this episode, Dr. Hal counts down his top 10 list of misunderstandings about hurricanes that increase the chance people will be blindsided.

Josh Morgerman (Hurricane Man) joins us for an interview that captures the intense impacts of the world's most powerful storms, discusses how to build better in hurricane country, and talks about the dangers of generalizing hurricane impacts based on observing a few named storms.

Forecasters, scientists and disaster relief specialists weigh in on what we can expect this upcoming hurricane season and how we can be better prepared. We also take a look at the connection between AI and weather forecasting.

My favorite meteorologist, Carl Parker from The Weather Channel, joins us for a discussion about climate change impacts on tropical weather, advice on science communication, and the importance of having empathy with those impacted by extreme weather events.

Melissa Beaudry, Senior Resilience Planner at Halff, provides insights on how to help communities improve resilience plans.