WeatherBrains

• WeatherBrains 1012: Regional Hair Club Convention

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is one of the rising stars in the new wave of digital storm coverage.  His livestreams have gained national attention for their accuracy, clarity, and his calm demeanor under pressure.  He's part of a growing cadre of content creators that are changing how people experience severe weather in real time.  He also recently graduated with a degree in Meteorology.  Max Velocity, welcome to WeatherBrains! Also joining us is show regular and Birmingham NWS Science and Operations Officer Kevin Laws.  He brings extensive experience in the field and has an impeccable track record of keeping the public safe and informed when dangerous weather threatens.  Kevin, welcome back to the show! Friend of the podcast Ben Luna from Tennessee Valley Weather also joins us as Guest Panelist # 2 and participates in the discussion concerning severe weather coverage and changing methods of communication.  It's great to see you Ben! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Early history of Max Velocity's story (11:15) Challenges and philosophy for covering the entire country during severe weather (23:00) Differences of NWS Birmingham warning philosophy compared to other offices (24:45) QLCS warning inconsistency among offices across the country (26:45) Maintaining/sustaining energy and voice during long streams/severe weather events (30:30) Communicating information above and beyond what is available to the NWS (38:40) Local vs National coverage differences and tornado warning fatigue (40:45) Continuing issues/disconnect with the public and weather safety (01:02:30) Max Velocity's future and vision for the upcoming years (01:14:20) Regional differences in weather literacy (01:18:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:26:47) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:07) E-Mail Segment (01:30:20) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1012: Max Velocity on YouTube Midland Weather Radio Picks of the Week: Max Velocity - 119 mph microburst NE of Midland, TX on 6/8/25 Kevin Laws - NWS: How to Avoid Getting Caught in a Rip Current James Aydelott - James Aydelott Team Coverage photo James Aydelott - Tornado Warnings by NWS office so far in 2025 Jen Narramore - KAKE original: Echoes of the Storm Rick Smith - New high-speed camera captures hail in free fall to improve public safety Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Bipartisan bill aims to restore NWS ravaged by cuts John Gordon - Iceberg Finder Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Caiden Dinkins photo of tornado damage to roof of KTXS 12 TV The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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• WeatherBrains 1011: Wine Science

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a show veteran and seasoned meteorologist known for cutting through the noise to clearly communicate impacts in a high-stakes environment.  He has experience in digital media and corporate forecasting.  His insights have earned praise from CEOs, traders and major media outlets like The New York Times and BBC.  Matt Lanza, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Diving into Space City Weather (15:15)  Takeaways from 2024's Hurricane Beryl (21:20) Long-term ramifications of staffing shortages at NOAA (31:30) Lanza article and NWS Jackson MS warning discussion (33:10) Unintentionally confusing the public when assimilating forecasts (44:20) Jackson, KY severe weather event (01:04:30) Max Velocity vs Ryan Hall severe weather coverage (01:10:25) Changing perspective in science communication (01:18:30) Job search mindset and tips to stand out with recruiters (01:23:45) Seasonal outlook discussion (01:33:06) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:36:52) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:39:18) E-Mail Segment (01:41:20) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1011: Matt Lanza on X Midland Weather Radio Space City Weather How Rye Bread May Have Caused the Salem Witch Trials Picks of the Week: Matt Lanza - WeatherTiger's Hurricane Watch Substack Matt Lanza - Eye on the Tropics Substack Matt Lanza - Balanced Weather Substack James Aydelott - Footage of tornado in Jilin Province, China Jen Narramore - Tornado experts share their perspectives on 1985 outbreak Jen Narramore - Tornado experts share their perspectives on 1985 outbreak - Clip from WFMJ 11pm News Rick Smith - CNN reporting NWS to hire 125 new staff Troy Kimmel - WeatherStar 4000+ Kim Klockow-McClain - FEMA staff baffled after head said he was unaware of US hurricane season, sources say John Gordon - The Cloud Appreciation Society Bill Murray - "On warnings, communication, Monday morning quarterbacking, or how Ryan Hall won me over, y'all" by Matt Lanza James Spann - Historical Hurricane Tracks The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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• WeatherBrains 1010: Chief Smoothing Officer

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is an award winning journalist and author who runs the New England Historical Society.  She's been sharing of New England's past since 2013.  With a background in reporting, she brings history to life through the lenses of food, travel, scandal, immigration, and weather.  She joins us to discuss their new book, “New England Weather: Historic Storms, Twisters, Floods, Droughts, Nor’easters, Hurricanes and Heat Waves.” The Landrigans explore how New England’s wild weather has influenced history and shaped communities—from killer hurricanes to brutal snowstorms to legendary heat waves.  Leslie Landrigan, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Fetching aerial shots when needed after a severe weather episode (03:29)  1997 Jarrell, Texas tornado 28th anniversary (06:30) 1973 Centreville, AL tornado anniversary (9:40) Looking back at exceptional and extended New England 1965 drought (17:20) Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 (29:13) Importance of almanacs during Colonial era (39:09) Blizzard of 1978 (50:40) Maine Purple Fire Snowstorm of 1853 (01:03:32) 1953 Worcester MA tornado (01:09:00) 2011 Springfield MA EF3 tornado (01:15:40) Favorite weather folklores (01:26:00) Alabama tornado damage near Redstone Arsenal (01:33:30) Bruce Jones/Midland Weather Radio  (01:42:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:34:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:36:50) E-Mail Segment (01:39:10)   and more! Web Sites from Episode 1010: "New England Weather: Historic storms, twisters, floods, droughts, nor'easters, hurricanes and heat waves" by Dan and Leslie Landigran Midland Weather Radio Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - 2015 Keyhole Canyon Utah Flash Flood Tragedy James Aydelott - James Aydelott on Facebook: "Lightning strikes! In the sun, away from the rain" Jen Narramore - Tornado Talk: Springfield, MA EF3 tornado - June 1st, 2011 Rick Smith - Documenting and explaining a heat burst Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Climatic Change and Witch-hunting: the Impact of the Little Ice Age on Mentalities John Gordon - NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Real Time Tropical Cyclones The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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• WeatherBrains 1009: People Are Complicated

  Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is a Professor of Geology from the University of Alabama, where he specializes in synoptic climatology, which focuses on the intersection of weather, risk, perception and public response.  His research focuses on how people interpret severe weather messaging; especially tornadoes and hurricanes.  He's also a key contributor to projects on warning communication.    Dr. Jason Senkbeil, welcome to WeatherBrains! Tonight's First Guest Panelist is a WeatherBrains regular and is the Science and Operations Officer at the NWS office in Birmingham.  Kevin Laws, it's always good to see you! Tonight's Second Guest Panelist is the Director of the NWS Operations Proving Ground.  He graduated with a Bachelor's in Geography at Arizona State University.  JJ Brost, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Baseball sized hail near Bowling Green (06:28) Weather literacy in the U. S. Southeast (09:28) Factors in geography in risk perception (10:41) Path direction of tornadoes (17:15) General public's lack of geographic awareness and its long-term effects (18:40) NWS BMX leads the Nation in FAR and POD (20:55) Two Dimensional map space vs Three Dimensional world space (27:50) General public interpreting text from a NWS warning polygon (35:20) Literacy issues with audiences when distributing a weather forecast (40:30) What does an Enhanced severe risk mean and why is it so difficult to forecast?  (01:03:00) Improving consistency with different NWS offices as DMAs dissolve (01:28:30) Parking under overpasses (01:53:00) Bruce Jones/Midland Weather Radio  (Out this week) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:37:43) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:41:01) E-Mail Segment (01:42:38) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1009: Midland Weather Radio Picks of the Week: Dr. Jason Senkbeil - "Geographical constraints on rapid comprehension of tornado warning information" by Dr. Jason Senkbeil Kevin Laws - NWS Heat Safety Risk Program Bruce Jones - Out James Aydelott - Out Jen Narramore - Victims of Kentucky's recent severe thunderstorms/tornadoes Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - KAKE News on X: News Coverage Kim Klockow-McClain - Are Smartphones Creating A Loss of Spatial Awareness In Children? John Gordon - The man who's blindness, deafness, and baldness was cured by lightning Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Aaron Brackett on X: Lightning strikes a Newcastle, OK police cruiser The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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• WeatherBrains 1008: No Cookies In Cookietown

  Tonight's episode is a homegrown show discussing a wide range of topics.  Notably, the panel discusses resume-building and interview skills in a changing world, the controversial topic of non-NWS issued watches and warnings, and so much more.  As always, our show is all about YOU.  Thanks for listening! Also, Bruce Jones joins us to discuss the importance of NOAA Weather Radio and its integration in order to save lives.  Welcome back, Bruce! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: [email protected]. Mississippi flash flooding due to persistent upper low (06:00) Relationship between improved physical health and improved cognitive health (10:30) Importance of following your passion in life and in your career (18:30) Do you want to work for the NWS?  (19:45) Gift of perseverance and owning up to your mistakes, and learning from them (24:30) Critical importance of diversification in the weather enterprise (30:20) GIS is IN! (31:20) Write an attention-grabbing resume to stand out (37:00) Is it appropriate for a meteorologist or weather entertainer to issue their own watches and warnings?  (46:30) Issues with FAR (False Alarm Ratio) in the weather enterprise (01:12:00) Lightning is frightening (01:25:55) Bruce Jones/Midland Weather Radio  (01:31:33) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:27:42) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:00 ) E-Mail Segment (01:30:55) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1008: Midland Weather Radio Picks of the Week: Bruce Jones - FAWN - Florida Automated Weather Network James Aydelott - JWISHstory: 1965 Palm Sunday tornado broadcast Jen Narramore - Ohio Roots Podcast Rick Smith - OUT Troy Kimmel - FOGHORN Kim Klockow-McClain - NSF Unidata Pause in Most Operations John Gordon - Quantitative intensity forecasts to Spc mesoscale convective discussion text and graphics Bill Murray - FOGHORN James Spann - James Spann: ‘Hold off on the rage’ when he says Gulf of Mexico this hurricane season The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

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