WeatherBrains

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 NWS North Central RFC (River Forecast Center) in Chanhassen, Minnesota.  A Syracuse native, he joined the US Air Force as a weather officer, then earned his Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Utah.  He's spent over 15 years at the RFC (River Forecast Center).  Justin Palmer, welcome to WeatherBrains!
Our Third Guest WeatherBrain tonight is a retired National Weather Service senior meteorologist technician, the former Data Acquisition Program Manager of the Grand Forks National Weather Service office. Mark attended North Dakota State University in Fargo during the late 80s into the early 90s, working with former state climatologist Dr John Enz. Mark Retired in November of 2014 after 40 1/2 years of combined federal and military service. Mark is currently 3:00 to 6:00 PM afternoon host on KNOX Radio in Grand Forks ND, and has been associated with latent broadcasting since 2016. Mark also operates Home On The Prairie Weather LLC, providing agricultural climate forecasts and other related information to agricultural and civic groups.  Mark Ewens, welcome to WeatherBrains!
Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.
Amanda's background in meteorology (10:00)
Working as a Service Hydrologist:  What do they do?  (12:00)
What is a River Forecast Center (RFC)?  (17:30)
What is CHPS?  (Community Hydrologic Prediction System)  (28:00)
Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor (MRMS) Data Set Hydrology Section (31:30)
Advantages of being a Service Hydrologist concerning shift work (39:30)
How accurate is Hydro modeling, and what factors are involved? (42:00)
Snow cores:  The Basics (45:00)
Snow pack in the Dakotas: How long does it last, and how thick does it get? (55:30)
Meteorological background of 1997 Red River Flood event (58:30)
1997 Red River Flood's public and Emergency Management response (01:01:30)
Disinformation found online regarding river flooding (01:12:00)
The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:19:00)
This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week)
E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)
Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:21:00)
and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1069:  
KNOX News Radio
Alabama Weather Network
Picks of the Week:
Amanda Lee - "A River Runs North (Managing an International River)" by Gene Krenz and Jay Leitch
Amanda Lee - "Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City" by Ashley Shelby
Justin Palmer - USGS Endangered, Discontinued and Rescued Streamgages Mapper
Mark Ewens - NDAWN - North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network
James Aydelott - Footage near Tulliby Lake in central Alberta, Canada
Jen Narramore - Out
Rick Smith - Out
Troy Kimmel - Out
Kim Klockow-McClain - An ethical analysis of hydrometeorological prediction and decision making: The case of the 1997 Red River flood
John Gordon - LIT/LZK back online with upper air launches
Bill Murray - Out
James Spann - Gulf Coast Weather
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.

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 Certification as an Educational Administrator, and of course, he's a Broadcast Meteorologist.  He has received the AMS Seal of Approval and has been the recipient of six Associated Press Awards for Best Weathercast. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society, National Weather Association, and the Knights of Columbus.  Alex Garcia, thanks for joining us tonight!
Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.
Recollections from KABB-TV leading up to Texas flood tragedy (11:30)
Wording of originally issued Flash Flood Watch prior to event (17:30)
Why doesn't the public immediately react to weather watches?  (20:00)
Mentality of the threat of flash flooding vs other types of severe weather (25:00)
Improving the clarity of the call to action in response to inland flooding events (30:00)
Flood Inundation Mapping (36:00)
The half-life of awareness in the wake of tragedies like 2025 Texas Flood event (49:00)
With no Independent Review, how can you improve?  (52:00)
Role of weather radio in modern warning process (55:00)
National Weather Service app in the future?  (55:30)
Severe Thunderstorm Definition/Warnings that do not verify and the resulting public inaction (01:02:00)
What is NWS definition of a Flash Flood? (01:02:30)
Confusion from Areal Flood Advisories (01:05:30)
The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:14:00)
This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:15:30)
E-Mail Segment (01:16:30)
Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:26:00)
and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1068:  
Alex Garcia Weather on X
Alabama Weather Network
Picks of the Week:
Alex Garcia - NTWC
James Aydelott - Westheimer Airport in Norman measures 92mph wind gust
Jen Narramore - Chinese Wedge tornado
Rick Smith - Out
Troy Kimmel - Funnel cloud spotted in Interior Alaska on July Fourth
Troy Kimmel - Meteorological Overview of the July 2025 Texas Floods
Kim Klockow-McClain - Review of the National Weather Service's Actions to Support Kerr County During the Catastrophic Flash Flood in Texas
John Gordon - June 29th Significant Wind Event
Bill Murray - Out
James Spann - National Weather Service faces hurricane season with less experienced staff, missing data
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.

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 from the University of Wisconsin.  He's committed to improving public awareness, preparedness, and response by integrating social science research into the NWS products and services.  Chad Omitt, welcome to WeatherBrains!  Our next Guest WeatherBrain is the local history librarian at the Topeka and Shawnee County public library.   She holds a B.A. in forensic anthropology and history from Wichita State University.  She's a speaker with the Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau and gives educational programs about life in Kansas during the Dust Bowl.  Katie Keckeisen, welcome to WeatherBrains!
Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.
June 2026 Kentucky flooding (01:00)
Katie's early background in Kansas (07:00)
June 8th, 1966 meteorological setup (10:45)
Meteorological equipment used during during the 1960s (21:00)
Visual photos of daytime Topeka tornado (26:30)
Bill Kurtis and his role at WIBW-TV during the tornado (28:30)
Save room on the volume knob for a "10"!  (37:00)
Topeka's Burnett's Mound:  A historical deepdive (37:30)
Kansas Governor's response after tornado (44:00)
Damage photos from tornadoes and the resulting changes to Topeka (49:30)
Topeka tornado was one of the first utilizations of civil defense outdoor warning system (01:00:00)
1955 Udall KS tornado (01:00:30)
Tornado subculture in the 1960s (01:07:30)
Lessons learned from this event from 60 years ago (01:19:30)
The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:26:00)
This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week)
E-Mail Segment (01:28:00)
Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:31:00)
and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1067:  
Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau
"And Hell Followed With It: Life and Death in a Kansas Tornado" by Bonar Menninger
Alabama Weather Network
Picks of the Week:
Katie Keckeisen - Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Chad Omitt - OTUS Project
James Aydelott - "History of Operational Use of Weather Radar by U.S. Weather Services. Part I: The Pre-NEXRAD Era"
Jen Narramore - Tornado Talk Podcast Episode 7: The 1966 Topeka Tornado
Rick Smith - Out
Troy Kimmel - Out
Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn
John Gordon - Collin Gross on X: Europe's historic heatwave continues
Bill Murray - Out
James Spann - James Spann on X: Big Sky Montana snow photos
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.

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)
Importance of enforcing traffic laws when dealing with a saturated chaser community (27:30)
Oklahoma traffic laws concerning emergency lights (31:30)
Liability insurance requirements for those who continue to storm chase? (36:00)
NOAA's OPG (Operations Proving Ground) (49:30)
What is the purpose of a service assessment?  (59:30)
State of Connecticut doesn't need 3 WFOs! (01:02:00)
Importance of interacting directly with the people we serve in the field of weather to mitigate loss of life (01:10:00)
Discriminating between weaknesses and strengths in the warning process (01:21:30)
Effectively utilizing user generated content during long-form severe weather coverage (01:23:30)
Private Slack chat session with trusted weather professionals to weed out AI/fake images (01:28:00)
The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week - stay tuned!)
This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:29:30)
E-Mail Segment (01:30:30)
Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:41:00)
and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1066:  
Alabama Weather Network
Picks of the Week:
James Aydelott - Illinois: More tornadoes than Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas combined, year to date. (225 vs 191)
Jen Narramore - Tennessee Valley Weather on X: "Tennessee Valley Weather Adds Weather Balloon Launch Capability to Strengthen Severe Weather Forecasting"
Rick Smith - Facts About Derechos
Troy Kimmel - IEM Generated Regional Temperature and Precipitation Report
Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn
John Gordon - Dave Throup on X: Shelf Cloud pic at Glastonbury Tor
Bill Murray - Out
James Spann - SkyeCalm Storm Anxiety App
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.

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 City with Bryan Busby and Joe Lauria.  On episode 1055 in March, we focused on Tampa Bay with Mike Clay and Brian LaMarre.  Rick and David will discuss forecasting severe storms with and without the dry line, winter weather, Blue Northers, the Dallas Fort Worth  metroplex major urban heat island and much more!
Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.
David's educational background and early years (06:30)
Rick's early years in meteorology and journey to Oklahoma City (08:30)
 Compare/contrast Oklahoma City and Dallas/Ft. Worth TV market (11:00)
Dallas/Ft. Worth area notable weather events in recent years (16:00)
1980 Heat Wave (21:30)
Paper map throwbacks to an earlier era in broadcast meteorology (39:00)
Changes after Delta 191 and advent of installation of terminal dopplers at airports (42:30)
Reflections on the May 3rd, 1999 Oklahoma tornado tragedy (47:30)
Cedar Hill, Texas tornado of 1856 (50:30)
Exploding population in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and increasing weather hazard risk (58:00)
Rick's social media strategies now and moving forward (01:20:00)
The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week - stay tuned!)
This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week - stay tuned!)
E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!)
and more!
Web Sites from Episode 1065:  
David Finfrock Instagram
Alabama Weather Network
Picks of the Week:
David Finfrock - Harold Taft's World War 2 legacy
Rick Mitchell - Great Storm of 1975
James Aydelott - Softball sized hail photo from 1995
Jen Narramore - Andrew Pritchard on X: Illinois tornadoes 6/11/26
Rick Smith - Out
Troy Kimmel - Delta Flight 191 Flashback Special (1985)
Kim Klockow-McClain - Classification of Use Cases for Ensemble Weather Forecasts
John Gordon - What is a "panhandle hooker" and why is it called that?
Bill Murray - Out
James Spann - Google Weather Lab: Cyclones (Preview)
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.