Weather Geeks

Guest: Dr. Philip Mulder, Assistant Professor at UW-MadisonOnce you become a homeowner, you are flooded with the overwhelming responsibility of protecting your home, which means that you are going to need home insurance! But is it fair that your insurance may cost significantly more because of the weather that tends to happen around you? Or, what if homeowner’s insurance isn’t even available to you at all because of the weather? That is the current reality for some home and business owners across the U.S. Today on Weather Geeks, we brought on economist Dr. Philip Mulder who has already crunched the numbers about why that is and how insurance providers can get away with this..Chapters00:00 Introduction to Homeowner's Insurance and Climate Risks02:53 The Role of the National Flood Insurance Program05:54 Challenges of Flood Mapping and Insurance Coverage09:08 Impact of Recent Hurricanes on Insurance11:54 Understanding Mortgage Escrow and Insurance Premiums14:56 Trends in Homeowners Insurance

Guest: Dr. Victor GensiniWhen discussions are had about Billion-Dollar Disasters, odds are your mind goes to the biggest hurricane landfalls and tornadoes that struck the country this year.  But the sneakiest of disasters has become hail storms.  As the convective storm passes through a town and dumps tons of ice on cars, roofs, and windows, the costs very quickly add up and the infrastructure is put to the test.  But do we know all we can about these hail storms and how we can mitigate future disasters? Today, we are welcoming back a friend of the show Dr. Victor Gensini to discuss his upcoming field campaign, which is the largest one that has ever been funded that focuses solely on hail.ChaptersIntroduction to Hailstorms and Their ImpactVictor Gensini's Journey in MeteorologyUnderstanding Hail: Current Knowledge and GapsThe IceChip Field Campaign: Goals and LogisticsA Day in the Life of a Field CampaignFuture Aspirations in Hail ResearchSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali

Guest: Weather Geeks TeamWorking as a meteorologist is never boring, because the weather changes every single day! With how volatile each day could be, there are a lot of notable weather events that occur over the course of the year, and 2024 is no exception! Dozens of billion-dollar severe weather events, multiple landfalling hurricanes, and major challenges in social science regarding weather communications. This year will go down in the history books in many different categories, and hopefully a lot can be learned from these events to set ourselves up for a safer and calmer 2025…Chapters00:00 Weather Events of 2024: A Year in Review04:39 Tornadoes and Severe Weather Trends10:17 Derechos: Understanding Wind Storms17:59 Hail Events and Their Impact20:47 Wildfires and Flash Flooding: A Dangerous Cycle22:38 Preparing for Unpredictable Weather Events23:24 Analyzing the 2024 Hurricane Season28:14 The Impact of Rainfall in Hurricane Damage29:19 Understanding Predecessor Rain Events33:27 Addressing

Guest: Dr. Robin Murphy, Professor at Texas A&M UniversityWith many natural disasters it takes time to fully understand the scope of the devastation. We have seen that countless times over the past few years with landfalling major hurricanes. The way that we currently assess storm damage is sufficient, but AI has recently changed the game in the way natural disasters are assessed. Joining us today is Dr. Robin Murphy, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University joins us to discuss how AI is playing a role in the assessment of natural disasters.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI in Disaster Assessment03:18 The Evolution of Robotics and AI in Disaster Response05:44 The Role of Drones in Damage Assessment09:18 Real-Time Data Collection and Analysis16:27 Scaling AI for Large-Scale Disasters19:55 Unexpected Flooding and Rapid Response22:44 Advancements in AI and Operational Use25:48 Applications Beyond Hurricanes: Tornadoes and More28:30 Future of AI in Damage Assessment35:12 Conclu

Guest: Dave Titley, Co-Founder of RV Weather EnterprisesDescription: When you’re traveling somewhere, whether it’s on vacation or for business, odds are you are just going to check your phone’s weather app to let you know if you need to pack an umbrella or a heavier jacket at your destination. But what about traveling by RV the entire distance? Your journey could be plagued with weather impacts and you’re not going to want to check your phone app over and over and over. You’re going to want to turn to the RV weather experts! Our guest today is a friend of the show who has taken his 30+ years of meteorological experience and is giving it back to RV travelers across the country.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Everette Joseph, Director of NCARDescription: We have the NWS, NOAA. and NCEI, but another very valuable member of the meteorological alphabet soup is NCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research! However, NCAR is not constricted by any government regulations, so they are free to dissect the atmosphere as they please. However, they have a mission to uphold, just like our government organizations, to understand the world around and above us so they can indirectly protect future lives and property. Today on Weather Geeks, we have the Director of NCAR Everette Joseph to chat about atmospheric research in the past, present and future!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Evan FisherAs the summer season turns to cooler fall temperatures, the annual passage of time is marked by the changing of the leaves. Whether you're leaf peeping in New England or hiking to see fall colors across the Rockies, the weather will play a huge role in how those fall colors turn out and when the’ll start to turn. Joining us today is Evan Fisher, creator of ExploreFall.com, to talk about this colorful transition of seasons, and about how he’s merging science and data presentation to make a more accessible foliage forecast available. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background02:58 Creating Fall Foliage Maps08:00 Using AI and Deep Learning for Fall Foliage Forecasting10:03 Challenges and Limitations in Fall Foliage Forecasting15:13 Microclimates and Tree Types19:54 The Impact of Climate Change on Fall Foliage26:01 The Role of GIS in Fall Foliage AnalysisSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Roy Wright, President & CEO of IBHSFool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. After a natural disaster strikes a community, it takes a lot of time to recover, since you have to not only rebuild the infrastructure but also allow the people to rebound mentally and physically. However, some communities along the Gulf Coast do not get the luxury of extended recovery, as they are struck by compound disasters. What are those, and what can we do to improve mitigation and adaptation of these vulnerable communities so we don’t get fooled twice? We brought Roy Wright from IBHS on the show today to discuss…Chapters00:00 Understanding Compound Disasters10:11 The National Academies Report on Gulf Disasters18:45 Community Engagement and Insights26:13 Key Recommendations for Future Preparedness32:57 The Role of IBHS in Disaster MitigationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Hurricane Milton bears down on the state of Florida, Dr. Matt Sitkowski and Dr. Greg Postel of The Weather Channel sit down to discuss this prolific storm.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Dr. Matt Bilskie, Assistant Professor at the University of GeorgiaA lot of our Weather Geeks listeners will remember the classic game show, “Press Your Luck” and living in a city along the Gulf or Atlantic coastlines is a lot like playing it! Every single hurricane season, you are hoping that you can make it across the board without hitting a Whammy. But sometimes, Mother Nature isn’t so kind and she could hit you with the Triple Whammy from a landfalling hurricane, which is scientifically called compound flooding! What is that and how can we mitigate against it? Our guest today Dr. Matt Bilskie has been working on methods to better assess this threat so your family and property can be safe and you don’t have to continue pressing your luck…Chapters00:00 Living on the Coast: Playing Press Your Luck06:55 The Hazards of Water in Hurricanes07:02 Understanding Compound Flooding19:42 Mitigating Compound Flooding with Nature-Based Solutions25:27 Future Floods and Climate ChangeSee Privacy Polic

Guest: Bill Haskell, ArtistArtists and musicians will often cite a muse as their inspiration for their works of art, which is usually a love interest or dreams of success. But what about the weather? Can it be a muse? For us Weather Geeks, we find inspiration in the weather in every single model run and supercell structure, and it turns out that we aren’t the only ones! Today on the show we have Bill Haskell to discuss how he incorporates the weather around him into his beautiful landscape paintings.Chapters00:00 Finding Inspiration in Weather02:14 The Power of Weather in Art07:45 Tornadoes as Metaphors13:01 The Appeal of Tornado Paintings18:32 The Smallness of Humanity23:17 Incorporating Weather in ArtSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Scott Rayder, President of LynkerHere on the Weather Geeks podcast, we don’t have to remind you what NOAA is and how they work every single day to protect life and property. But there are a lot of others out there who have never even heard of NOAA and don’t truly understand where their weather forecasts come from. They may be surprised that The Weather Channel or their favorite mobile phone app isn’t the one issuing a tornado warning for their area! NOAA does it all, and they need the funding in order to keep doing it, and unfortunately, they aren’t getting enough of it. On the show today we have former NOAA Chief of Staff Scott Rayder to discuss why more funding is desperately needed before it’s too late…Chapters00:00 Introduction08:12 Advancements in Weather Forecasting14:54 The Evolving Landscape of Weather Modeling30:59 Recognizing and Supporting NOAA's Critical Work37:42 ConclusionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com

Guest: Dr. Jeremy Werdell, Oceanographer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterFrom the smallest plankton to the grandest cloud formations, the PACE mission is poised to capture the breathtaking complexity of Earth's interconnected ecosystems. PACE stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem. It's a mission that transcends mere scientific curiosity; it's a rallying cry in the face of our planet's most urgent environmental challenges. By unraveling the mysteries of Earth's ecosystems, PACE equips us with the knowledge and tools needed to confront these challenges head-on. On the show today, we have Project Scientist Dr. Jeremy Werdell to break down the mission and why it’s so important for the future of our planet…Chapters00:00 Introduction to the PACE Mission06:16 The Importance of Studying Sea and Sky07:42 Aerosols: Understanding Atmospheric Particles14:51 Clouds: Their Role in Climate and Interactions20:35 Instruments of the PACE Mission26:34 Early Success and Data Release34:27 Looking Ahe

Guest: Dr. Jordan Schnell, Research Associate for CIRES at CU Boulder; NOAA GSLYou know the Phil Collins song that goes “I can feel it coming in the air tonight?” Well that’s how allergy sufferers feel when they see the trees starting to bloom again in the spring! It signals the return of pollen, which can be debilitating to millions of people. And that can even extend into the summer with ragweed and grass pollen! Scientists at NOAA have developed a brand new pollen forecast that can both help those with allergies live a sneeze-free life, but can also model how pollen particles move around in and interact with our atmosphere. Today on the show we have Dr. Jordan Schnell to discuss this exciting new product and other air quality hot topics…Chapters00:00 The Impact of Pollen on Allergy Sufferers and the Development of a New Forecast04:03 Dr. Jordan Schnell: Research, Air Quality, and Electric Vehicles15:38 Modeling Pollen and Its Interaction with Weather26:11 Impact of Pollen on Weather33:2

Guest: Dr. Stella Kafka, AMS Executive DirectorThe world of meteorology is vast, with the options of different career paths spreading far and wide! You don’t have to be on TV in order to be a successful meteorologist, nor do you have to work for the government at the National Weather Service. In that same vein, you don’t have to be a meteorologist to be involved in the American Meteorological Society, even though it’s in the name! Your career may take you in a different direction, but there is always a weather geek in there somewhere. That’s why today on Weather Geeks, we have the new Executive Director of the AMS Dr. Stella Kafka on the show to talk about her journey into this position and where she wants to take the organization in the future…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Dr. Brian LaPointe, Research Professor at Florida Atlantic UniversityAs we are heading into the throes of summer, a lot of you are going to be slathering on sunscreen and heading to the beaches! Heck, you may be listening to this podcast while ON the beach! While you’re there, wouldn’t you want to know more about the waters surrounding you and what little microscopic critters could be floating around in there? Maybe, maybe not, but we are going to geek out about it either way! I’m here with Dr. Brian LaPointe from FAU who is an industry expert in water quality across our country’s shorelines.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background08:29 Eutrophication and Water Quality27:12 Regulation and Management for Coastal Protection37:13 Warming Water Temperatures and the Growth of Sargassum45:04 The Human Alteration of the Nitrogen Cycle and Harmful Algal BloomsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Rick Smith, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NWS NormanIf you feel it, chase it! That is the tagline for one of the biggest movies of the summer and probably the biggest weather movie of the decade: Twisters. After the initial geek out took place, we were left with a lot of questions! Did it live up to its predecessor Twister, which inspired meteorologists all across the country to pursue their passion? Will we see a brand new wave of Kates and Tylers in the coming decades? Before we think too far ahead, we’ve got to break down the SCIENCE in the film, and who better to do that with than Rick Smith, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Norman…Chapters00:00 Introduction to Twisters and Rick Smith09:14 Involvement with the Movie Twisters23:12 Accuracy of Science in Twisters34:02 Weather Modification and Taming Tornadoes36:42 The Future of Twisters and Potential SequelsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#d

Guest: Dr. Jessica Murfree, Assistant Professor at UNC Chapel HillThe biggest event in the sporting world is taking place in Paris this summer! The Olympics brings in hundreds of athletes and even more spectators from all across the world from so many different backgrounds and ideologies. How do all of these minds come together not just to compete, but also think about our environment and climate as they do so? We have sports ecologist Dr. Jessica Murfree here on the show today to talk about the unique intersection of sports, our changing climate, and extreme weather events, and how that intersection can make all of us more future-thinking so we can go for the gold!Chapters00:00 Introduction: Exploring the Intersection of Sports, Weather, and Climate09:51 Understanding Sports Ecology: The Study of Relationships Between Sports and the Natural Environment15:49 The Environmental Challenges of the Olympics: Heat and Climate Change21:23 Adapting Sports to Climate Change: Considerations for Spectator

Guest: Charles Peek, Storm Tracker for The Weather ChannelIt’s the thrill of the chase! After a record-breaking severe season, countless jaw-dropping videos of supercells and tornadoes were live streamed from every inch of Tornado Alley. Coupling that with the much anticipated release of the movie Twisters this summer, the sport of storm chasing has been a hot topic conversation. A lot of chasers would tell you that the movie Twister inspired them to pursue this career, but a LOT has changed since 1996! More technology, the rise of social media, and other avenues to make money are all on the table! On the show today, we have long-time storm chaser Charles Peek from The Weather Channel to talk about chasing in the year 2024 and beyond…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest: Dr. Shepherd & the Creators of Weather GeeksAs long as there has been weather, we have had weather geeks. Before we had the radar to see storms from different layers and the satellites to see hurricanes from space, the fascination of weather has always been there. But only for the past 10 years has there been a Weather Geeks show; first starting as a half-hour geek out on The Weather Channel and now a podcast that you’re listening to wherever you are! And since the beginning, Dr. Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia has been your host and he’s sitting down with us to reminisce and regale about the past 10 years of Weather Geeks…Chapters00:00 The Fascination of Weather Geeks02:14 Bitten by the Weather Bug04:28 Creating a Meet the Press for Weather05:07 The Reluctant Host10:39 The Evolution of Hosting16:17 Fascinating Guests21:39 Geeking Out with Ginger Zee and Janice Hough22:05 A Place to Geek Out22:42 The Value of Weather Geeks in the Weathergeek Community24:21 Challenges