Episodes

  • WeatherBrains 1017: Jenny8675309

    WeatherBrains 1017: Jenny8675309
    Jul 15 2025

    Tonight's episode features TWO special guests!

    Our Guest WeatherBrain for tonight is an award winning journalist and author who's latest book "Cloud Warriors" was recently named one of Barnes and Nobles's best science and technology books in 2025 with a background in investigative and narrative journalism. He brings a deep curiosity and perspective to the world of atmospheric science. In researching his book, he traveled across the country embedded with scientists at the National Weather Service. His book explores the shifting landscape of weather forecasting at a time that climate change, technical disruption and institutional uncertainty is shaking the foundations of our industry. Thomas Weber, welcome!

    Our Guest Panlist is the lead meteorologist at the NWS forecast office in State College, PA. He's got years of operational forecasting experience and plays a key leadership role in the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of forecasts for central Pennsylvania. He's deeply involved in mentoring younger forecasters and helping to communicate critical weather information to emergency managers and the public. He's also a graduate of Penn State. Welcome to the show, John Banghoff!

    Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.

    • Role/responsibilities of a NWS Lead Forecaster (11:00)
    • Official "Cloud Warriors" book website (20:45)
    • How early science/technology developed and shaped societies (22:30)
    • Shift at the NWS forecast office in Caribou, Maine in the 60s/modern parallels (28:00)
    • What is a NWS WFO and what does it do? (29:45)
    • Focusing on public service in journalism (44:30)
    • Weather and its ability to be a great unifier (57:30)
    • 2019 Beauregard/Lee County tornado research (01:16:00)
    • Revolutions in weather forecasting (01:25:30)
    • Fighting conspiracy theories and misinformation (01:34:30)
    • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:44:40)
    • This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:46:45)
    • E-Mail Segment (No segment this week - stay tuned!)
    • and more!

    Web Sites from Episode 1017:

    John Banghoff on X

    "Cloud Warriors" by Thomas E Weber

    Picks of the Week:

    John Banghoff - "The Weather Gods Curse The Gettysburg Campaign" by Jon Nese Jeffrey J. Harding

    James Aydelott - Grand Canyon National Park

    James Aydelott - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    Jen Narramore - PA Storm Trackerz

    Rick Smith - Out

    Troy Kimmel - Out

    Kim Klockow-McClain - NOAA nominee Neil Jacobs testifies at confirmation hearing amid deadly Texas floods

    John Gordon - Pulse and Multicell Storms Conceptual Model

    Bill Murray - Foghorn

    James Spann - Sarah Marsh Obituary

    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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    1 hr and 59 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1016: A Time For Sorrow

    WeatherBrains 1016: A Time For Sorrow
    Jul 8 2025

    Tonight's episode comes on the heels of another horrific weather tragedy; a Texas hill country flash flooding event that killed at least 100 people. This was a flash flood that we all fear - extreme rainfall, rugged terrain, and was a nocturnal event overnight on a holiday weekend. It's a home-grown show among our panelists, and it's a critical topic about a historical weather event.

    Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com.

    • 1978 Texas Flash Flood/Tropical Storm Amelia (03:00)
    • What makes the Hill Country so susceptible to flooding? (05:00)
    • WEA Alerts issued before flash flood tragedy (12:00)
    • Prior major flash floods that have plagued the U. S. (20:45)
    • Returning to critical thinking about risk assessment and wading through the madness of social media (25:00)
    • Exploring the role of NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist and the EMA coordination process (37:25)
    • Difficulties of warning the public for flooding events/Call to action (50:30)
    • Warning fatigue similarities with Severe Thunderstorm/Flash Flood NWS bulletins (59:25)
    • Legacy and critical lasting importance radio/NOAA weather radio communication in an emergency (01:11:30)
    • Modeling post-event reports from NTSB service assessments (01:15:00)
    • First ever issued NWS Flash Flood Emergency (01:24:00)
    • Political activist posts following tragedy/cloud seeding explained (01:33:45)
    • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:47:35)
    • 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 1016:

    Samaritan's Purse Responding to Deadly Floods in Texas

    Convoy of Hope Response to Texas Deadly Floods

    Picks of the Week:

    James Aydelott - James Aydelott on Facebook: Texas Flood Tragedy Discussion

    Jen Narramore - Samaritan's Purse/Convoy of Hope Texas Flood Tragedy Fundraising Campaigns

    Rick Smith - Cuts to NOAA increase the risk of deadly weather tragedies - Yale Climate Connections

    Troy Kimmel - Foghorn

    Kim Klockow-McClain - Wine Fish

    John Gordon - July 23rd, 2020 Rainbow Wash Flash Flood

    Bill Murray - How one Texas summer camp successfully evacuated from the floods

    James Spann - James Spann on Facebook: Texas Flood FAQ and answers

    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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    2 hrs
  • WeatherBrains 1015: Not Clear and Concise

    WeatherBrains 1015: Not Clear and Concise
    Jul 1 2025

    Tonight's guest joins us from Bonn, Germany — and from the far side of the clock, where it's 2 a.m. local time! Lars Lowinski is a seasoned meteorologist with international experience spanning Europe and New Zealand. He now works with WetterOnline, one of Europe's largest weather platforms, where he connects their U.S. business operations with German-based product development and training. He's also an avid storm chaser who's pursued Great Plains supercells and participated in the Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, Oklahoma. Lars has been a loyal WeatherBrains listener since 2008 — and we're thrilled to finally have him on the show! 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.

    • Is tornado season over? (02:30)
    • Forecasting in the Southern Hemisphere and working with oil and gas industry (17:50)
    • Compare/Contrast experiences in NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed (20:00)
    • Importance of doing a thorough hand analysis before utilizing model data when assimilating forecasts (21:00)
    • Discussing the European Severe Storms Laboratory (23:00)
    • Importance of working together internationally/globally when communicating severe weather risks (28:00)
    • Breaking down barriers in the science of meteorology through simple human interaction (35:00)
    • Approaches/challenges in weather messaging across different cultures and languages across the world (35:30)
    • Looking back at Lars's storm chasing experiences (45:30)
    • Discussion of deadly July 1916 Austria tornado and it's experiences lost in history due to World War One (55:00)
    • European severe weather warning process vs U.S. severe weather warning process (57:45)
    • Weather-aware subculture in the United States (01:13:00)
    • Rise of Digital Meteorologists (01:16:00)
    • NWS budget update/analysis (01:29:30)
    • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:26:20)
    • This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:28:00)
    • E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)
    • and more!

    Web Sites from Episode 1015:

    Lars Lowinski Photography

    Picks of the Week:

    Lars Lowinski - Monster HP supercell in France (06/13/2025)

    James Aydelott - James Aydelott on Facebook: Three feet of rain in Tulsa, OK since January 1st/Wettest April 1-June 30 on record in Tulsa (Back to 1931)

    Jen Narramore - Lightning strike injures 2 at Northland HS soccer field in Columbus

    Rick Smith - Out

    Troy Kimmel - Out

    Kim Klockow-McClain - Earth's Clouds on the Move

    John Gordon - Kyle J Gillett on X: Panhandle, TX boundary collision

    John Gordon - Ronca-HohnWx on X: Memphis, TN boundary collision

    Bill Murray - Out

    James Spann - June 28th, 2025 Deuel County, South Dakota tornado

    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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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1014: Among the Daywalkers

    WeatherBrains 1014: Among the Daywalkers
    Jun 24 2025
    Tonight's show features an assortment of guests as we take a deep-dive into the National Weather Association - what it is, and why it matters. In addition, we examine how the NWA is evolving in its 50th year. We will talk about the NWA Road Map, the critical role of the NWA seals (both broadcast and digital), the power of professional service and volunteering, and the future of trusted weather communication in a changing media environment. James Jessel is a friend of the podcast and works with Guest Booking Officer Bill Murray. He works for Pinnacle Communications Corporation as National Account Manager and joins us tonight as Guest Panelist. James, it is good to see you! Becca Mazur is the 2025 President of the National Weather Association. She's been active with the organization since 2014. She works in Anchorage, Alaska, where she specializes in integrating new science, forecast methods and tools/operational forecasting. She holds degrees from Northern Illinois University and Colorado State University. We are also honored to be joined tonight by Matt Beitscher, who is one of the lead meteorologists with the NWS in St. Louis. He is the Commissioner of Committees for the NWA. Matt, it's great to have you join us tonight! Kendra Kent also joins the gang tonight for our discussion and is the Chief Meteorologist Fox Carolina News in Greenville, South Carolina. She is a long-time NWA seal holder and Emmy nominee. She was named the 2024 South Carolina Weathercaster of the Year. She's also known for her community service and animal rescue work. It's an honor to have you join us tonight, Kendra. Last but certainly not least in order of their appearance, Isaac Williams joins us from WANF-TV in Atlanta Georgia where he is a broadcast on-air meteorologist. He was formerly the Chief Meteorologist at WCBI-TV in Columbus, Mississippi. He's also an instructor at Mississippi State and is currently pursuing his PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Science from Mississippi State. Thanks for joining us, Isaac! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Memorable New England tropical systems this millennium (25:30)December 16th, 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado (29:00)Becca Mazur's most rewarding projects in meteorology (33:00)Notable professional challenges in meteorology (36:00)Difficulties of time management in a fast paced/digital world (39:30)Dr. George Fischbeck's legacy and passion for weather and its impact on James Jessel (46:10)How did James Spann get into the NWA/History of the NWA? (01:06:45)Preparations for 50th Anniversary/Huntsville NWA meeting September 6th-10th 2025 (01:09:00)"A Brave New World" topic of discussion at NWA meeting (01:14:00)The RON (Research Operation Nexus) (01:18:00)Creation of the NWA Digital Seal/Bill Murray's inaugural Seal (01:21:30)NWA Roadmap Initiative (01:31:00)The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week)This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:34:24)E-Mail Segment (01:35:35)and more! Web Sites from Episode 1014: 2025 Annual Meeting in Huntsville, AL - National Weather Association National Weather Association on X Isaac Williams on X Matt Beitscher on X Kendra Kent on X Picks of the Week: Becca Mazur - Terrifying video of the deadly Enderlin, ND tornado James Aydelott - My Perfect Weather Jen Narramore - Cass County Sheriff’s Office identifies victims in deadly Enderlin tornado Jen Narramore - Tornado kills three in upstate NY, including twin sisters Rick Smith - Automated Data Plotter Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn John Gordon - MetLink - Royal Meteorological Society Local Winds Bill Murray - Foghorn James Spann - Brian Emfinger on X: Site of deadly tornado from east of Enderlin, ND 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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    1 hr and 54 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1013: Underwear Older Than You

    WeatherBrains 1013: Underwear Older Than You
    Jun 17 2025

    Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is the creator of Durango Weather Guy Hyper Local Weather Blog that is an essential forecasting source for the residents of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. He's a former investment banker turned real estate agent and he taught himself meteorology. He now delivers deeply personalized forecasts to nearly the entire population of Durango, Colorado. Jeff Givens, welcome to WeatherBrains!

    • Difficulties of predicting microclimates (14:15)
    • Notable Iowa tornadoes (19:30)
    • Creation of Durango Snow Lovers page (22:00)
    • Forecast challenges in the San Juan Mountains (33:55)
    • Changing snow patterns over the last few decades (37:30)
    • Jeff Givens most memorable forecasts (44:30)
    • Small town attachment to weather personalities (47:50)
    • Veterans Day 1911 record high and low temperatures (01:17:00)
    • The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (No segment this week)
    • This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week)
    • E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)
    • and more!

    Web Sites from Episode 1013:

    Midland Weather Radio

    Durango Weather Guy Blog

    Durango Snow Lovers on Facebook

    Picks of the Week:

    James Aydelott - Drumright, OK F4 Tornado - June 8, 1974 - Tornado Talk

    Jen Narramore - Out

    Rick Smith - Trailblazing Oklahoma TV meteorologist Gary England dies at 85

    Troy Kimmel - Out

    Kim Klockow-McClain - Out

    John Gordon - Out

    Bill Murray - Gary England on WeatherBrains 745

    James Spann - Gary England's on WeatherBrains 443

    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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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1012: Regional Hair Club Convention

    WeatherBrains 1012: Regional Hair Club Convention
    Jun 10 2025
    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@weatherbrains.com. 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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    2 hrs and 3 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1011: Wine Science

    WeatherBrains 1011: Wine Science
    Jun 3 2025
    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@weatherbrains.com. 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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    1 hr and 54 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1010: Chief Smoothing Officer

    WeatherBrains 1010: Chief Smoothing Officer
    May 28 2025

    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@weatherbrains.com.

    • 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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    1 hr and 59 mins