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WeatherBrains

WeatherBrains

By: Big Brains Media LLC
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The world's oldest and greatest weather podcast. Join weather geeks James Spann, Bill Murray, Kim Klockow-McClain, Dr. Neil Jacobs, Rick Smith, Aubrey Urbanowicz, Jen Narramore, and Troy Kimmel along with some of the most brilliant minds in the weather enterprise every week!2022 Big Brains Media, LLC Earth Sciences Science
Episodes
  • WeatherBrains 1080: Swamp Stink

    WeatherBrains 1080: Swamp Stink
    Sep 30 2026
    This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about weather wisdom, forecasting in the model era, communicating uncertainty, climate change, and what meteorologists can still learn by opening the window and looking outside. Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode is Dr. Lou McNally AKA "Altitude Lou". He's spent half a century proving that good forecasting involves more than simply reading model input. He's a long time broadcast meteorologist, a professor, historical climatologist and champion of natural weather forecasting. Dr. McNally, welcome to WeatherBrains! Guest Panelist tonight is Sandy LaCorte. Sandy supports various programs at NOAA's Weather Program Office, and is here tonight to speak about the upcoming student conference portion of the NWA Annual Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. Sandy, welcome! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Panelist thoughts on upcoming post-Polo rain event (03:30)What is driving placement uncertainty with this upcoming SW Oklahoma rain event? (05:30)Possible supercells across Oklahoma Wednesday night? (07:45)Guest Panelist Sandy LaCorte discusses upcoming 2026 NWA Annual Meeting Student Conference in Omaha, NE (14:00)Mock interviews at 2026 NWA Annual Meeting Student Conference! (17:00)Dr. Lou McNally's background and introduction! (20:30)Difference between making a forecast for colleagues in academia vs public perception (22:30)Weather Enterprise gains vs quiet losses as forecasting becomes more automated (23:30)Dr. McNally's most impactful past forecasted events (33:00)Important habits and things to look for as a new meteorologist (37:00)Weather folklore favorites - good and bad! (48:00)All about numerical model guidance and ensembles (51:00)Maine's climate, maritime influence and forecast challenges (01:05:00)"Nor'easter" vs "Northeaster" terminology (01:09:00)Maine's history with tropical cyclone landfalls (01:16:00)Dr. McNally's time at WBZ in Boston (01:27:00)State of broadcast meteorology in 2026 (01:30:00)The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:32:00)This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:34:00)E-Mail Segment (No segment this week)Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:43:30)and more! Web Sites from Episode 1080: NOAA's Weather Program Office 2026 NWA Annual Meeting October 17th-21st Omaha, Nebraska Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Sandy LaCorte - As the Weekend Storm Departs, A Look Back at the Spectacular UWS Sunsets it Produced Dr. Lou McNally - Quote Origin: If You Don't Like Our Weather, Just Wait a Few Minutes James Aydelott - 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Jen Narramore - Foghorn Rick Smith - Utility of Radar-Based Preliminary Tornado Tracks with Super-Resolution Velocity Data for Impact-Based Decision Support Troy Kimmel - Texas Hazardous Weather Coordination Workshop Thursday, September 24, 2026 Kim Klockow-McClain - Foghorn Bill Murray - Weatherwise magazine John Gordon - Foghorn James Spann - Phillip Klotzbach on X 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 47 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1081: Deep in the Weeds

    WeatherBrains 1081: Deep in the Weeds
    Oct 6 2026
    This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about fire weather from both a historical and modern perspective. Our Guest WeatherBrains for tonight's episode is NWS meteorologist Tom Hultquist. Our discussion begins with the Peshtigo Fire of 1871, the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history. Dr. Stephanie Hoekstra and Robyn Heffernan also join us to explore how fire weather information is used today - from risk perception and decision support to operational forecasting, interagency coordination, and the challenges facing wildland fire professionals. Guest Panelist John Cameron is a TV meteorologist at News Channel 6 from Wichita Falls, TX who also joins us tonight. Welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Invest 92L in SW Gulf (04:00)Dr. Stephanie Hoekstra's early background in weather (06:00)Robyn Heffernan's early background in weather (07:00)Tom Hultquist's early background in weather (09:00)John Cameron's journey into the field of meteorology (12:30)Analysis of Peshtigo Fire of 1871 (17:30)Meteorological/anomalous setup that set the stage for the Peshtigo Fire (19:00)Fuel management is a key player in driving wildfires (31:00)Predominate tribes that inhabited the Peshtigo area in 1871 (43:00)Peshtigo area vegetation/forestry and the role it played (46:30)National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) (48:00)History of Red Flag Warning terminology (54:30)Concerns over nefarious actors/arson in the wake of public fire forecasts (01:01:30)Financial incentives for arson: Strict guidelines needed to prevent this criminal activity (01:03:30)All about NOAA's Fire Weather Testbed (01:09:00)Clarifying Red Flag Warning vs Fire Warning (01:22:00)The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:33:00)This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:35:00)E-Mail Segment (01:36:30)Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:40:00)and more! Web Sites from Episode 1081: National Interagency Fire Center Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: John Cameron - KAUZ-TV 6 Wichita Falls, Texas 1964 tornado John Cameron - J. Fitz Kennedy on Soundcloud Dr. Stephanie Hoekstra - "Operationalizing the Fire Warning: distinguishing structural constraints from training-sensitive perceptions" by Dr. Stephanie Hoekstra Tom Hultquist - Official Website of the Peshtigo Historical Society James Aydelott - iCyclone on X: NOLO's center crossing the International Date Line James Aydelott - Okie James and family at Peshtigo Museum Jen Narramore - The Tragedy of Williamsonville Rick Smith - NOAA Fire Weather Testbed Launches First In-Person Evaluation Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - Call for Volunteers: AMS Statement on Prediction Markets and Weather Information Bill Murray - Out John Gordon - Germany's Rhine river hits new low James Spann - NWS deals with radar issues along Gulf Coast 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 49 mins
  • WeatherBrains 1082: Shut the Cluck Up

    WeatherBrains 1082: Shut the Cluck Up
    Oct 13 2026
    This week's WeatherBrains episode is all about FOX Weather. Our Two Guest WeatherBrains tonight are members of FOX Weather. FOX Weather has recently celebrated five years on the air. Together they give us a fascinating look into how a national weather network got built, how it has evolved and where weather communication goes next. Ian Oliver and Hailey Meier, we are honored to have you on this week's episode. Welcome! Our Guest Panelist for tonight's episode is a broadcast meteorologist with over two decades of experience. He's worked in Macon, Georgia, Grand Junction, Colorado, and even NTV (Newfoundland television) in St. Johns, Newfoundland from 2013-2025. He has now recently launched Sheerr Weather. Eddie Sheerr, we are honored to have you on tonight's episode! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. James Spann appears on ESPN's College GameDay! (06:30)2026 Omaha NWA Annual Meeting roll call (14:00)FOX Weather's startup in 2021 (15:30)Hailey Meier's journey from MSU scholarship recipient to FOX Weather on-air personality (22:00)Evolving idea and definition of what is expected of a present-day weather forecast (24:00)Behind the scenes: how the sausage is made at FOX Weather (29:30)Caution in dealing with AI/fake images and video in 2026 (35:30)Eddie's early weather background (51:30)Dealing with wind forecasts in Newfoundland (01:05:00)Notable hurricanes of Newfoundland (01:07:30)Dr. Jacobs makes an appearance! (01:21:30)AI model performance with recent Gulf hurricane (01:26:00)Isaias post-cyclone feedback concerning forecast track (01:37:00)What is the definition of a sting jet? (01:49:30)The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:42:30)This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:44:30)E-Mail Segment (01:45:30)Sneak peak at future WeatherBrains episodes! (01:53:00)and more! Web Sites from Episode 1082: Eddie Sheerr on YouTube FOX Weather Alabama Weather Network Picks of the Week: Hailey Meier - SkyDiamond Dr. Neil Jacobs - EAGLE AI - Earth Prediction Innovation Center James Aydelott - Anthony Duarte on X: How accurate were the models with Hurricane Isaias? Jen Narramore - HurricaneTrack Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Fox Business adding FOX Weather Hurricane Isaias Coverage/Channel 3 Pensacola coverage Kim Klockow-McClain - Completing the Forecast: Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainty for Better Decisions Using Weather and Climate Forecasts (2006) Bill Murray - "Skywatchers: The US Weather Bureau in action" by William Bixby John Gordon - Nahel Belgherze on X: Terrifying footage of a violent tornado ripping through city of Marsala in Sicily, Italy James Spann - James Spann checks in and gives us latest surrounding Hurricane Isaias on College GameDay! 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 7 mins
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