WeatherBrains 977: Using Useful Idiots

Tonight's First Guest WeatherBrain is a veteran meteorologist and storm specialist with Fox Weather.  He joined FOX Weather earlier in 2024 after 32+years at The Weather Channel.  He became well known for his extensive live coverage of major weather events.  He's reported on over 25,000 live events.  He holds a Master's Degree in Meteorology from Penn State.  Mike Seidel, welcome to WeatherBrains!

Our Second Guest WeatherBrain is a 21 year old meteorologist and owner of North Carolina's Weather Authority, a popular online weather page.   He majors in environmental science with a concentration in Meteorology and Natural Disasters.  He's become a reliable and trusted source of weather in the State of North Carolina.  Ethan Clark, welcome to WeatherBrains!

Later in the show, weather reporter Charles Peek and legendary meteorologist Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel stop by the chat with the panel as Guest Panelists.  

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

• Milton tied for 5th place in intensity for Atlantic hurricanes on record (02:30)
• Planning for a major hurricane in Orlando (06:34)
• Removing significant amounts of debris from Helene aftermath prior to Milton (20:00)
• Covering Potential Tropical Cyclone #8 earlier in the season on Carolina coast (26:45)
• Learning from the disaster response to Hurricane Helene (32:45)
• Visualizing the potential enormous catastrophic damage ahead of time as a Broadcaster (01:03:00)
• Milton's size and wind fields will expand as shear impacts the storm closer to landfall (01:10:00)
• What would a 15-foot storm surge do in Tampa Bay?  (01:12:00)
• Comparing 2004's Charley vs. 2024's Milton in Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area (01:16:00)
• Hurricane Milton vs 2005's Katrina (01:16:50)
• Responding to disinformation spreading online (01:20:00)
• Hail in tropical systems (01:44:00)
• The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:38:00)
• This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:39:36)
• E-Mail Segment (01:41:05)
• and more!

Web Sites from Episode 977:

NCWX Authority

Charles Peek on X

Jim Cantore on X

Picks of the Week:

James Aydelott - Out

Jen Narramore - Brian McNoldy on X: Milton rapid intensification on radar

Rick Smith - Hurricane Threats and Impacts Graphic Neil Jacobs - Day of Days in Alabama from Hurricane Helene

Troy Kimmel - Out

Kim Klockow-McClain - Mis and Disinformation During Hurricane Season: Implications for Emergency Management

Bill Murray - The HDOB Message

James Spann - Flying into Hurricane Milton aboard NOAA's WP-3D Orion "Miss Piggy"

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.