Weather Wise Guy Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brent Watts - WDBJ7
Go way beyond the highs and lows of your weather app and see how weather truly impacts everything we do. Meteorologist Brent Watts is joined by special guests with topics on weather, climate, astronomy and listeners that experience weather first-hand.
What to expect from this year's fall foliage. When and where to look. And a study on how the fall foliage is changing as a result of climate change.
Guest: Dr. John Seiler - Professor and Tree Physiology Specialist at Virginia Tech [BIO]
A popular, August meteor shower is peaking in August. The Perseid meteor shower will probably produce the greatest number of meteors on the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13.
During the peak – in the early morning hours, when the most meteors will be flying – there’ll be no moon to ruin on the show.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy this big event.
GUEST: Dr. Michael Brennan, a 1995 graduate of Cave Spring High School in Roanoke county, is the Hurricane Specialist Unit branch chief of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. He currently oversees forecasters who issue daily outlooks and advisories, including watches and warnings during the hurricane season.
TOPICS: Dr. Brennan discusses the perfect storm scenario for Virginia, the frustrations in forecasting and messaging and what he and the forecasters face each season.
Brennan was an intern at WDBJ7 in Roanoke back in the late 1990s. Special thanks to Robin Reed for facilitating the content of the interview.
Read more about Dr. Michael Brennan in his full bio.
The morning of May 26, 2021 offers a treat in the sky. A full supermoon, PLUS a total lunar eclipse. While we won't see the whole thing in Virginia, we will get a brief "bite" out of the moon.
NASA Data Visualizer Ernie Wright joins me for a look at what the moon does for our planet and why new research there may mean even longer stays for humans in the future.
It has been 5 years since an EF-3 tornado touched down in Appomattox county. Brent recalls covering the tornado and more importantly, an interview with a survivor that will forever be on his mind.
WDBJ7 Story on the 5th Anniversary of the Appomattox Tornado
After some requests, jabs and a lot of coordination, the Commonwealth of Virginia finally has a full week of Severe Weather Preparedness.
Guest: Eric Seymore, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Wakefield, VA
Meteorologist Brent Watts looks back at the 2020 hurricane season that set records left and right and brought anxiety levels up and down all season long for those along the coast.
Check out a few of the interesting facts from this year's wild season.
2020 Hurricane Season Fact Sheet from NOAA
Will the winter be a delight or another disappointment for snow lovers? Meteorologist Brent Watts has the entire weather time drop by for this important prediction. How much snow will we see this winter?
Guests: Meteorologists Leo Hirsbrunner, Christian Johansen, Ian Cassette
If you're just wanting to cut to the chase...the snow forecast begins around 13:00.
Meteorologist Brent Watts looks back at how we ended October and looks ahead to November and some historic early-season snowfalls. Plus, the record-setting hurricane season continues.
Ever wonder where bugs go when it gets cold? Can the wooly worm caterpillar truly predict the winter? Meteorologist Brent Watts talks with Katlyn Catron from Virginia Tech's Department of Entomology to get answers to questions that have been "bugging" him.
GUEST: Katlyn Catron | Phd Student | Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech
Hokie BugFest 2020 (Virtual) - A week of insect-based interactive demonstrations, exhibits and activities for all ages.
Brent talks with Dr. John Seiler, Professor of Tree Biology at Virginia Tech about why this year's fall colors could be the best in years.
- GUEST: Dr John Seiler, professor at Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation | View Bio
- US Forest Service Fall Colors
- Virginia Fall Foliage Report
A look at some eerie coincidences that Ivan (2004) and Sally (2020) have in common. Plus, a look back at Hurricane Ivan's tornado outbreak that remains the largest ever recorded in Virginia.
Read: National Weather Service, Blacksburg storm review from Hurricane Ivan
Learn how weather forecasting plays a critical role in fighting wildfires and hear what it's like to be an Incident Meteorologist at the frontline of some of California's biggest wildfires.
GUEST: Phil Hysell, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Blacksburg
Track the fire weather conditions at the Woodward Fire where Phil Manuel is being deployed. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/maps/7062/ Twitter handle that announces IMET deployments: https://twitter.com/NWS_IMET_OPS IMET Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/US.NationalWeatherService.IMET.gov/ Wildfire Webcams from California: http://www.alertwildfire.org/northbay/ Watch a plane take-off from San Francisco, California through the orange smoke https://twitter.com/flySFO/status/1303880200036392962?s=20
Hurricane Fran was the last major hurricane (Cat 3+) to make landfall along the east coast in September 1996. Take a look back at the history of events and the impacts to Virginia including tropical storm-force winds and some of the highest river crests in history for some area rivers.
- Hurricane Fran: A look back
In Part 2 of our series on night sky observing, guest Mike Overacker schools Weather Wise Guy on how to find a meteor, what they smell like and even how to go about selecting the perfect telescope.
- Best Telescopes for Beginners
- NASA: Meteors, Meteorites, Meteoroids
GUEST: Mike Overacker, Astronomer
Overacker is a well-known astronomer and astrophotographer in Roanoke, Virginia. He has developed The Astronomy Mobile Outreach Vehicle (AMOV), a mobile astronomy outreach platform for schools, clubs, groups, and the general public. The AMOV travels to various areas in southwest Virginia to present science and astronomy to the public. Telescopes are available for both daytime solar astronomy and nighttime astronomy.
It can be overwhelming looking at the night sky. What are you even looking at? Astronomer Mike Overacker joins the podcast with a look at stargazing for beginners. What to look for, why stars are different colors and the best app for finding the planets.
GUEST: Mike Overacker, Astronomer
Overacker is a well-known astronomer and astrophotographer in Roanoke, Virginia. He has developed The Astronomy Mobile Outreach Vehicle (AMOV), a mobile astronomy outreach platform for schools, clubs, groups, and the general public. The AMOV travels to various areas in southwest Virginia to present science and astronomy to the public. Telescopes are available for both daytime solar astronomy and nighttime astronomy.
Sunflowers are almost magical as they follow the sun throughout the day. See how these colorful plants respond to the weather, are used to clean the planet, and visit a Sunflower Festival that's growing as fast as their main attraction.
Guest: Candace Monaghan, Beaver Dam Farm
- FESTIVAL INFO: Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival
- National Sunflower Association