WeatherBrains 534: Tales from the Tropics

WeatherBrains Episode 534 is now online (April 11, 2016). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

In this episode of WeatherBrains, we’re going to visit with Eric Blake. Eric is a Hurricane Specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL.

Blake received his Bachelor’s Degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 1998 and his Master’s Degree in Atmospheric Sciences from Colorado State University in 2001. His graduate studies were under the tutelage of Dr. William Gray, a renowned expert on tropical meteorology and hurricanes.

Blake began his career with the National Hurricane Center in 2000 as a student intern. He advanced to a full-time position at NHC in 2002 and became a hurricane specialist in 2006. The specialist position involves the issuance of track, intensity, and wind radii forecasts as well as associated watches and warnings for tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. Blake also performs post-season analyses of hurricanes and hurricane forecasts for the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins, and recently was the lead author of the Hurricane Sandy tropical cyclone report.
Blake is an instructor for classes at NHC, including the FEMA and NWS courses, which help to educate partners on hurricane-related dangers. In addition, he is a frequent presenter and participant in meteorological meetings, including the National Hurricane Conference, to promote hurricane awareness and preparedness.

Blake specializes in medium- to long- range forecasting, and received a Department of Commerce Bronze medal for work related to extended-range tropical cyclone forecasting. He helped create the 5-day Tropical Weather Outlook and is also a member of the NOAA Atlantic and Eastern Pacific seasonal hurricane forecast teams.

Blake serves on the Tropical Cyclone Best Track Change Committee, which considers proposals to change the hurricane record, important for long-term studies of climate. He has authored numerous scientific articles on hurricanes, serves as a reviewer for scientific journals, and is also the lead author for the book Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones, 1949-2006.

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

• Extremes: 92 at Cotulla, TX, Del Rio, TX, Laredo, TX, McAllen, TX, & McGregor, TX and 6 at Hettinger, ND, and Mount Washington, NH
• North Texas experienced tremendous hail damage with baseball size hail
• Severe weather in corridor from E Texas to SW Alabama
• Rest of week a bit calmer in severe weather department
• Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice
• and more!

Our email bag officer is out this evening due to house guests. Email bag will have a triple play next week.

Special congratulations goes out to our friend, Patrick Marsh, at the SPC who became a first time dad this evening around 7 pm. Patrick made the announcement in a “local stork report” commonly seen in the NWS as an LSR or Local Storm Report.

From The Weather Center:

WeatherBrains 101: In this episode we’re going to take a look at the history of weather radar. Radar is a relatively new discovery having come about with early pioneering efforts in the late 1800s.

Listener Surveys: Okay, we continue to drive this topic into the ground, but we really do like to hear from you. Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to fill out the Listener Survey. The survey takes just a minute or two to complete and provides us with an opportunity to learn where you are and hear your thoughts and comments on the show. Click here to take the survey.

Web Sites from Episode 534:

Solving the Jigsaw Puzzle of Hurricane History by Eric Blake and Todd Kimberlain

National Hurricane Center

To subscribe to the brand new SkyWritings, an email newsletter from the WeatherBrains gang, click HERE.

Picks of the Week:

Nate Johnson – NWS abandoning all caps in messages

Bill Murray – not sure!

John Scala – Physics Today article on tornadoes and flash floods

Rick Smith – Joplin Disaster Recovery Summit

James Spann – Accu-Weather Extends Forecast to 90-Days

SkyDavers Blog – The Fog Bank

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Nate Johnson, Bill Murray, Dr. John Scala, Aubrey Urbanowicz, Rick Smith, Kevin Selle, and Brian Peters. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating netcast about weather.

Category: WeatherBrains