WeatherBrains 593: I’m An Accident

WeatherBrains Episode 593 is now online (May 29, 2017). If you are crazy about weather, this is THE netcast audio program for you!

Our guest this week is the retiring meteorologist, Dave Freeman. Dave is appearing for the fourth time and has appeared on several WeatherBrains shows including episode 211, episode 325, and episode 403. He retired from KSN-TV earlier this month.

Dave Freeman was the Chief Meteorologist of the KSN WeatherLab and he was seen weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 pm on KSN News. Dave earned the Seal of Approval of both the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society and he holds a certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University, has taken advanced coursework from MSU, and has undergone special training in NEXRAD Doppler radar by the company that builds the NEXRAD Radars.

Dave is the first person ever recognized two times as Broadcaster of the Year by the National Weather Association. His coverage of the Greensburg tornado in May, 2007, was recognized with the NWA 2008 Broadcaster of the Year Award. Dave first won the award in 1992. Dave has been elected to a second term as a member of the governing Council of the NWA, and, he has also served as NWA national Broadcast Meteorology Chairman and as Broadcast Seal Chairman.

Dave and other KSN staff were honored by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for Best Single Topic News Coverage in 2008 for the live coverage of President Bush’s address to the graduates of Greensburg High School. The KAB also gave top honors to KSN for Special Program for “Greensburg, One Year Later,” which Dave co-anchored with Anita Cochran.

In addition to his work on KSN, he has been recognized for his severe weather coverage on radio. He was part of teams honored with the 1999 Kansas Association of Broadcasters Award for Best Radio In-Depth Reporting for coverage of the May 3, 1999, tornado that struck Wichita and south-central Kansas; a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in 1998 by the Radio-Television News Directors Association for radio coverage of urban flooding that struck Wichita in 1997; and Best Radio Spot News in Kansas from the Associated Press in 1996 for coverage of a tornado near Pretty Prairie, Kansas.

Dave is one of the few journalists to have flown with the Air Force Reserve’s Hurricane Hunters. He had the privilege of flying through the eye of Hurricane Andrew (six times, no less!). Dave also covered Hurricane Hugo when it slammed into South Carolina, providing live satellite reports from the coast. Dave has also chased tornadoes with researchers from the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma. In addition to anchoring the weather, Dave has also co-written a children’s book on storms, and a severe weather safety brochure for teenagers.

Dave is married and has three great kids. Dave is also a PADI SCUBA diving Instructor and an Emergency First Response (CPR and first aid) Instructor. He also enjoys driving his antique Cadillac! Dave and his wife will be relocating to Israel this summer to start a 5-year term of service. He also hopes to have time to continue his passion for SCUBA diving.

Other discussions in this weekly podcast include topics like:

• Extremes: 111 at Death Valley, CA, and 22 at 18 miles north northwest of Ryegate, MT
• SPC has only marginal risk areas next several days
• 3-digit temperatures in Southwest US
• Warm across much of the US
• Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice
• and more!

Our email bag officer takes the holiday off, but we still love to hear from you. She’ll be back.

From The Weather Center:

WeatherBrains 101: In this episode of 101, we take a look at the contributors to sunburn and the results of tanning.

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 593:

KSN-TV farewell story for Dave Freeman

Look back at Dave Freeman’s career

Google map of Israel

KSN-TV report on Greensburg, KS, tornado

National Geographic report on Greensburg Tornado

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

Picks of the Week:

Bill Murray – Hurricane City web page

Brian Peters – Kids and cars

Rick Smith – RIVoRS: rivers of vorticity in supercells

James Spann – Hurricane season local betting odds

The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Nate Johnson, Bill Murray, 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.

Show title comes from Dave Freeman’s quote on how he got into weather.

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