Weather Geeks Team

What began as Fourth of July thunderstorms in Kerr County, Texas rapidly evolved into a catastrophic flash flood that overwhelmed campgrounds, highways, and homes. Today on Weather Geeks, we’re dedicating our episode to understanding the flood disaster in Texas’ Hill Country, how it happened so fast, and how we can better prepare for the next time the sky opens up. We’ll unpack the meteorological setup as well as the human and infrastructural challenges in warning, evacuation, and rescue. This isn’t just a weather story—it’s a community story, and a wake-up call for every corner of the country vulnerable to sudden flooding.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Understanding the Texas Hill Country Flood Disaster
2. 01:39 Meteorological Insights and Communication Challenges
3. 05:00 Analyzing the Meteorological Setup
4. 09:32 The Role of Terrain and Hydrology
5. 18:12 The Impact of Communication on Preparedness
6. 25:02 Cloud Seeding Myths and Misunderstandings
7. 27:22 Lessons Learned for Future Flood Events
8. 27:50 The Deadly Overnight Flooding Event
9. 29:02 The Importance of a Nightly Weather Check
10. 29:30 Enhancing Flood Warnings and Public Response
11. 31:18 The Role of Forecasting in Emergency Management
12. 33:44 Public Perception and Weather Warnings
13. 35:41 Psychology of Weather Response
14. 37:31 The Need for Effective Warning Systems
15. 39:54 Advocating for Weather Radios
16. 41:22 The Impact of Climate Change on Flooding
17. 43:49 Understanding Extreme Weather Events
18. 45:57 The Role of Sea Surface Temperatures
19. 51:30 The Human Element in Weather Events

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Guests: Bejan Abtahi & Maria Augutis

Every four years the most incredible athletes from around the globe gather to showcase their athletic abilities in the Olympics. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee plays a pivotal role in providing critical resources to ensure the athletes excel on the Global Stage. One of the biggest influencers of the games can be the weather. Joining us today are Bejan Abtahi and Maria Augutis. Bejan is an Olympic Performance Advisor for the USOPC and Maria is a Meteorologist with Sveriges Television and StormGeo. They work together to achieve a common goal: making the greatest sporting event in the world even greater! Let’s talk about it…

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to the Olympic Weather Connection
2. 03:08 The Role of Weather in Olympic Performance
3. 05:57 Meteorological Insights for Athletes
4. 09:02 Storm Geo's Contribution to Olympic Weather Forecasting
5. 12:02 Weather Challenges in Olympic Locations
6. 15:11 Weather Sensitivity in Olympic Events
7. 17:52 Preparing Athletes for Weather Conditions
8. 20:52 Collaboration Between Meteorologists and Olympic Teams
9. 24:00 Air Quality and Athlete Performance
10. 27:02 Climate Change and the Future of the Olympics
11. 30:06 Advice for Future Meteorologists

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Guest: Chris Van Arsdale, Google Climate & Energy Research Lead

Wildfires aren’t just a summer problem anymore. This past January, California faced an unusual and intense wildfire outbreak, with flames ripping through communities and forcing thousands to evacuate. What if we could catch wildfires in their earliest stages, before they spiral out of control? That’s the goal of Google’s FireSat, a revolutionary satellite system designed to spot fires as small as a campfire and deliver updates every 20 minutes. Today on Weather Geeks, we’re talking to Chris Van Arsdale, a leader behind the FireSat project, about how it all works and how they are using AI to help the firefight before it even starts

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Wildfire Challenges and Firesat
2. 03:10 Chris Van Arsdale's Journey to Google and Climate Research
3. 06:09 Understanding the Firesat Satellite System
4. 09:01 Operational Use and Future of Firesat
5. 11:48 The Role of Google in Wildfire Detection
6. 15:06 Machine Learning and Data Challenges in Fire Detection
7. 18:10 Implications for Firefighting Strategies
8. 20:52 Future Data Applications Beyond Fire Detection
9. 23:58 Global Interest and Collaboration on Firesat
10. 26:49 Environmental and Security Considerations
11. 29:59 Sustainability and Future Launch Plans for Firesat
12. 32:50 Global Applications and Community Engagement
13. 35:56 Final Thoughts on Firesat's Impact

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