Carolina Weather Group

After 33 years forecasting the weather for Charlotte viewers of WBTV-TV, Chief Meteorologist Eric Thomas is retiring. In a special sitdown interview with the Carolina Weather Group's Scotty Powell, Eric revisits his 3-decade career, including historic coverage of Hurricane Hugo, tornadoes, and other severe weather events. Eric also outlines the evolution of his career - from television into the age of streaming technology and social media. From our archive: Hurricane Hugo anniversary special Starting in 1988, Eric would oversee the creation and growth of Channel 3's functioning weather center as the Queen City's first degreed meteorologist on TV. As Eric explains, his degree and career track can be attributed to his father: Who encouraged him to seek the weather education ahead of a plan to go into the United States military and flight school. Eric, who had always dreamed of becoming a commercial airline pilot, studied the atmosphere and meteorology in college. A medical limitation that caused him to fail out

This week, we're revisiting the 2021 hurricane season with North Carolina's own Mark Sudduth of hurricanetrack.com. Mark travels the hemisphere recording outstanding videos of hurricanes and tropical storms. Mark shares incredible footage from storms such as Elsa, Ida, Henri, and more. Plus hear Mark's inside story about how they capture the videos you see on The Weather Channel or in his independently produced films about the weather. We're so pleased when guests like Mark come back year after year. Here's a look back at our 2018, 2019, and 2020 conversations with Mark. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE STREAM THE NON-STOP CAROLINA WEATHER NET --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/carolinaweather/message

This week, a special edition of the Carolina Weather Group covering the wildfires burning on Pilot Mountain in Surry County, North Carolina, and Pogue Mountain in McDowell County, North Carolina. Dry weather conditions combined with low humidity and gusty winds have led fire officials to issue a statewide ban on outdoor fires across North Carolina. Plus breaking news learned just today on the cause of the Grindstone Fire in Pilot Mountain State Park. The North Carolina Forest Service has determined the cause of the fire to be an escaped campfire in an undesignated area. The cause of the Sauratown Mountain Fire, also near Pilot Mountain State Park, was previously determined to be an escaped campfire. The Carolina Weather Group's Dan Whittaker shares video of roaring flames at Pilot Mountain State Park. WFMY TV meteorologist Christian Morgan joins us to explain how the weather conditions made it prime conditions for this fire to spread so easily. Plus the Carolina Weather Group's Scotty Powell visits another wi

This week never-before-seen moments of our interview with James Spann from earlier this year.  Spann, the chief meteorologist at ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Alabama, and the host of the WeatherBrains podcast, joined us in March to discuss the tenth anniversary of the April 27, 2011 tornado outbreak in Alabama. WATCH THAT EPISODE: https://youtu.be/OkJFCWnxTSc This week, you'll hear new moments with Spann as we talk about broadcasting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Spann has managed to become so ingrained in the community he loves to serve. Then join CWG for a special live edition of the Carolina Weather Group featuring the latest on wildfires and a statewide burn ban in North Carolina. We'll discuss how the weather conditions are prime for fires. Plus we'll explore the possibility of rain in the forecast and what impact it'll have on our ongoing drought. SEE IT NOW: https://youtu.be/vuF3QqPyPRc SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE STREAM CAROLINA WEATHER NET. LIVE. FREE. N

A large, wind-driven fire is burning on Pilot Mountain, located northwest of Winston-Salem in North Carolina. 200 to 300 acres have burned, according to local reports, and what you're seeing here is new imagery from the Carolina Weather Group's Dan Whittaker, who spent the day on the ground there Sunday. By nightfall Sunday, the fire was climbing up and towards the knob. You can see that here in this new post from Dan. Dan will continue to send back photos and videos just as firefighters continue to try and get this fire under control. The weather is not making things easier for firefighters. Dry, windy conditions have allowed the fire to grow to this size and things don't get immediately better. A cold front means winds gusty around 20 mph Monday will continue to make fire containment a challenge. You'll remember, we're dramatically behind on rain. Here's a look at the drought monitor. Combine that with low humidity, and you have prime conditions for fires. You'll notice all of our video is recorded from the

Dr. Greg Postel is the hurricane and storm specialist at The Weather Channel. You'll often see his expert analysis and insight from the network's Lab during severe weather coverage. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, Postel fell in love with the weather at an early age. His childhood of snow in the winter and coastal hazards in the summer, created a lifelong passion for atmospheric science. He earned an M.S. and Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Postel's strong interest in tropical weather led him to a post-doctoral scientist position in Wisconsin, where he studied the development of tropical cyclones from African wave disturbances, according to his Weather Channel bio. A decade-long stint in the weather derivatives sector-led Greg and his family to Kansas City, where he helped direct weather-risk management operations, focusing on weather predictability and forecast uncertainty. On this week's episode of the Carolina Weather Group, Postel talks about tropical trends seen t

This week, we're happy to welcome back Dr. Tracy Fanara. We're discussing oceanic dead zones and red tide. Plus, Dr. Tracy talks about her possible opportunities to visit space. She's in the running for projects involving both SpaceX and NASA. And if that wasn't enough, we contemplate the big question: How do you go to the bathroom in space? ️ It's an episode of the Carolina Weather Group you won't want to miss. We had such a blast talking with Dr. Tracy that we couldn't fit it all into this half-hour. Join us at https://patreon.com/carolinaweathergroup to unlock even more for JUST a $1. VISIT OUR WEBSITE WATCH US ON YOUTUBE STREAM THE CAROLINA WEATHER NET --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale was developed in 1969 by Herbert Saffir and Bob Simpson and introduced to the public in 1973. Saffir developed the initial scale when he realized there was no simple scale for describing the effects of hurricanes. He devised a 1-5 scale based on the wind speeds of a storm and the expected damage to structures. Simpson collaborated and added on storm surge and pressure. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) eliminated the components of pressure and storm surge in 2009, transforming it into a pure wind scale known as the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  Athena Masson and William Gough think they have a better way to classify hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and they call it the Masson-Gough Hurricane Scale. Their method combines previous components such as wind, barometric pressure, and storm surge as well as new potential elements that will measure an approaching tropical cyclone: size, precipitation, forward speed, and extratropical transition.  READ MORE THEIR

Do you know which has a greater chance of occurring: a low risk of thunderstorms, or a slight risk of tornadoes? The wording used to convene probability and risk across the weather enterprise is not standardized and thus not widely understood. University of Oklahoma graduate students Emily Lenhardt and Rachael Cross discuss their findings from "How Likely is That Chance of Thunderstorms? A Study of How National Weather Service Forecast Offices Use Words of Estimative Probability and What They Mean to the Public," paperwork they co-wrote along with Makenzie Krocak, Joseph Ripberger, Sean Ernst, Carol Silva, and Hank Jenkins-Smith. Their argument: No forecast is ever certain, as no meteorological phenomenon is guaranteed to occur. As such, the uncertainty in forecast information should be communicated in a way that makes sense to end-users. The researchers examined nearly 9,000 tweets from National Weather Service offices across the United States. Their findings: Only 3 tweets accurately convened the true proba

The combination of the new moon, onshore winds, and potentially some showers will produce salt water flooding along parts of the Carolina coast beginning Wednesday morning, with major flooding possible in lower South Carolina by the end of the week. MORE FROM THE CAROLINA WEATHER GROUP: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE STREAM THE CAROLINA WEATHER NET --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/carolinaweather/message

This week, Part 2 of the Carolina Weather Group's College Series, where we talk with tomorrow's stars of weather and atmospheric science.  Our student guests are back telling us why they choose their college or university, and what makes their college town the most unique.  If you have not yet seen Part 1 of our series, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/Lcnb2YEBaUk We talked with these students across multiple recording sessions but what you’ll see is a little bit from all of them.  And if you’re hungry for more, unlock the raw, extended interviews by supporting us on Patreon. https://patreon.com/carolinaweathergroup Let’s meet our students: Brianna Fox of UNC Charlotte Matthew Toadvine of UNC Charlotte Kate Melvin of UNC Charlotte Ethan Clark of Penn State University Chandler Pruett of Florida State University Robert Szot of Florida State University Jake Carstens of Florida State University Dylan Hudler of Mississippi State University Aric Illbeig of Mississippi State University Andrew

This week, the Carolina Weather Group is kicking off a new multi-part series talking to our industry’s rising stars. You’re going to hear from 12 atmospheric science students currently studying at college programs across the United States: What drove these kids into weather? How did they pick their schools? And what do they hope to accomplish in their career? We talked with these students across multiple recording sessions but what you’ll see is a little bit from all of them.  And if you’re hungry for more, unlock extra content for this series by subscribing to us on Patreon. In addition to unlocking the next episode early, you'll be able to watch the raw, extended interviews. SIGN-UP NOW: https://patreon.com/carolinaweathergroup Let’s meet our students:  Brianna Fox of UNC Charlotte Matthew Toadvine of UNC Charlotte Kate Melvin of UNC Charlotte Ethan Clark of Penn State University Chandler Pruett of Florida State University Robert Szot of Florida State University Jake Carstens of Florida State U

The last days of summer-like weather are among us, with a cold front approaching this weekend bringing in crisp, cool autumn air.   Plus... what's with all the bugs? We're taking a look at the perspective of bugs appearing on weather cameras throughout the Carolinas. With cooler temperatures moving in, the bugs are looking for new places to live. Some of them may even be coming into your homes.   And Scotty to the rescue! Not only does he cover flooding, but he's also the man you need in a pinch. Scotty tells the tale of aiding his stranded, fellow storm trackers.  RELATED SHOWS: Fantasy football weather CWG's Storm Chase Week 2019 WATCH THE CAROLINA WEATHER NET SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

Grab those dancing shoes and prepare to have your socks knocked off, we're taking you inside our special Spotify series: The Carolina Weather Group Panelist Playlist. James Brierton chats with Tim Pounds, the host of our special podcast series which brings you inside the musical stylings of our Carolina Weather Group panelists. With episodes for the young and old, our panelist not only drop the needle on their favorite tunes, but they'll tell you stories about their favorite weather memories, their most treasured places to visit in the Carolinas, and what makes each one of our panelist a special, unique-type of nerd. The episodes are free and can be found within the Carolina Weather Group audio podcast feed on Spotify. They feature full-length music from your favorite artists if you're already subscribed to Spotify Premium. If you're not, don't worry! The free version of Spotify still comes with audio samples of each song. Find the Carolina Weather Group on Spotify: Or get plugged in directly with episodes f

Florida State University students Robert Szot and Chandler Pruett think improvements can be made to the hurricane forecast cone produced by the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center. The cone is seen across television and the Internet. These FSU students join us this week to discuss the results of a public survey they did to better understand how the public understands and consumes this famous forecast graphic. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

It's been 32 years since Hurricane Hugo arrived in the Carolinas. The infamous storm, which impacted coastal and inland Carolina alike, is still ingrained in us over three decades later. This week, we're revisiting our anniversary special from 2019. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST VISIT OUR WEBSITE --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

SpaceX has launched Inspiration4 mission – the world’s first all-civilian human spaceflight to orbit – aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Many of you are sharing photos and videos of the rocket's vapor trail across the eastern Carolina sky. Approximately three days after liftoff, Dragon and the Inspiration4 crew will return to Earth and splashdown at one of several possible landing sites off the Florida coast. This week we're also tracking four areas of interest in the tropics, including the remnants of Nicholas, which will help bring rain chances to the Carolinas this week and weekend. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

There's a lab in Chester County, South Carolina where scientists build life-sized structures, and re-create actual severe weather, to test the integrity of home construction. Inside their lab, they can recreate damaging hail, damaging wind, hurricanes, and even wildfires. They can then test to determine how walls, windows, garage doors, roofs, cars, and more hold up against severe weather. Ian Giammanco is the senior director of product design and lead meteorologist with the Insurance Institute for business and Home Safety. Ian shares new state-by-state rankings that show how states, including North Carolina and South Carolina, stack up against other states when it comes to building safety codes. To make improvements on your own home, visit https://inspecttoprotect.org. To prepare your family for a weather disaster, visit https://disastersafety.org. And to learn more about the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, visit https://ibhs.org. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT O

Days after bringing devastating damage to New Orleans and the Louisiana Gulf Coast, the remnants of Ida are producing historic tornadoes and flash flooding in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where the Carolina Weather Group's James Brierton joins us live from West Chester County, Penn. WATCH LARRY SPRINKLE REFLECT ON HIS COVERAGE OF HURRICANE HUGO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST SUPPORT US ON PATREON VISIT OUR WEBSITE SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolinaweather/message

At least 5 people are confirmed dead after Tropical Depression Fred brought devasting flooding to western North Carolina. No place was harder hit than Haywood County, where floodwaters engulfed towns like Canton. On Wednesday, North Carolina Roy Cooper returned to the western North Carolina mountains to visit residents and businesses in Haywood and Buncombe counties. Looking back at the historic event, we're joined by Jason Boyer, Chief Meteorologist for WLOS in Asheville, and Chris Mulcahy, a meteorologist from WCNC Charlotte.  Jason Boyer introduces us to a fundraising effort to help the people of Haywood County, North Carolina, who experienced flooding in places along the Pigeon River such as Cruso and Canton. Donate to the United Way and WLOS' Hope for Haywood Chris Mulcahy takes us inside a National Weather Service storm survey that confirmed an EF-1 tornado in parts of Iredell and Alexander counties. See Chris' full story More from the Carolina Weather Group: WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE WATCH TH