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PODCAST

Meteorology Matters

Meteorology Matters delivers clear, data-driven insight into weather, hurricanes, and climate science cutting through hype to explain what’s happening and why it matters.Created by Meteorologist Rob Jones, the podcast explores:Extreme weather and hurricane forecastingClimate trends and real-world impactsForecast uncertainty and what the data actually showsHow weather science affects safety, infrastructure, and daily lifeWhether it’s breaking weather risk, long-range outlooks, or deep-dive analysis,

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All Episodes

36:42

Potential Isaias: Gulf Hurricane Hype vs. Reality

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/10/06

A tropical cyclone is increasingly likely to form in the Gulf of Mexico, and if it becomes the next named Atlantic storm, it will be Isaias.The National Hurricane Center now gives Invest 92L an 80 percent chance of development within both 48 hours and seven days, saying a tropical depression is likely to form within the next couple of days. At the same time, some of the latest Google DeepMind ensemble guidance has become much more aggressive on tropical development.But that still does not mean a

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29:19

AI Saw a Hurricane. Then It Backed Off. What Changed?

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/10/03

One of the world’s most advanced AI hurricane models saw a growing tropical threat in the Bay of Campeche. Google DeepMind’s WeatherNext system can generate 1,000 possible atmospheric futures, and its development signal climbed sharply before suddenly backing off.So did the AI get it wrong, or is changing the forecast exactly what a good probabilistic model should do?In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we follow the forecast as it evolves and examine why wind shear, uncertain storm organization,

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30:46

Can Faith Change Minds About Climate Change? Religion...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/10/02

Can religious faith change how people understand climate change? And can religious beliefs succeed where scientific facts alone sometimes fail?In this episode of The Meteorology Matters Podcast, produced by Meteorologist Rob Jones, we investigate the surprising relationship between religion, climate change, extreme weather and the psychology of scientific communication.Inspired by Robert Klitzman’s article, “A Faith-Driven Approach to Climate Change Can Sway Hearts and Minds,” we examine research

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45:18

September 2026 Nor’easter: Could This Become a...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/24

A powerful early-season nor’easter is developing off the U.S. East Coast, with the Northeast facing an extended period of coastal flooding, high surf, strong winds and heavy rain from Friday through the weekend.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we take an inside look at what is actually happening with this unusual September coastal storm and why its evolution deserves close attention.We examine the latest forecast guidance from the major numerical weather models, ensemble guidance and Google

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39:33

50 to 180 MPH: Hurricane Polo’s Explosive Rise to...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/23

Hurricane Polo delivered one of the most extraordinary rapid-intensification episodes of the 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season — exploding from a 50-mph tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane, then reaching an astonishing 180 mph with a central pressure of 892 millibars according to NOAA Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we examine how Polo intensified so violently in such a short period of time. What happens when exceptionally warm ocean water, deep

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34:46

The Great Miami Hurricane at 100: The Storm, the...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/18

One hundred years ago, on September 18, 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane struck a booming, vulnerable South Florida and permanently changed the region’s history.Meteorology Matters reconstructs the storm, the uncertain forecasts and the public confusion surrounding its arrival—including the tropical system that had brought flooding only days earlier and the newspaper headlines that finally warned South Florida a hurricane might be approaching.But this anniversary is about more than wind, water and

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38:57

Where Are the Atlantic Hurricanes? El Niño 2026,...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/14

The Atlantic hurricane season has passed its climatological peak without producing a single hurricane an extraordinary modern-era record occurring while much of the planet and its oceans remain exceptionally warm.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we examine how a rapidly strengthening El Niño is reorganizing tropical weather around the world: suppressing Atlantic development, helping fuel an unusually active Pacific, and setting the stage for major changes as we move toward winter.We also look

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39:22

The Weather of 9/11: Hurricane Erin, the Smoke Plume...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/11

Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, Meteorology Matters looks back at the extraordinary weather story unfolding alongside one of the darkest days in American history.That morning, New York City sat beneath an unusually clear post-frontal sky while Hurricane Erin churned hundreds of miles offshore. After the World Trade Center attacks, satellite imagery captured something remarkable: the enormous circulation of Erin over the Atlantic and the smoke and dust plume streaming away from lower

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43:36

The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane: The Veterans, the...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/07

On Labor Day 1935, one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to strike the United States exploded into a Category 5 storm and slammed into the Florida Keys with estimated sustained winds of 185 mph and a central pressure of 892 mb, the lowest pressure assigned to a U.S. hurricane landfall.But this disaster is about much more than the storm itself. Hundreds of World War I veterans were living in federal work camps along the Keys, and an evacuation train sent from Miami reached Islamorada just as

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26:03

The Mountain Broke: What Caused the Nepal–China Flash...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/09/02

The seismic signal initially looked like an earthquake. It was the mountain itself collapsing.On August 26, bedrock and glacier ice tore loose high above the Nepal–China border, transforming into a rock–ice avalanche, debris flow, and devastating flood. Meteorology Matters reconstructs that cascading disaster, explains why the evidence points away from a conventional glacial-lake outburst flood, and examines how retreating glaciers and warming mountain permafrost may have destabilized the slope

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40:03

How Weather Shaped the Human Body

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/08/27

What if some of the features you see every time you look in the mirror were partly shaped by weather experienced thousands of years before you were born?In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore the extraordinary evidence connecting human evolution with temperature, humidity, sunlight, drought, atmospheric pressure and other environmental conditions. From the shape of the human nose and differences in skin pigmentation to curly scalp hair, body proportions and our remarkable ability to

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46:24

84 Seconds in the Moon’s Shadow: Chasing the 2026...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/08/15

Meteorologist Rob Jones traveled to Zaragoza, Spain, with only hours of planning to chase the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse — all for about 84 seconds inside the Moon’s shadow.What followed was part science experiment, part logistical scramble: sold-out trains and buses, basic hotel rooms approaching €600, rental cars over €800, extreme heat, thousands gathering along the Ebro River, and a first experience of totality powerful enough to explain why eclipse chasers keep coming back.In this

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24:20

10 Times Weather Changed the Course of History

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/08/04

History is often told through kings, presidents, generals, and revolutions—but what if the atmosphere was quietly shaping those decisions all along?In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore ten remarkable moments when weather altered the course of history. From the forecast that helped launch D-Day to the typhoons that confronted the Mongol invasions of Japan, the Bhola Cyclone that accelerated the birth of Bangladesh, Napoleon's disastrous retreat from Russia, the Year Without a Summer

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49:03

Flash Floods: Why They Turn Deadly in Minutes

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/23

Flash floods can happen almost anywhere from New York City subways and the rivers of Central Texas to mountain villages in Italy, the streets of China, and communities across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Why do they become deadly so quickly, even when people know heavy rain is coming?In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore the science behind one of the world’s fastest and most misunderstood weather hazards. Through unforgettable disasters and the lessons they taught, we explain how rainfall,

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44:43

The Seaweed Crisis Swallowing Our Beaches | The...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/21

Why are beaches across Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of the Gulf Coast being buried under mountains of seaweed and why has it become one of the fastest-growing environmental and economic challenges facing coastal communities?In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore the remarkable story of sargassum, a floating seaweed that serves as a vital offshore ecosystem but becomes a costly problem once it reaches shore. We examine the science behind the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, how

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43:07

The Hurricane Forecast Is Only Half the Story

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/16

A hurricane forecast is only valuable if people understand it, trust it, and know how to act on it.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, meteorologist Rob Jones’ production explores why effective hurricane communication can be just as important as the forecast itself. Using lessons inspired by the career of hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross, we discuss how meteorologists communicate uncertainty, why public trust is earned over time, and how clear messaging can help people make better decisions

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38:59

The Great Hackensack–New York City Tornado Disaster...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/14

In July 1895, one of the most remarkable and least remembered tornado disasters in the history of the New York metropolitan area struck without warning. Historic Cherry Hill near modern day Hackensack and River Edge, New Jersey, was devastated as homes, businesses, farms, churches, and the railroad community were torn apart. The same day, another destructive tornado ripped through Woodhaven in what is now Queens, New York City.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, meteorologist Rob Jones

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34:10

The Heat Wave That Changed America: How Weather...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/13

What if one weather event quietly transformed an entire nation?The deadly heat wave of 1936 was far more than a record-breaking summer. It changed how Americans dressed, where they lived, how buildings were designed, and accelerated the adoption of air conditioning that would reshape cities, businesses, and everyday life for generations.In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore how extreme weather can leave lasting marks on society, not just through disasters, but through the ways people

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36:12

Can Scientists Really Steer Hurricanes?

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/08

Can scientists really change the path of a hurricane or is that still science fiction?This episode explores one of the most fascinating questions in atmospheric science: whether humans could ever influence one of nature’s most powerful storms.From Project STORMFURY to modern cloud seeding research, computer modeling, and artificial intelligence, the conversation separates what is scientifically plausible from what remains theoretical, unproven, or misunderstood.The episode explains what cloud

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44:28

America’s 250th Nearly Melted Down: The Historic Heat...

Meteorology Matters ·

2026/07/05

America’s 250th birthday celebration was supposed to be one of the biggest events in the nation’s history. Instead, record-breaking heat, dangerous thunderstorms, emergency evacuations, and severe weather forced officials to cancel parades, alter major events, and protect hundreds of thousands of people from life-threatening conditions.Discover how a powerful heat dome sent temperatures soaring above 100°F across the Mid-Atlantic, why the heat index climbed well above 110°F, and how the atmosphere

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270 results

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