Episodios

  • Climate Blackout: Censoring Science, Endangering Lives

    Climate Blackout: Censoring Science, Endangering Lives
    Sep 30 2025
    In May 2025, the U.S. government shut down Climate.gov and fired hundreds of NOAA employees, censoring vital climate change information that American taxpayers had already funded. This shocking act of climate science censorship mirrors a disturbing pattern in American history that goes back 75 years. From the lead poisoning cover-up of the 1920s to today's climate information blackout, this episode is all about America's troubling history of prioritizing corporate profits over public health and scientific truth. This week, join host Emily Gracey as she interviews Rebecca Lindsay, a former Climate.gov program manager who was fired during the government crackdown. Lindsay reveals what critical climate information was lost when the website disappeared, why this represents an unprecedented attack on scientific transparency, and how the shutdown impacts educators, journalists, and concerned citizens everywhere. But this isn't just a story about censorship—it's about resistance and resilience. Lindsay and other former NOAA scientists and communicators refuse to stay silent. They're launching Climate.us, an independent nonprofit platform to restore public access to the climate information Americans deserve. Learn how this group is fighting back against government censorship and working to save climate data that may help save lives across the country.
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    33 m
  • Hispanic Representation in Weather

    Hispanic Representation in Weather
    Sep 23 2025
    Maria Torres turned her childhood fascination with Puerto Rican storms into a groundbreaking career at the National Hurricane Center, where she serves as the first female Public Affairs Officer and bilingual spokesperson. In this special Hispanic Heritage Month episode, Maria shares her inspiring journey from a curious child watching lightning, to becoming the trusted Spanish-language voice that delivers life-saving hurricane warnings to millions. Maria discusses why representation matters when it comes to weather preparedness, how language barriers can become life-or-death issues during emergencies, and her vital role in ensuring that critical storm information reaches everyone who needs it. Plus, get the inside scoop on what the National Hurricane Center's forecast team is predicting for the remainder of this hurricane season, straight from someone at the heart of the operation. This conversation goes beyond meteorology—it's about equity, access, and making sure every voice gets heard when the storm hits.
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    30 m
  • The Fall Foliage Forecaster

    The Fall Foliage Forecaster
    Sep 16 2025
    For decades, fall foliage maps were mostly guesswork. Then meteorologist Evan Fisher, founder of Explore Fall, revolutionized leaf peeping by combining weather data with real-time observations to create the most accurate fall forecasts ever made. In this episode, Evan explains how this year's unusual weather is affecting autumn colors nationwide, demonstrates how his data archive can show you exactly what fall looked like when you were a kid, and reveals how he quickly adapted his leaf-tracking technology to coordinate damage reports in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene hit.
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    26 m
  • The Year Without Summer

    The Year Without Summer
    Sep 9 2025
    In 1816, the world experienced something unthinkable: a year without summer. Mount Tambora's catastrophic eruption in Indonesia – the most powerful volcanic blast in recorded history – sent eighty times more ash than Mount St. Helens into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight globally and altering weather patterns worldwide. Thousands of miles from the volcano, people witnessed blood-red sunsets and snow falling in June. Crops failed, famine spread, and in the United States, entire populations migrated west to less-affected regions. The event reshaped America and built the Midwest into an agricultural hub. Join Emily Gracey and Brian Pietrus as they chat with Dr. Kevin Anchukaitis from the University of Arizona. He'll reveal how tree rings and paleoclimate data unlock this incredible story and explore Tambora's far-reaching effects on agriculture, migration, and even art.
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    44 m
  • From the Vault: NOAA Hurricane Hunters - Laboratories in the Sky

    From the Vault: NOAA Hurricane Hunters - Laboratories in the Sky
    Sep 2 2025
    As the 2025 hurricane season ramps up, we are bringing back this fan favorite from last year. This month marks the 64th anniversary of when Hurricane Carla battered the coast of Texas, instantly becoming one of the most intense and damaging hurricanes recorded in the state. But as houses and ships were battened down and residents fled the storm, some individuals with the Weather Bureau did the unthinkable: they strapped themselves into the cockpit of an airplane and flew directly into the eye of the storm! It started as a bar bet between pilots and became the standard procedure for observing and measuring hurricanes to provide life-saving data for researchers on the ground. Join me this week as I interview Daniel Tyson and Jonathan Shannon from NOAA to talk about what it’s like to fly into a hurricane and how technology has evolved since Hurricane Carla!
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    41 m
  • I Was There: Hurricane Katrina 20 Years Later

    I Was There: Hurricane Katrina 20 Years Later
    Aug 26 2025
    This week marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It's a sobering reminder that human lives are at the center of weather forecasting and climate conversations. Today, Emily is going off the radar with Traci Curry, director of the new National Geographic docuseries "Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time." We'll also hear from Shelton Alexander, a New Orleans resident who survived the hurricane inside the Superdome and wrote a heartbreaking poem about his experience. Join us for a powerful conversation about what weather and climate mean for the people who experience them firsthand.
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    24 m
  • Smoke Without Borders: Wildfires, Air Quality, and the Climate Connection

    Smoke Without Borders: Wildfires, Air Quality, and the Climate Connection
    Aug 19 2025
    This summer's devastating wildfire season has sent smoke across county, state, and even international borders, affecting air quality thousands of miles away from the flames. Host Emily Gracey dives deep into the science behind the haze, exploring why wildfire seasons are stretching longer each year and how a changing climate is literally adding fuel to the fire. You'll discover the invisible dance between smoke and weather systems that determines whether your city wakes up under clear skies or a blanket of particulates. Climate Central's Shel Winkley explains the wildfire-climate connection, while Michigan meteorologist Alec Kownacki makes sense of those color-coded air quality measurements on your phone – what they really mean, how they're calculated, and why the difference between "moderate" and "unhealthy" could determine whether you take that morning jog or stay inside. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    31 m
  • Jim Cantore: Weathering Life

    Jim Cantore: Weathering Life
    Aug 12 2025
    For nearly four decades, Jim Cantore has been America's most trusted voice in extreme weather. But in this deeply personal conversation, Emily sits down with the meteorological icon to explore the man behind the legend. Jim opens up about his New England childhood and the path that led him to The Weather Channel's early days, when cable television was still finding its footing. He shares candid stories from those formative years that shaped both his career and his character. The conversation takes a heartfelt turn as Jim discusses the personal storms that tested him more than any hurricane ever could—his family's health battles and the challenge of being a father while spending countless days on the road chasing weather across the country. With remarkable honesty, he reveals how these experiences changed his perspective on what truly matters. Jim and Emily also dive into the future of hurricane coverage in an evolving media landscape, and he addresses head-on the swirling rumors of retirement. This episode captures Jim at his most genuine—vulnerable about his struggles, proud of his journey, and refreshingly human. Expect laughter, heartache, and revelations that show why this broadcasting legend has remained so beloved by colleagues and viewers alike. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    42 m