Dr. Athena Masson

Dr. Athena Masson

@weathergoddess.bsky.social

Meteorologist & Hurricane specialist. Creator of the Masson-Gough Hurricane Scale. UofT PhD Graduate. JU MBA. I collect degrees. Researcher and Professor 🎓Not a “Weather Girl”

6,134 Followers 346 Following 505 Posts Joined Aug 2023
1 week ago
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Busy flight day above #SaintAugustine. #Contrail Weather. Created when planes fly in cold and humid atmospheric conditions and ice crystals form around the particles emitted from the engine. #wx #flwx

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2 weeks ago
2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season

The National Hurricane Center completed their post season analysis of #Hurricane #Melissa. Maximum winds were found to be 165kts (190 mph). This would tie with Hurricane Allen (1980) as the most powerful Atlantic hurricane based on wind speeds. #wx www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/ind...

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3 weeks ago
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As of 1PM eastern. #Tornado Watch has been extended east to include parts of Northeast #Florida & Southeast #Georgia. Strong squall line moving eastward today. Currently in Panhandle. Isolated tornadoes, strong winds, & small hail likely. Have multiple ways to receive alerts #wx

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1 month ago
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Small angel echoes near Green Cove Springs this morning. These circle-like echoes can typically indicate a scattering of biological entities such as birds, insects, or airborne particulates. #wx

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1 month ago
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It’s National Weather Person’s Day! Appreciate the #meteorologist in your life today. We strive to protect lives and inform you about our beautiful atmosphere☀️🌤🌧⛈🌩❄️☃️🌬💦💧☔️🌊💨 #wx

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1 month ago
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Groundhog Day live updates: Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter Tens of thousands of people are gathering for Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog that lives in a tree stump, to predict if the already long and cold winter across much of the United States will go on for ...

Six more weeks of winter! #PunxsutawneyPhil saw his shadow this morning. Phil has an overall accuracy rate of about 40% since he started forecasting in 1887 😉. #wx #GroundhogDay apnews.com/live/groundh...

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1 month ago
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Can confirm. It’s freezing 🥶. #flwx

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1 month ago
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Keep your eyes to the sky Northeast #Florida. Some flurries beginning to fall. #wx

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1 month ago
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Photo of a bomb cyclone in early 2017. “Bomb cyclone” is a term used to describes a rapid strengthening of a powerful low-pressure system. To be classified as one, central pressure must lower 24mb within 24 hours. Chances increasing for one off the East Coast this weekend. #wx

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1 month ago
Are trees really exploding in the severe cold? Sort of With severe cold hitting much of the country, some unusual phenomena like "exploding trees" could be on the way. Here's what to know.

An arctic front is expected to bring frigid temperatures to the middle and eastern part of the country and many are talking about #ExplodingTrees. Similar to a #FrostQuake with the loud ‘booms’ it can make. But very rare that a tree actually explodes. #wx www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

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1 month ago
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Gravity wave clouds this morning in JAX. Nice treat to start off the 1st day of the semester. Formed when stable air is forced up & down. They produce turbulence for aircraft. My meteorology students will have to wait until our Mountain Weather lecture to fully appreciate them.

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2 months ago
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Magnitude 6.5 #earthquake struck the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, near #Acapulco, this morning. There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.

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2 months ago
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Happy New Year! 🥳 First sunrise of 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ in beautiful #SaintAugustine. Looking forward to another exciting year and keeping my eyes to the sky. #wx #flwx

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2 months ago
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Beautiful #sunset this evening in #SaintAugustine. “Pink at night, sailor’s delight.” Dry, plenty of sunshine, & cold temps continue for New Year’s Eve as high pressure builds in from the west delivering cold northerly winds. Cold Weather Advisory & Frost Advisory in effect. #wx #flwx

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2 months ago
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Dec 21, 2025 at 10:03 AM eastern is the #WinterSolstice. The shortest day and longest night of the year and signalling the astronomical start of #Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. After the Winter Solstice the day light starts to get longer.

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2 months ago
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.

As meteorologists we value the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Wonderful research facility with brilliant minds who strive to better our understanding of the atmosphere and our environment. www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

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2 months ago
Redirecting...

Florida = Alligators + Hurricanes + Bugs www.facebook.com/share/r/181Z...

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3 months ago
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Powerful 7.6 quake strikes off Japan, tsunami warning lifted A major earthquake rocked Japan's northern coast late Monday, with the country's meteorological agency recording several tsunami waves reached the shoreline and local media reporting injuries.The mete...

7.6 #earthquake strikes off #Japan. #Tsunami warnings have been lifted. www.yahoo.com/news/article...

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3 months ago
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The 2025 Atlantic #hurricane season ends today. 13 named storms, 5 hurricanes, & 4 major: a near-normal season. Three Cat 5 storms: Erin, Humberto, & #Melissa. Melissa producing a world record wind gust (252mph). No hurricanes made landfall in the US for the 1st time since 2015. #wx

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3 months ago

Cloud-top temperature and height, helping to determine a storm's intensity. Colder, taller clouds (often shown as white, black, or red) indicate more powerful thunderstorms.

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3 months ago
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Confirmed world record. #Hurricane #Melissa produced a wind gust reading of 252mph. A Hurricane Hunter dropsonde recorded this gust at 657 feet above the sea, breaking the old record of Typhoon Megi (248 mph in 2010). #wx

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4 months ago
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Cold Weather Advisory in place for much of Northeast #Florida. Not everyday that we see wind chill values in the lower 20s, especially in November. Even wording of hypothermia & frostbite. Bring in all pets and sensitive plants tonight. Gradual warming expected after Tuesday. #wx

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4 months ago
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Coldest temps of the season arrive Monday & Tuesday for parts of North #Florida. Cold front moving through tonight with high pressure building in behind bringing cold northerly winds. Freeze Watch in place for Monday night & into Tuesday morning. Bring in pets & sensitive plants.

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4 months ago
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Seven years later and I am still rocking my #hurricane graduation shoes. #wx

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4 months ago
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It’s not #Halloween without the annual #hurricane pumpkin. Focused on the stadium effect for the eye this year. Have a Happy Halloween everyone 🌀

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4 months ago
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Eyes on The Bahamas today. However, #Bermuda now under a #Hurricane Warning. #Melissa will be picked up by a cold front from the north pushing it towards Bermuda Thursday. A chance of intensification but strong wind shear and the cold front interaction could hinder strengthening.

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4 months ago
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#Melissa pulling away from #Cuba & approaching The Bahamas. Currently a Category 2. Land interaction has helped to weaken the winds but heavy rainfall, flooding, & surge will persist across the region today. Don’t focus on the Category, focus on protecting your life and property.

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4 months ago
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From the National #Hurricane Center regarding the landfall of #Melissa. Currently down to a Cat 4 as it carves across the island of #Jamaica. Eye is closing off but has the chance to undergo an eyewall replacement cycle and strengthen as it exits back out over water before approaching #Cuba. #wx

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4 months ago
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#Melissa has made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, with winds of 185 mph and a barometric pressure of 892 mb. Tied with the 1935 Labor Day #hurricane as the strongest landfall on record in the Atlantic. #wx

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4 months ago
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Max winds are 185mph. Pressure 892mb. Category 5 #Melissa coming ashore in #Jamaica. Tied for the third strongest Atlantic #hurricane on record based on barometric pressure. If it reaches wind speeds of 190mph it will be tied with Allen (1980) as the strongest based on winds. #wx

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