Dr. Robin Tanamachi 🌪️

Stacey Hitchcock: From Fearing Storms to Seeking Them - Eos This atmospheric scientist digs into the details of storms to help keep people safe.

Stacey Hitchcock used to be afraid of storms. Now she studies them.

buff.ly/oU3GXvQ

Read more in our August issue: bit.ly/Eos-Aug2025

The next round of vacancies for the @nws.noaa.gov has posted for the #PhysicalScientist (1301) series from GS-11 to GS-14. All the vacancies are at the Space Weather Prediction Center, with the announcements closing on #August 15th. #Hiring

Link: www.usajobs.gov/Search/Resul...

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Willow shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

#SPOTTR student @willow-w25.bsky.social: "I think the #SPOTTR course is a great way for me to really hone in on the forecasting skills that I'll need for [a military weather officer] career" youtu.be/M7yuVs4cVIM
Fun fact: Willow came to Purdue after meeting a previous SPOTTR class out in the field!

It’s been cool enough the last few nights for us to leave the windows open, and it has been amazeballs. I love waking up to the sound of birdsong. 🐦‍⬛

Public Media Defunded, But the Fight Isn’t Over Congress has rescinded $1.1 billion in previously approved federal funding, but the fight to protect public media isn’t over.

protectmypublicmedia.org/blog/2025/07...

The demolition of US public media will be remembered as one of the greatest cultural blunders of the 21st century.

It should also serve as a cautionary tale about how rapidly bipartisan support can vacillate to partisan recision in just a few months. (I’m looking at you, US science.)

A Delta flight experienced Extreme Turbulence over Wyoming on 30 July, injuring 25 and causing a diversion to Minneapolis. AI suggested that one factor may have the presence of the ITCZ. Over Wyoming. We had questions... cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-bl...

Sofar Ocean Intelligence, Tomorrow.io, Black Swift Technologies and Saildrone are among other startups with innovative technologies and AI forecasting models that are increasingly supplying NOAA with critical atmospheric and oceanic data through its Mesonet Program.

“The mandate of the government is not ours,” said Tim Janssen, a co-founder of Sofar, which has created a network of buoys that deploy from vessels and aircraft with sensors to monitor ocean conditions. “It would be impossible for us to spend millions of dollars to do something just for societal benefit, [when] there isn’t a direct business case.”

NOAA cannot just rely on outside providers for weather data.

The costs of deploying and operating upper air, radar, weather station, and buoy networks, and other sensing platforms like satellites are far higher than the $27 - 30M Congress wants to give NMP.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0108202...

“If the U.S. is no longer the world’s technoscientific superpower, it will almost certainly suffer for the change. … Science itself, in the global sense, will be fine. The deep human curiosities that drive it do not belong to any nation-state. An American abdication will only hurt America.”

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Lauren shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

#SPOTTR student @lgrose24.bsky.social: Watching storms “definitely reminds me, and I'm sure it reminds everyone else, why we chose this major.”
youtu.be/V66lmQoA3mc

This afternoon, thunderstorms triggered flash floods in parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S.

GOES-19 captured this view of the abundant lightning flashing within.

Solution: hang up signs all over campus reading “CIS WHITE HETERO MALES WELCOME HERE, TOO!” It says the quiet part out loud, while also having the added advantage of being true.

In which DOJ sets up a straw man “BIPOC-only study space” as an example of discrimination, arguing that “the identity-based focus creates a perception of segregation and may foster a hostile environment.”

“Perception.” “May foster.”

Psst, your hegemonic fragility’s showing!

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Mia shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

Two-time #SPOTTR student @maliyah-wx.bsky.social: "I had an amazing time the past year, and I really wanted to experience it again, because I feel like there's a lot more I can learn from it still. You can never learn too much." youtu.be/Nu7Mun3BlXs

“The fact that this [report] has been released at the same time that the government has hidden the actual congressionally mandated national climate assessments that accurately reflect the science only further shows how much of a farce this is.”

If I were writing this NWS Grand Forks tweet:

The story I would tell if I were a journalist is: It is federal investment in research, hazard monitoring, warning systems, public education, public media, and emergency management that has made the response of the past several hours possible. All of that is being put at risk by the Trump admin.

Now is a good time to call your members of Congress & tell them the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (under NOAA) needs to be funded. Without it, communities will face extreme funding cuts, have their ability to prepare for events like this one (and much worse) deeply affected.

Tsunami warning for eastern Japan, in many of the same areas impacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Not good. Live English-translated TV coverage from Japanese broadcaster NHK: www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

Full video edit of the Watertown, #SDwx tornado up. It's rare I get a "video tornado" these days. This is the first time I've had chase video up within a week since...before grad school.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZh-...

The satellite reprieve is good, but as I write, "First, this isn't a victory. Let’s be blunt about this: For the last 7 months, NOAA and the NWS have been governed by seat-of-the-pants decision-making by the Commerce Department and the Trump Administration. It’s been pure chaos."

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Morgan shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

#SPOTTR student @morgancrows.bsky.social: "As a kid, I definitely loved the sound of thunder most, not like the really angry thunder, but more the gentle rolling. I always thought it was very relaxing." youtu.be/_RB0hMSUvnQ

For once, SLS will not conflict with my fall teaching schedule. My kids will still be on summer break. This creates some interesting possibilities for traveling to the conference with them.

Yay, it isn’t an April Fool’s joke! I look forward to listening.

2026 AMS Madison Summit The AMS is a global community committed to advancing weather, water, and climate science and service.

Having NWP/WAF and WxComm there might create some nice overlap with SLS, maybe? www.ametsoc.org/ams/meetings...

* First time SLS hasn’t been its own conference in … ever.
www.ametsoc.org/stac/committ...

🚨🚨 I've independently confirmed with @NOAA that they received a late-breaking notice from @DeptofDefense that SSMIS data will continue to flow for the remainder of the lifespan of the satellites. I will be updating my reporting shortly. Here is the official NOAA statement 👇

One conference to rule them all, and in the MadTown bind them.

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Ben shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

#SPOTTR student Ben M.: "There were times where radar was indicating rotation not too far from us... and you get that adrenaline rush through that." www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpSt...

YouTube video by Superheroes of Science Daniel shares their experience as a student in a Storm Spotter Class

#SPOTTR student Daniel S.: "If you had asked me a year and a half ago, 'Do you think you'd like doing fieldwork?', I would have said, 'Absolutely not.' Now having done it once I can say, I enjoy it quite a bit!" youtu.be/BKqBWixphsM