I have received a bunch of questions about our new “podcast” feeds, which we started back in May. Let me try to answer some of them here since podcasting seems to be growing like wildfire.
A podcast is simply an audio program stored in a digital format that can be played on a computer or portable music player, like an iPod (that is where the name “podcast” came from). There are thousands of podcasts available today; some feature music, others are talk shows with a bewildering array of topics. Our podcasts are weather forecasts, usually 1 to 2 minutes in length, that you can hear at your convenience. One of the best parts about podcasting is that the audio files automatically download to your computer; you really don’t have to do anything. Then, when you sync your portable music player with your computer, the audio file transfers to that device as well. Even though our podcasts are only one month old, we have discovered we have hundreds of users.
Podcasting will be even more popular now since Apple’s iTunes program added support for podcasting early this week. Apple said yesterday that people have subscribed to over one million podcasts since the new version of iTunes was released three days ago. Seems like everyone is scrambling to get on the bandwagon.
You can hear our podcasts directly on your computer by following the link provided on the blog (we have a morning version and an afternoon version, scroll down to hear them), or if you have a podcast receiver program like iTunes or iPodder you can get the file loaded automatically with our RSS feed (yep, RSS will be another subject I will write about here soon; if you are not using it now, you will be soon. Everyone is jumping on the RSS bandwagon too).
If you do have a podcast receiver on your computer, use this RSS feed for our forecast podcasts:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Weathertalk
That is also the same RSS feed for this blog, it works for both blog posts and podcasts.
Like I have been writing about in this space in recent days, the times are a changin’… and changin’ in a hurry!
Podcasts Are Hot
June 30, 2005, 9:45 pm
by James Spann
in General Thoughts
Showers Widely Spaced Today
June 30, 2005, 2:48 pm
The Thursday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
As expected, showers are very isolated across Alabama this afternoon, and most communities will be dry this evening. Not everyone, but most folks.
We continue to watch the surface front over the Midwest with interest... big storms are firing over Kansas and Missouri, and that boundary is moving southward. Of course, with time it will lose the southward push as the upper support lifts into northeast Canada, but that front should be over Kentucky tomorrow, and near the Alabama/Tennessee border by Saturday morning.
I still think a pretty healthy batch of storms will move into Alabama from the north at some point tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow night, and they could produce gusty winds and lots of lightning. I would imagine a few severe thunderstorms warnings will be required for the potential for strong straight line winds.
Where the front stalls and fizzles is up for debate, but I don't expect dry air to move very far into Alabama. Huntsville and the Shoals might see dewpoints dropping into the mid 60s, but everyone along and south of I-20 will stay very humid through the weekend. I still think the correct course for the weekend (including Monday July 4) is to roll with the typical summer set-up; partly sunny, very warm, very humid, and the risk of a passing afternoon shower or storm in spots. It could be that the most numerous storms on Saturday and Sunday will be south of Birmingham thanks to the dry air trying to slip into the northern part of the state.
TROPICS: Storms over the southern Caribbean are disorganized, and we don't expect any tropical storms through the weekend. The GFS is hinting at something brewing in the northern Gulf toward the end of next week, but that might be convective feedback. It shows another system in the Gulf in the July 13-16 time frame. I sure get the idea things will be hopping in the tropics by late July and August...
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
As expected, showers are very isolated across Alabama this afternoon, and most communities will be dry this evening. Not everyone, but most folks.
We continue to watch the surface front over the Midwest with interest... big storms are firing over Kansas and Missouri, and that boundary is moving southward. Of course, with time it will lose the southward push as the upper support lifts into northeast Canada, but that front should be over Kentucky tomorrow, and near the Alabama/Tennessee border by Saturday morning.
I still think a pretty healthy batch of storms will move into Alabama from the north at some point tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow night, and they could produce gusty winds and lots of lightning. I would imagine a few severe thunderstorms warnings will be required for the potential for strong straight line winds.
Where the front stalls and fizzles is up for debate, but I don't expect dry air to move very far into Alabama. Huntsville and the Shoals might see dewpoints dropping into the mid 60s, but everyone along and south of I-20 will stay very humid through the weekend. I still think the correct course for the weekend (including Monday July 4) is to roll with the typical summer set-up; partly sunny, very warm, very humid, and the risk of a passing afternoon shower or storm in spots. It could be that the most numerous storms on Saturday and Sunday will be south of Birmingham thanks to the dry air trying to slip into the northern part of the state.
TROPICS: Storms over the southern Caribbean are disorganized, and we don't expect any tropical storms through the weekend. The GFS is hinting at something brewing in the northern Gulf toward the end of next week, but that might be convective feedback. It shows another system in the Gulf in the July 13-16 time frame. I sure get the idea things will be hopping in the tropics by late July and August...
ABC 33/40 Afternoon Podcast for June 30 2005
June 30, 2005, 9:55 am
The ABC 33/40 Podcast for Thursday afternoon, June 30 is now being served by our RSS feed.
Want to subscribe to our free daily podcast audio weather forecast? Use this RSS feed in your podcast receiving program:
feeds.feedburner.com/Weathertalk
by James Spann
in General Thoughts
Summer Breeze
June 30, 2005, 5:49 am
The Thursday morning map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
The headline to this post is a little misleading; there won't be much of a breeze at all today. That is simply one summer song I didn't mention on my list of great summer songs from the top 40 radio era (mostly the 60s and 70s) on my afternoon post yesterday (scroll down to read it)... thats to a reader for reminding me of the song "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts. What a great tune...
I got an MP3 player for my birthday a few weeks ago, I will have to download that song and put it on the playlist. Love being to download any song for only 88 cents... the music industry has finally figured out that people will pay for downloads when the price is right. Walmart has songs for 88 cents, ITunes and many others are 99 cents. Maybe I need to send Walmart a bill for the plug here! Don't forget, if you have an MP3 player you can get the latest forecast twice daily with our podcast updates...
Back to the subject... the hot weather still looks like the big story today as the mercury will soar into the low 90s. I still think storms this afternoon will be pretty isolated.
We will watch to keep an eye on developments up north where a cold front will trail a powerful storm system moving into Canada. Sooner or later, a batch of storms will move into north Alabama ahead of that front; the models don't agree exactly when that will happen. For now in our forecast package I have the best chance of storms late tomorrow and tomorrow night. We will probably have to adjust the timing; we will simply have to watch developments on radar. I will not be shocked if the storms produce strong winds in scattered spots, and a few severe thunderstorm warnings might be required.
THE WEEKEND: Where the front stalls out will have a big affect on the coverage of scattered storms on Saturday. For now I am thinking the front stops near Huntsville, and then fizzles out by Sunday. So, we will continue to broadbrush a routine summer forecast through the Fourth of July, with highs near 90 degrees and the risk of a passing thunderstorm each afternoon in scattered spots. We don't see anything that suggests fireworks shows will be rained out. In fact, the GFS actually is showing drier air slipping in here slowly on Sunday and Monday, although I don't buy it right now.
TROPICS: Pretty quiet in the Atlantic basin right now, and looks like there will be no tropical storm woes for the U.S. coast during the holiday weekend. The GFS does develop some kind of tropical system well to the east of the U.S. Atlantic coast in the July 8-11 time frame, but it doesn't get close to the coast...
Will be back in the office with the next map discussion video online by 3:30 or so....
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
The headline to this post is a little misleading; there won't be much of a breeze at all today. That is simply one summer song I didn't mention on my list of great summer songs from the top 40 radio era (mostly the 60s and 70s) on my afternoon post yesterday (scroll down to read it)... thats to a reader for reminding me of the song "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts. What a great tune...
I got an MP3 player for my birthday a few weeks ago, I will have to download that song and put it on the playlist. Love being to download any song for only 88 cents... the music industry has finally figured out that people will pay for downloads when the price is right. Walmart has songs for 88 cents, ITunes and many others are 99 cents. Maybe I need to send Walmart a bill for the plug here! Don't forget, if you have an MP3 player you can get the latest forecast twice daily with our podcast updates...
Back to the subject... the hot weather still looks like the big story today as the mercury will soar into the low 90s. I still think storms this afternoon will be pretty isolated.
We will watch to keep an eye on developments up north where a cold front will trail a powerful storm system moving into Canada. Sooner or later, a batch of storms will move into north Alabama ahead of that front; the models don't agree exactly when that will happen. For now in our forecast package I have the best chance of storms late tomorrow and tomorrow night. We will probably have to adjust the timing; we will simply have to watch developments on radar. I will not be shocked if the storms produce strong winds in scattered spots, and a few severe thunderstorm warnings might be required.
THE WEEKEND: Where the front stalls out will have a big affect on the coverage of scattered storms on Saturday. For now I am thinking the front stops near Huntsville, and then fizzles out by Sunday. So, we will continue to broadbrush a routine summer forecast through the Fourth of July, with highs near 90 degrees and the risk of a passing thunderstorm each afternoon in scattered spots. We don't see anything that suggests fireworks shows will be rained out. In fact, the GFS actually is showing drier air slipping in here slowly on Sunday and Monday, although I don't buy it right now.
TROPICS: Pretty quiet in the Atlantic basin right now, and looks like there will be no tropical storm woes for the U.S. coast during the holiday weekend. The GFS does develop some kind of tropical system well to the east of the U.S. Atlantic coast in the July 8-11 time frame, but it doesn't get close to the coast...
Will be back in the office with the next map discussion video online by 3:30 or so....
ABC 33/40 Podcast for Thursday, June 30, 2005
June 30, 2005, 3:47 am
The ABC 33/40 Podcast for Thursday, June 30 is now being served by our RSS
feed.
Want to subscribe to our free daily podcast audio weather forecast? Use this RSS feed in your podcast receiving program:
feeds.feedburner.com/Weathertalk
More On The Changing TV Business
June 29, 2005, 9:58 pm
Continuing my discussion of the future of local television from yesterday…
I totally believe that in 15 to 20 years there will be no tall towers or transmitters like we have now for radio television stations. All TV and radio signals will be carried over the Internet, which by then should be everywhere (wireless), with plenty of bandwidth; enough to support high definition signals plus just about anything else you want to see on your TV, which will actually be a computer.
Just about all electronic devices will come equipped with broadband wireless Internet access, and will have unique IP addresses. This means you will be able to watch Internet delivered content on countless devices in every room in the house, and anywhere in the world. Quite frankly, we are rapidly approaching this now, but it will take those 15 to 20 years to get seriously broad bandwidth, wireless Internet access everywhere in the nation, including rural areas. Wi-Max is the first step in this process, which will roll out in the next 3 to 5 years.
Like I mentioned yesterday, our role is changing from being a broadcaster to a content provider. Of course, we will stream live events as always like football games and tornado coverage, but for regular shows people will simply have them stored in their computer/TV (like today’s Tivo boxes), and will watch them when they want.
What does this mean for weather coverage? With no bandwidth limitations we will be able to provide all of our sources to you directly; Doppler radar (which should be phased array radar by then), live cameras, and data of all types. Of course, we will have a variety of videos available, like our current webcasts and map discussion videos, and live severe weather coverage anytime conditions warrant. We are ready to roll with the changes… these are indeed exciting times.
I totally believe that in 15 to 20 years there will be no tall towers or transmitters like we have now for radio television stations. All TV and radio signals will be carried over the Internet, which by then should be everywhere (wireless), with plenty of bandwidth; enough to support high definition signals plus just about anything else you want to see on your TV, which will actually be a computer.
Just about all electronic devices will come equipped with broadband wireless Internet access, and will have unique IP addresses. This means you will be able to watch Internet delivered content on countless devices in every room in the house, and anywhere in the world. Quite frankly, we are rapidly approaching this now, but it will take those 15 to 20 years to get seriously broad bandwidth, wireless Internet access everywhere in the nation, including rural areas. Wi-Max is the first step in this process, which will roll out in the next 3 to 5 years.
Like I mentioned yesterday, our role is changing from being a broadcaster to a content provider. Of course, we will stream live events as always like football games and tornado coverage, but for regular shows people will simply have them stored in their computer/TV (like today’s Tivo boxes), and will watch them when they want.
What does this mean for weather coverage? With no bandwidth limitations we will be able to provide all of our sources to you directly; Doppler radar (which should be phased array radar by then), live cameras, and data of all types. Of course, we will have a variety of videos available, like our current webcasts and map discussion videos, and live severe weather coverage anytime conditions warrant. We are ready to roll with the changes… these are indeed exciting times.
by James Spann
in General Thoughts
The Big Green Wall
June 29, 2005, 9:04 pm
For interns at ABC 33/40, there comes an exciting yet fearful day when they attempt their first weather forecast. Mine happened to be this past Monday. Oh, what a day that was!
I was, indeed, swarmed by a mixture of emotions. The adventure of taping my first weather forecast was exciting. After all, isn’t this what we broadcast meteorology geeks live for! However, presenting a weather forecast in the presence of the notorious and well-spoken James Spann can be somewhat nerve-racking. He was aware and sensitive to my anxiety, allowing me to do my first forecast privately. The tape was rolling continuously because it was just practice. After I pulled myself together, I timidly stepped in front of the green wall. By the way, meteorologists stand in front of a green wall when actually giving the weather forecast. The graphics replace the green on the television screen.
My first attempt does not actually count because I stopped mid-tape to redo it. I like to consider it a “warm-up” rather than a blooper. Eventually, I began my presentation, starting with the current temperatures. Reading off the text became challenging. When using the green wall, you view yourself and the text only on the monitors to your left, right, and front. I finally finished the first run through and continued to tape about seven more. With every run, I became more comfortable, helping my delivery.
Later, I watched my tape and found several areas for improvement, but there were some aspects that I was pleased with as well. Today, I taped for the second time. Jason Simpson was equally as considerate as James Spann, allowing me to tape alone. This time, I was much more comfortable and less timid. All of this experience is helping me to improve my communication and weather knowledge as well as proving one of my favorite quotes: “Every time you stand to speak, you sit down a stronger person.” You better believe that I am going to be doing a lot more standing!
I was, indeed, swarmed by a mixture of emotions. The adventure of taping my first weather forecast was exciting. After all, isn’t this what we broadcast meteorology geeks live for! However, presenting a weather forecast in the presence of the notorious and well-spoken James Spann can be somewhat nerve-racking. He was aware and sensitive to my anxiety, allowing me to do my first forecast privately. The tape was rolling continuously because it was just practice. After I pulled myself together, I timidly stepped in front of the green wall. By the way, meteorologists stand in front of a green wall when actually giving the weather forecast. The graphics replace the green on the television screen.
My first attempt does not actually count because I stopped mid-tape to redo it. I like to consider it a “warm-up” rather than a blooper. Eventually, I began my presentation, starting with the current temperatures. Reading off the text became challenging. When using the green wall, you view yourself and the text only on the monitors to your left, right, and front. I finally finished the first run through and continued to tape about seven more. With every run, I became more comfortable, helping my delivery.
Later, I watched my tape and found several areas for improvement, but there were some aspects that I was pleased with as well. Today, I taped for the second time. Jason Simpson was equally as considerate as James Spann, allowing me to tape alone. This time, I was much more comfortable and less timid. All of this experience is helping me to improve my communication and weather knowledge as well as proving one of my favorite quotes: “Every time you stand to speak, you sit down a stronger person.” You better believe that I am going to be doing a lot more standing!
Hot Fun In The Summertime
June 29, 2005, 3:08 pm
The Wednesday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Anyone remember Sly and the Family Stone? We need to do some 70s top 40 music trivia on here sometime. Those songs were the soundtrack of my life for five years when I worked for the BIG 1230 in Tuscaloosa as a teenager.
The radar seems to be fairly quiet as of 3:00 p.m... but with good cumulus towers all around I expect more development during the next couple of hours in the moist air over Alabama. Like yesterday, the showers and storms in progress are not moving much, so some communities will have heavy rain.
We will continue the trend toward drier and hotter weather tomorrow and Friday, with low to mid 90s possible and only isolated afternoon storms. We will watch a surface front north of the state, which will be near Nashville late Friday. This might help to send a band of strong storms down this way late Friday afternoon or Friday night.
THE WEEKEND: The front will stall out and wash out this weekend, and I still think we can roll with a forecast of typical summer weather for the Independence Day weekend. Partly sunny, warm, humid days with a passing shower or storm around each afternoon. Temperatures will top out near the 90 degree mark.
TROPICS: Bret moved into Mexico this morning as a weak tropical storm, and is now falling apart as the circulation remains inland. Unfortunately the best moisture should stay south of the Rio Grande River Valley, where they really need the rain.
Here are some other summer songs that come to mind from my days in radio:
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Summer - War
Summer Nights - John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John (from the movie Grease)
Summer Song - Chad and Jeremy
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summer In The City - Lovin Spoonful
Summertime, Summertime - The Jamies
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran
I am sure there are many more, but due to pressing duty I must hit the "post" button and move on!
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Anyone remember Sly and the Family Stone? We need to do some 70s top 40 music trivia on here sometime. Those songs were the soundtrack of my life for five years when I worked for the BIG 1230 in Tuscaloosa as a teenager.
The radar seems to be fairly quiet as of 3:00 p.m... but with good cumulus towers all around I expect more development during the next couple of hours in the moist air over Alabama. Like yesterday, the showers and storms in progress are not moving much, so some communities will have heavy rain.
We will continue the trend toward drier and hotter weather tomorrow and Friday, with low to mid 90s possible and only isolated afternoon storms. We will watch a surface front north of the state, which will be near Nashville late Friday. This might help to send a band of strong storms down this way late Friday afternoon or Friday night.
THE WEEKEND: The front will stall out and wash out this weekend, and I still think we can roll with a forecast of typical summer weather for the Independence Day weekend. Partly sunny, warm, humid days with a passing shower or storm around each afternoon. Temperatures will top out near the 90 degree mark.
TROPICS: Bret moved into Mexico this morning as a weak tropical storm, and is now falling apart as the circulation remains inland. Unfortunately the best moisture should stay south of the Rio Grande River Valley, where they really need the rain.
Here are some other summer songs that come to mind from my days in radio:
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Summer - War
Summer Nights - John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John (from the movie Grease)
Summer Song - Chad and Jeremy
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summer In The City - Lovin Spoonful
Summertime, Summertime - The Jamies
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran
I am sure there are many more, but due to pressing duty I must hit the "post" button and move on!
ABC 33/40 Afternoon Podcast for June 29 2005
June 29, 2005, 9:35 am
The ABC 33/40 Podcast for Wednesday afternoon, June 29 is now being served by our RSS feed.
Want to subscribe to our free daily podcast audio weather forecast? Use this RSS feed in your podcast receiving program:
feeds.feedburner.com/Weathertalk
by James Spann
in Podcast
Sun and Storms
June 29, 2005, 5:52 am
The Wednesday morning map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Quite frankly we don't see much change in the overall situation this morning; today will feature intervals of sunshine and scattered showers and storms. Like yesterday, some spots could see heavy amounts of rain, other places will have no rain at all. Most of the storms will come from about 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. Temperatures will peak around 90 degrees.
The heat cranks up a notch tomorrow and Friday, but the models are not as agressive with the heat on the latest runs; the GFS shows 93 tomorrow and Friday, while the NAM holds highs in the upper 80s. We have 94 on both days in our forecast package for now. Storms should be more isolated on both days, but we will watch for thunderstorms moving into the Tennessee Valley Friday afternoon in advance of a cold front.
That surface front will stall out near the Alabama/Tennessee border on Saturday, which might enhance storm formation over the Tennessee Valley. Otherwise, we expect routine summer weather for the holiday weekend.... very warm, very humid, sunshine at times, and scattered mainly afternoon showers and storms.
BRET: Tropical storm Bret is moving into Mexico this morning; sustained winds are only about 40 mph. Unfortunately looks like most of the really good moisture will stay south of the Rio Grande; those folks are in a severe drought and could really use the rain. One of our affiliate radio stations is in McAllen, TX, and I did mention the risk of one or two storms later today or tomorrow, but it sure looks like most of the rain from Bret will stay south of the Rio Grande Valley.
Elsewhere in the tropics, we will watch a wave coming through the Windward Islands. Another pretty decent wave emerged off the African coast yesteday; it is a little early for development out there but if those waves continue into July and August we indeed might have another busy hurricane season.
Sure enjoyed seeing everyone at the American Subcontractor Association of America, Alabama chapter, awards banquet last night. I have been the emcee of that event for the last 10 years, and I get to see lots of old friends in the construction industry every June at that banquet....
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Quite frankly we don't see much change in the overall situation this morning; today will feature intervals of sunshine and scattered showers and storms. Like yesterday, some spots could see heavy amounts of rain, other places will have no rain at all. Most of the storms will come from about 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. Temperatures will peak around 90 degrees.
The heat cranks up a notch tomorrow and Friday, but the models are not as agressive with the heat on the latest runs; the GFS shows 93 tomorrow and Friday, while the NAM holds highs in the upper 80s. We have 94 on both days in our forecast package for now. Storms should be more isolated on both days, but we will watch for thunderstorms moving into the Tennessee Valley Friday afternoon in advance of a cold front.
That surface front will stall out near the Alabama/Tennessee border on Saturday, which might enhance storm formation over the Tennessee Valley. Otherwise, we expect routine summer weather for the holiday weekend.... very warm, very humid, sunshine at times, and scattered mainly afternoon showers and storms.
BRET: Tropical storm Bret is moving into Mexico this morning; sustained winds are only about 40 mph. Unfortunately looks like most of the really good moisture will stay south of the Rio Grande; those folks are in a severe drought and could really use the rain. One of our affiliate radio stations is in McAllen, TX, and I did mention the risk of one or two storms later today or tomorrow, but it sure looks like most of the rain from Bret will stay south of the Rio Grande Valley.
Elsewhere in the tropics, we will watch a wave coming through the Windward Islands. Another pretty decent wave emerged off the African coast yesteday; it is a little early for development out there but if those waves continue into July and August we indeed might have another busy hurricane season.
Sure enjoyed seeing everyone at the American Subcontractor Association of America, Alabama chapter, awards banquet last night. I have been the emcee of that event for the last 10 years, and I get to see lots of old friends in the construction industry every June at that banquet....