Stephen Mullens
@srmullens.bsky.social
Instructional Professor of Meteorology working to spin up a MET program at U Florida. I ask smart people dumb questions. #radar #tropics #summer
Pinned
Stephen Mullens
@srmullens.bsky.social
· Feb 28
Mourn-scrolling: When the world absolutely used to be better, the lives of your friends and so many others were altered in the process, and you feel helpless.
What I can tell:
Maduro is bad for his country; 80% ⬇️ GDP, ignored election result, etc. While 80% of Venezuelans wanted Maduro out, 23% supported foreign military intervention.
US citizens also aren’t convinced drugs or alignment with Cuba are a big threat to us. ~25% support for military action.
Maduro is bad for his country; 80% ⬇️ GDP, ignored election result, etc. While 80% of Venezuelans wanted Maduro out, 23% supported foreign military intervention.
US citizens also aren’t convinced drugs or alignment with Cuba are a big threat to us. ~25% support for military action.
January 3, 2026 at 4:10 PM
What I can tell:
Maduro is bad for his country; 80% ⬇️ GDP, ignored election result, etc. While 80% of Venezuelans wanted Maduro out, 23% supported foreign military intervention.
US citizens also aren’t convinced drugs or alignment with Cuba are a big threat to us. ~25% support for military action.
Maduro is bad for his country; 80% ⬇️ GDP, ignored election result, etc. While 80% of Venezuelans wanted Maduro out, 23% supported foreign military intervention.
US citizens also aren’t convinced drugs or alignment with Cuba are a big threat to us. ~25% support for military action.
"The march to make things more and more efficient makes the world a worse place." ~Roman Mars
I wrote a blog expanding on this with when I think efficiency metrics have made sports, elections, monopolies, universities, and even churches worse for community.
smoothedweather.com/consideratio...
I wrote a blog expanding on this with when I think efficiency metrics have made sports, elections, monopolies, universities, and even churches worse for community.
smoothedweather.com/consideratio...
Efficiency
When a number hurts people..
smoothedweather.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
"The march to make things more and more efficient makes the world a worse place." ~Roman Mars
I wrote a blog expanding on this with when I think efficiency metrics have made sports, elections, monopolies, universities, and even churches worse for community.
smoothedweather.com/consideratio...
I wrote a blog expanding on this with when I think efficiency metrics have made sports, elections, monopolies, universities, and even churches worse for community.
smoothedweather.com/consideratio...
Looking at just western conference games, Thunder have played opponents so far with just a 24% win percentage vs the top 6 in the conference. The rest of Dec-Jan, a similar 27%. But Feb-Apr will be against teams winning 45% vs top 6 teams, with 10 of those 16 games against the other top 5.
December 16, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Looking at just western conference games, Thunder have played opponents so far with just a 24% win percentage vs the top 6 in the conference. The rest of Dec-Jan, a similar 27%. But Feb-Apr will be against teams winning 45% vs top 6 teams, with 10 of those 16 games against the other top 5.
In the current NBA standings the bottom 6 teams in the west are 0-20 against the top 6 teams.
The season is only 15% complete, the top 6 is fluid, but someone will have to go lose the 9-10 game.
The season is only 15% complete, the top 6 is fluid, but someone will have to go lose the 9-10 game.
November 13, 2025 at 4:03 PM
In the current NBA standings the bottom 6 teams in the west are 0-20 against the top 6 teams.
The season is only 15% complete, the top 6 is fluid, but someone will have to go lose the 9-10 game.
The season is only 15% complete, the top 6 is fluid, but someone will have to go lose the 9-10 game.
bwahahaha. Calculated geostrophic wind speed of 275kts. Real wind was closer to 165kts.
November 11, 2025 at 5:20 PM
bwahahaha. Calculated geostrophic wind speed of 275kts. Real wind was closer to 165kts.
Such a pretty Rossby wave picking up Hurricane Melissa.
October 31, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Such a pretty Rossby wave picking up Hurricane Melissa.
Reposted by Stephen Mullens
Melissa was a Category 5 hurricane for 36 consecutive hours. Only 4 other hurricanes in the satellite record – Irma (2017), Ivan (2004), Mitch (1998), and David 1979 – lasted as long as a Category 5 hurricane. Typically Cat 5s last about 18 hours before weakening.
October 29, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Melissa was a Category 5 hurricane for 36 consecutive hours. Only 4 other hurricanes in the satellite record – Irma (2017), Ivan (2004), Mitch (1998), and David 1979 – lasted as long as a Category 5 hurricane. Typically Cat 5s last about 18 hours before weakening.
Reposted by Stephen Mullens
Just my routine plea not to compare a hurricane to the EF scale. Please.
October 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Just my routine plea not to compare a hurricane to the EF scale. Please.
The hurricane's more impactful right side is hitting the most well-constructed part of the country. This may keep the fatality rate, which will surely be high, lower than otherwise. But it will also mean recovery will require international help.
October 28, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The hurricane's more impactful right side is hitting the most well-constructed part of the country. This may keep the fatality rate, which will surely be high, lower than otherwise. But it will also mean recovery will require international help.
NHC official position update, with an updated central pressure as well.
October 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM
NHC official position update, with an updated central pressure as well.
If your students launch a weather balloon on Saturday, you are free to use the data for a homework assignment on Monday. Those are the rules. 🤣
October 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
If your students launch a weather balloon on Saturday, you are free to use the data for a homework assignment on Monday. Those are the rules. 🤣
The AMS Gator Chapter launched their 4th weather balloon last night from Gainesville. Balloon made it to 11.8hPa and 30,001ft. Maybe next time we’ll top the club 3.76hPa record. Proud faculty advisor.
October 26, 2025 at 11:41 AM
The AMS Gator Chapter launched their 4th weather balloon last night from Gainesville. Balloon made it to 11.8hPa and 30,001ft. Maybe next time we’ll top the club 3.76hPa record. Proud faculty advisor.
Gonna be a long season if every OKC game is 2 overtimes.
October 24, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Gonna be a long season if every OKC game is 2 overtimes.
The circle forecast.
October 21, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The circle forecast.
Reposted by Stephen Mullens
Time for 2025 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread. If you like these, you might like the second edition of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website until end of November 2025.
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon
www.worldscientific.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Time for 2025 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread. If you like these, you might like the second edition of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website until end of November 2025.
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
Just an 85kt subgeostrophic wind off the California coast.
October 15, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Just an 85kt subgeostrophic wind off the California coast.
Reposted by Stephen Mullens
JOB - The Department of Geography at the University of Florida invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, non-tenure track Lecturer/Assistant Instructional Professor position in GIScience and Geographic Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
October 12, 2025 at 4:02 PM
JOB - The Department of Geography at the University of Florida invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, non-tenure track Lecturer/Assistant Instructional Professor position in GIScience and Geographic Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
Is the Atlantic season ACE ahead of average, about average, or behind average? A study in choosing what historical period to compare to, also known as lying with statistics to support what you want.
October 8, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Is the Atlantic season ACE ahead of average, about average, or behind average? A study in choosing what historical period to compare to, also known as lying with statistics to support what you want.
Would like a history book with a good section on the expansion of surface observations in the 1800s in North America and Europe. Anyone know of one?
October 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Would like a history book with a good section on the expansion of surface observations in the 1800s in North America and Europe. Anyone know of one?
Why don’t we have a horror movie that takes place in a Spirit Halloween? 🎃🦇
October 1, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Why don’t we have a horror movie that takes place in a Spirit Halloween? 🎃🦇
So, if AI models are good at track, but physics models are good at intensity, are we going to see a meld at some point?
September 29, 2025 at 11:15 PM
So, if AI models are good at track, but physics models are good at intensity, are we going to see a meld at some point?
At least as far as effective landfalls go, Imelda is only the third landfalling storm this year following Barry and Chantel. And it will turn out that not all I-storms are big baddies.
September 28, 2025 at 11:17 PM
At least as far as effective landfalls go, Imelda is only the third landfalling storm this year following Barry and Chantel. And it will turn out that not all I-storms are big baddies.
The jet stream and 93L interaction in two days will lead to a lot of upper-level divergence on the north side of the storm. These are calculations from GFS data. 🧵
September 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The jet stream and 93L interaction in two days will lead to a lot of upper-level divergence on the north side of the storm. These are calculations from GFS data. 🧵
In our current 30-year climatological period (1991-2020), the Atlantic is tied for the record low number of hurricanes to date. Neat, but nothing to scream about.
If you look at just the last 30 years (1995-2024), this is the longest the Atlantic has gone without 2 hurricanes.
smoothedweather.com
If you look at just the last 30 years (1995-2024), this is the longest the Atlantic has gone without 2 hurricanes.
smoothedweather.com
September 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
In our current 30-year climatological period (1991-2020), the Atlantic is tied for the record low number of hurricanes to date. Neat, but nothing to scream about.
If you look at just the last 30 years (1995-2024), this is the longest the Atlantic has gone without 2 hurricanes.
smoothedweather.com
If you look at just the last 30 years (1995-2024), this is the longest the Atlantic has gone without 2 hurricanes.
smoothedweather.com