Mike Bilder
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chasing36and72.bsky.social
Mike Bilder
@chasing36and72.bsky.social
A different kind of ⛈️ chaser. Storm & response historian. Author of two forthcoming books about the 1936 Flood & Hurricane Agnes (1972). Day job: Hurricane Prog. Manager / HLT Lead for FEMA Region 3 (VA, MD, DE, DC, PA, WV). Formerly NWS.
Yet again, there's an impressive & visually appealing historical landfall location map making the rounds on social media. As evident in this slide I researched & created, the Mid-Atlantic has a long & tragic tropical history. Imagine zero entries on this slide. That's the story landfall maps tell.
April 11, 2025 at 1:25 PM
How many compounding factors do you see in this newsreel about the #1936Flood? This is what you would have seen if you had gone to the movies 89 years ago this week. The compounding nature of the flood & the historic winter of 1935/36 that led to it will be a major theme in my book.
March 21, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Btw this newsreel was released 89 years ago tonight.
#1936Flood
I have recently connected with a descendant of George E. Gore — one of the journalists whose footage is included in this Universal newsreel. She has been very helpful w/ my book on the overall #1936Flood, which will highlight the remarkable story of the “the 2nd Johnstown Flood.”
March 19, 2025 at 2:31 AM
I have recently connected with a descendant of George E. Gore — one of the journalists whose footage is included in this Universal newsreel. She has been very helpful w/ my book on the overall #1936Flood, which will highlight the remarkable story of the “the 2nd Johnstown Flood.”
March 19, 2025 at 2:29 AM
New maps!
#1936Flood
As part of my research, I meticulously checked the data from *every* river gauge in the Mid-Atlantic, New England & Ohio Valley to map both the #1936Flood's severity & where it still reigns in the Top 5 crests. Here are the static versions (interactive versions in next post of 🧵):
March 18, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Special Update 🧵
Today is the 89th Anniv. of the start of the #1936Flood — a good opp to update everyone on the book. I'm 2 yrs into researching & writing. Given the flood's complicated nature & massive geographic scope, it has been a huge effort that is 💯 done during offhours.
March 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Mike Bilder
Earliest Enhanced Risk for Pennsylvania since 2017! #PAwx
March 16, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Tune in tomorrow morning for a *big* research/content drop related to the book…. Here is a clue…
March 16, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Reposted by Mike Bilder
Emergency management and weather go hand in hand. Had fun chatting about bridging the two - thank you for having me!

We need more wx literacy and meteorologists in emergency management! 80% or more federally declared disasters are weather-related. #EMGBsky
February 28, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Do you want to help solve a “In like a Lion 🦁 Out like a Lamb 🐑” mystery?

Pictured here is William S. Brotzman — legendary Meteorologist-in-Charge at the U.S. Weather Bureau (today NWS) office in Pittsburgh, and one of the central figures in my forthcoming book on the Great Flood of 1936. 🧵
March 11, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Reposted by Mike Bilder
March 6-9th, 1908:
A tropical storm developed about 500 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 6th. The storm intensified to Category 2 strength near the Leeward Islands of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint Kitts. Since 1842, this is the only known hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean in March.
March 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
RIP to Former President Jimmy Carter. How did he play a major role in the history of U.S. emergency response and management? See thread below. 👇🧵⛑️⛈️🇺🇸 1/6
December 30, 2024 at 4:05 AM