Dave Zaff
@davidzaff.bsky.social
Meteorologist. I like snow, all kinds. Except blizzards. I don’t like blizzards.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
NOAA aerial imagery is coming in. Hurricane Melissa literally turned western Jamaica from green to brown. Vegetation damage is immense — recovery will take years.
November 1, 2025 at 7:18 PM
NOAA aerial imagery is coming in. Hurricane Melissa literally turned western Jamaica from green to brown. Vegetation damage is immense — recovery will take years.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Zoomed-in, 1-minute loop leading up to Melissa's record-tying destructive landfall - notice the Air Force plane circling in the eye after experiencing severe turbulence before leaving the storm:
October 29, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Zoomed-in, 1-minute loop leading up to Melissa's record-tying destructive landfall - notice the Air Force plane circling in the eye after experiencing severe turbulence before leaving the storm:
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Alrighty, ready to see something really cool? (and maybe a little nauseating)
The evolution of Hurricane Melissa's mesovortices at peak strength.
The evolution of Hurricane Melissa's mesovortices at peak strength.
October 29, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Alrighty, ready to see something really cool? (and maybe a little nauseating)
The evolution of Hurricane Melissa's mesovortices at peak strength.
The evolution of Hurricane Melissa's mesovortices at peak strength.
Kudos to Geologists for saving lives!
Swiss glacier collapse buries most of village of Blatten
Swiss glacier collapse buries most of village of Blatten
Many homes in Blatten have been flattened after a large chunk of the Birch glacier fell on to the village.
www.bbc.com
May 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Kudos to Geologists for saving lives!
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.
By @rhersher.bsky.social
By @rhersher.bsky.social
Where does your weather forecast come from?
Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.
www.npr.org
May 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.
By @rhersher.bsky.social
By @rhersher.bsky.social
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Google Maps live traffic is an indicator of the general swath of impact from the tornado in the STL metro. Multiple schools, residential areas, and a major interstate highway in its path
May 16, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Google Maps live traffic is an indicator of the general swath of impact from the tornado in the STL metro. Multiple schools, residential areas, and a major interstate highway in its path
We need data, Unidata.
Unidata maintains a lot of key weather data infrastructure, including the netCDF data standard and libraries, metpy. data dissemination servers for accessing models and observations from NOAA, and educational resources for the university community. Now everyone is furloughed b/c of Trump and DOGE.
News coming out of @unidata.bsky.social www.unidata.ucar.edu/blogs/news/e...
May 9, 2025 at 3:48 PM
We need data, Unidata.
Searching for NOAA in today’s news…
May 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Searching for NOAA in today’s news…
Reposted by Dave Zaff
More than 1,000 of my former NOAA colleagues left the agency in one day yesterday. I've been seeing a continuous stream of retirement announcements unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's brought a lot of emotions - I talked about them here.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
Reflections on a day of change
Thoughts on transitions at NOAA
open.substack.com
May 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
More than 1,000 of my former NOAA colleagues left the agency in one day yesterday. I've been seeing a continuous stream of retirement announcements unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's brought a lot of emotions - I talked about them here.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
Nice little shelf cloud in Western NY this eve. 5/1/25 2249Z.
May 1, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Nice little shelf cloud in Western NY this eve. 5/1/25 2249Z.
Mesoscale marine effects on Lake Erie.
April 30, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Mesoscale marine effects on Lake Erie.
A rare Day 3 (Tuesday) convective outlook for Western NY and PA. (30-44% chance for severe weather within 25 mi.)
10% chance for significant severe weather, defined in alt text.
10% chance for significant severe weather, defined in alt text.
April 27, 2025 at 8:27 PM
A rare Day 3 (Tuesday) convective outlook for Western NY and PA. (30-44% chance for severe weather within 25 mi.)
10% chance for significant severe weather, defined in alt text.
10% chance for significant severe weather, defined in alt text.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Again I reiterate, the Warn-on-Forecast project is the culmination of stellar work done by all of us on the team. We’ve heard the success stories, we know the community support, and we have so much to learn to make it even better.
This is ONE example of bleeding-edge research that deserves to stay.
This is ONE example of bleeding-edge research that deserves to stay.
This literally life-saving advance weather warning program is under attack because it's part of NOAA. When you're calling and writing to your reps, please consider putting a word in for it too.
inside.nssl.noaa.gov/nsslnews/202...
inside.nssl.noaa.gov/nsslnews/202...
The Tornado That Didn’t Surprise: A Story of Preparedness and Partnership – NSSL NewsLock
inside.nssl.noaa.gov
April 24, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Again I reiterate, the Warn-on-Forecast project is the culmination of stellar work done by all of us on the team. We’ve heard the success stories, we know the community support, and we have so much to learn to make it even better.
This is ONE example of bleeding-edge research that deserves to stay.
This is ONE example of bleeding-edge research that deserves to stay.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
ICYMI: NOAA released a statement to NBC News last night in defense of their cuts to NWS. I broke down why it's ludicrous.
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
Special BalancedWx Update: NOAA statement about impacts of NWS staff reductions
And a quick evening severe weather update
balancedweather.substack.com
April 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
ICYMI: NOAA released a statement to NBC News last night in defense of their cuts to NWS. I broke down why it's ludicrous.
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
balancedweather.substack.com/p/special-ba...
Oneida Lake is showing off it's lake shadow early this afternoon. Not bad for a little guy compared to Lake Ontario.
April 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Oneida Lake is showing off it's lake shadow early this afternoon. Not bad for a little guy compared to Lake Ontario.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
This would be nothing short of CATACLYSMIC. I do not put this lightly…
Not just NOAA websites, but it will severely affect NWS warning systems, MRMS radar data accessibility, model data accessibility, and more, for services provided by AWS and Google Cloud Platform. Scientific growth will be hurt.
Not just NOAA websites, but it will severely affect NWS warning systems, MRMS radar data accessibility, model data accessibility, and more, for services provided by AWS and Google Cloud Platform. Scientific growth will be hurt.
Almost all NOAA Research websites that rely on cloud services - including Amazon, Google and WordPress - are poised to disappear at midnight ET Saturday after a contract was targeted for "early termination." Labs may also feel the effects.
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
US Weather Agency Websites to Vanish Under Planned Contract Cuts
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is poised to eliminate most websites tied to its research division under plans for the cancellation of a cloud web services contract, a move that could s...
www.bloomberg.com
April 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
This would be nothing short of CATACLYSMIC. I do not put this lightly…
Not just NOAA websites, but it will severely affect NWS warning systems, MRMS radar data accessibility, model data accessibility, and more, for services provided by AWS and Google Cloud Platform. Scientific growth will be hurt.
Not just NOAA websites, but it will severely affect NWS warning systems, MRMS radar data accessibility, model data accessibility, and more, for services provided by AWS and Google Cloud Platform. Scientific growth will be hurt.
Reposted by Dave Zaff
Almost all NOAA Research websites that rely on cloud services - including Amazon, Google and WordPress - are poised to disappear at midnight ET Saturday after a contract was targeted for "early termination." Labs may also feel the effects.
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
US Weather Agency Websites to Vanish Under Planned Contract Cuts
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is poised to eliminate most websites tied to its research division under plans for the cancellation of a cloud web services contract, a move that could s...
www.bloomberg.com
April 4, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Almost all NOAA Research websites that rely on cloud services - including Amazon, Google and WordPress - are poised to disappear at midnight ET Saturday after a contract was targeted for "early termination." Labs may also feel the effects.
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
Partial solar eclipse information for the Buffalo, NY area tomorrow, Mar 29, 2025:
05:29 AM: Partial eclipse begins (below horizon)
07:02 AM: Sunrise
07:05 AM: Maximum eclipse
07:09 AM: Partial eclipse ends
Hardly noticeable, and probably cloudy anyway.
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/u...
05:29 AM: Partial eclipse begins (below horizon)
07:02 AM: Sunrise
07:05 AM: Maximum eclipse
07:09 AM: Partial eclipse ends
Hardly noticeable, and probably cloudy anyway.
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/u...
March 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Partial solar eclipse information for the Buffalo, NY area tomorrow, Mar 29, 2025:
05:29 AM: Partial eclipse begins (below horizon)
07:02 AM: Sunrise
07:05 AM: Maximum eclipse
07:09 AM: Partial eclipse ends
Hardly noticeable, and probably cloudy anyway.
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/u...
05:29 AM: Partial eclipse begins (below horizon)
07:02 AM: Sunrise
07:05 AM: Maximum eclipse
07:09 AM: Partial eclipse ends
Hardly noticeable, and probably cloudy anyway.
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/u...
Interesting "ice bridge" on Lake Erie between connecting Long Point, Ontario to PA and NY this afternoon as seen from the NOAA-21 polar orbiter this afternoon. I wouldn't cross it though.
March 21, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Interesting "ice bridge" on Lake Erie between connecting Long Point, Ontario to PA and NY this afternoon as seen from the NOAA-21 polar orbiter this afternoon. I wouldn't cross it though.
Lake Erie ice, now down to 18% coverage is flowing nicely today.
apps.glerl.noaa.gov/coastwatch/w...
geosphere.ssec.wisc.edu#playing:true...;
apps.glerl.noaa.gov/coastwatch/w...
geosphere.ssec.wisc.edu#playing:true...;
March 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Lake Erie ice, now down to 18% coverage is flowing nicely today.
apps.glerl.noaa.gov/coastwatch/w...
geosphere.ssec.wisc.edu#playing:true...;
apps.glerl.noaa.gov/coastwatch/w...
geosphere.ssec.wisc.edu#playing:true...;
Bassfield MS. (Summary of PTDS from GR3)
March 15, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Bassfield MS. (Summary of PTDS from GR3)
"TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC"
My heart aches for southern Mississippi. Tornado EMERGENCY north of Tylertown, headed northeast towards Prentiss. #mswx
March 15, 2025 at 5:57 PM
"TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC"
Reposted by Dave Zaff
For some quick historical context on today's winds (so far). We have already had more sites measure severe wind gusts (58 mph and greater) than any other single day in our 30 year history. Unfortunately those winds have fueled many wildfires (black spots on satellite). #okwx #okmesonet
March 14, 2025 at 9:22 PM
For some quick historical context on today's winds (so far). We have already had more sites measure severe wind gusts (58 mph and greater) than any other single day in our 30 year history. Unfortunately those winds have fueled many wildfires (black spots on satellite). #okwx #okmesonet
Reposted by Dave Zaff
A fire burned through our Lake Carl Blackwell Mesonet site around 3:41-3:45pm. One of our thermometers measured a 1-minute average temperature of 173 F at 3:42pm. The 2 meter anemometer is now reporting 0, which indicates that it likely was completely melted. #okwx #okmesonet
March 14, 2025 at 9:53 PM
A fire burned through our Lake Carl Blackwell Mesonet site around 3:41-3:45pm. One of our thermometers measured a 1-minute average temperature of 173 F at 3:42pm. The 2 meter anemometer is now reporting 0, which indicates that it likely was completely melted. #okwx #okmesonet
Lunar eclipse viewing looks pretty good for Western NY with mainly high thin clouds overnight.
Full eclipse begins: 06:26Z (2:26 am EDT)
Maximum Eclipse: 06:58Z (2:58 am EDT)
Full Eclipse ends: 07:31Z (3:31 am EDT)
www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/href/?...
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/luna...
Full eclipse begins: 06:26Z (2:26 am EDT)
Maximum Eclipse: 06:58Z (2:58 am EDT)
Full Eclipse ends: 07:31Z (3:31 am EDT)
www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/href/?...
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/luna...
March 13, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Lunar eclipse viewing looks pretty good for Western NY with mainly high thin clouds overnight.
Full eclipse begins: 06:26Z (2:26 am EDT)
Maximum Eclipse: 06:58Z (2:58 am EDT)
Full Eclipse ends: 07:31Z (3:31 am EDT)
www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/href/?...
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/luna...
Full eclipse begins: 06:26Z (2:26 am EDT)
Maximum Eclipse: 06:58Z (2:58 am EDT)
Full Eclipse ends: 07:31Z (3:31 am EDT)
www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/href/?...
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/luna...