Kevin Ash
@scatterazure.bsky.social
Assoc. Prof. in Geography at the Univ. of Florida. Hazards/disasters, vulnerability, risk perception & communication, resilience. I post a mix of professional & personal content. Opinions mine alone.
UF Profile: https://geog.ufl.edu/faculty/ash
UF Profile: https://geog.ufl.edu/faculty/ash
Reposted by Kevin Ash
Waiting on a dropsonde to confirm, but Melissa is most certainly below 900 hPa right now.
Tragically we are about to witness the 2nd or 1st deepest Atlantic hurricane landfall by min MSLP on record in Jamaica.
Tragically we are about to witness the 2nd or 1st deepest Atlantic hurricane landfall by min MSLP on record in Jamaica.
October 28, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Waiting on a dropsonde to confirm, but Melissa is most certainly below 900 hPa right now.
Tragically we are about to witness the 2nd or 1st deepest Atlantic hurricane landfall by min MSLP on record in Jamaica.
Tragically we are about to witness the 2nd or 1st deepest Atlantic hurricane landfall by min MSLP on record in Jamaica.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
The western end of Jamaica where #Melissa is projected to make landfall has the least well-built structures of anyplace on the island. Graphic is from a 2021 paper, "Poverty and hurricane risk exposure in Jamaica": www.researchgate.net/publication/...
October 28, 2025 at 1:53 AM
The western end of Jamaica where #Melissa is projected to make landfall has the least well-built structures of anyplace on the island. Graphic is from a 2021 paper, "Poverty and hurricane risk exposure in Jamaica": www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by Kevin Ash
Super Typhoon Haiyan (2013) is exactly the storm I'd compare Melissa to. It was the only other time I've seen the Dvorak scale violated above 8.0, and the only other time I've seen a complete ring of -80°F cloud tops (shown here in pink).
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Super Typhoon Haiyan (2013) is exactly the storm I'd compare Melissa to. It was the only other time I've seen the Dvorak scale violated above 8.0, and the only other time I've seen a complete ring of -80°F cloud tops (shown here in pink).
Reposted by Kevin Ash
CI# up to 8.2 = 176kt / 882mb (satellite estimates put Melissa at Wilma levels)
October 28, 2025 at 1:39 AM
CI# up to 8.2 = 176kt / 882mb (satellite estimates put Melissa at Wilma levels)
*** JOB OPPORTUNITY AT UNIV OF FLORIDA IN GIS ***
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 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
*** JOB OPPORTUNITY AT UNIV OF FLORIDA IN GIS ***
Reposted by Kevin Ash
Looks like an academic freedom catastrophe from beginning to end: because of (real or perceived) pressure from the state, Tulane’s leadership barred a scientist from talking about her research apnews.com/article/canc...
Tulane scientist resigns citing university censorship of pollution and racial disparity research
A Tulane University researcher has resigned, citing censorship from university leaders. Kim Terrell, a researcher with the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, resigned Wednesday, saying in a letter the u...
apnews.com
June 12, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Looks like an academic freedom catastrophe from beginning to end: because of (real or perceived) pressure from the state, Tulane’s leadership barred a scientist from talking about her research apnews.com/article/canc...
Reposted by Kevin Ash
I have posted a lot recently about my worries for the NWS. However, I am also increasingly worried that the threat to NWS is distracting from the even greater threat to the rest of NOAA. Tonight I wrote about the broader agency I am so proud to have been a part of.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
NOAA is not just the National Weather Service
Looking at the broader expanse of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
open.substack.com
June 12, 2025 at 1:25 AM
I have posted a lot recently about my worries for the NWS. However, I am also increasingly worried that the threat to NWS is distracting from the even greater threat to the rest of NOAA. Tonight I wrote about the broader agency I am so proud to have been a part of.
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
open.substack.com/pub/balanced...
What they are doing is aggressively accusing everyone else of insurrection in order to cover up and make everyone forget the actual insurrection & attempted coup that Trump orchestrated.
Stephen Miller is redefining what an insurrection is and making up fairytales like “California is demanding the nullification of election results.”
He’s seemingly just making shit up now.
He’s seemingly just making shit up now.
June 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
What they are doing is aggressively accusing everyone else of insurrection in order to cover up and make everyone forget the actual insurrection & attempted coup that Trump orchestrated.
It would be a nice day to have lunch and then go sky watching in/near Great Bend, KS, if I were out that direction...which I am not.
I am in FL trying to get our new robot lawnmower to stop going in circles & getting stuck.
Also, I hope to hear a thunderous roar from OKC this afternoon.
I am in FL trying to get our new robot lawnmower to stop going in circles & getting stuck.
Also, I hope to hear a thunderous roar from OKC this afternoon.
May 18, 2025 at 4:28 PM
It would be a nice day to have lunch and then go sky watching in/near Great Bend, KS, if I were out that direction...which I am not.
I am in FL trying to get our new robot lawnmower to stop going in circles & getting stuck.
Also, I hope to hear a thunderous roar from OKC this afternoon.
I am in FL trying to get our new robot lawnmower to stop going in circles & getting stuck.
Also, I hope to hear a thunderous roar from OKC this afternoon.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
🎉PhD student Michelle Ruiz was selected for the Disaster Research Center’s CHEER summer research program that will take place in North Carolina www.drc.udel.edu/2025-summer-...
May 6, 2025 at 7:36 PM
🎉PhD student Michelle Ruiz was selected for the Disaster Research Center’s CHEER summer research program that will take place in North Carolina www.drc.udel.edu/2025-summer-...
Congratulations Marinna and Michael on graduation! And congrats Stephen, too!
A wonderful day celebrating graduation with students in my classes: Marinna Stopa and Michael Self. In fact, Michael is the first ever graduate of the meteorology bachelor program at UF! Congratulations!
May 3, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Congratulations Marinna and Michael on graduation! And congrats Stephen, too!
I have enjoyed learning via Duolingo for over a year now, but recently have missed several days in a row due to being quite busy.
The aggressive, weird tone of the Duolingo reminder emails do not make me want to resume lessons. They make me want to delete the app & cancel my subscription.
The aggressive, weird tone of the Duolingo reminder emails do not make me want to resume lessons. They make me want to delete the app & cancel my subscription.
April 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I have enjoyed learning via Duolingo for over a year now, but recently have missed several days in a row due to being quite busy.
The aggressive, weird tone of the Duolingo reminder emails do not make me want to resume lessons. They make me want to delete the app & cancel my subscription.
The aggressive, weird tone of the Duolingo reminder emails do not make me want to resume lessons. They make me want to delete the app & cancel my subscription.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
Or, consider the experimental evidence. Scholars have found (over and over again) that, compared to "regular" people, those with high levels of wealth and income are more likely to lie, cheat, and steal. And they're also more likely to say that greed is good.
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior | PNAS
Seven studies using experimental and naturalistic methods reveal that upper-class
individuals behave more unethically than lower-class individuals....
www.pnas.org
April 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Or, consider the experimental evidence. Scholars have found (over and over again) that, compared to "regular" people, those with high levels of wealth and income are more likely to lie, cheat, and steal. And they're also more likely to say that greed is good.
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Kevin Ash
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“Trump is engaging the full power of the presidency to settle scores,” our columnist Maureen Dowd writes. “The White House was not meant for petty tyrants on revenge tours. In the biggest job in the world, Trump seems like a very small man.”
“Trump is engaging the full power of the presidency to settle scores,” our columnist Maureen Dowd writes. “The White House was not meant for petty tyrants on revenge tours. In the biggest job in the world, Trump seems like a very small man.”
Opinion | A Lot About Trump Doesn’t Add Up
A very petty man in a very powerful job.
www.nytimes.com
April 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“Trump is engaging the full power of the presidency to settle scores,” our columnist Maureen Dowd writes. “The White House was not meant for petty tyrants on revenge tours. In the biggest job in the world, Trump seems like a very small man.”
“Trump is engaging the full power of the presidency to settle scores,” our columnist Maureen Dowd writes. “The White House was not meant for petty tyrants on revenge tours. In the biggest job in the world, Trump seems like a very small man.”
Still finding quarter sized hailstones on the ground 45 minutes after...
April 11, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Still finding quarter sized hailstones on the ground 45 minutes after...
Pretty impressive hailstorm in NW Gainesville in the past 15 minutes, a lot of dime and nickel sized, a few quarters
April 11, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Pretty impressive hailstorm in NW Gainesville in the past 15 minutes, a lot of dime and nickel sized, a few quarters
Frequent cloud to ground lightning in GNV now, could get a little rough next few minutes in our area.
Special Weather Statement issued April 11 at 6:29PM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL
Additional Details Here.
Additional Details Here.
April 11, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Frequent cloud to ground lightning in GNV now, could get a little rough next few minutes in our area.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
This would kill all weather model development - RRFS, HAFS, and WoFS - in NOAA. These are activities that the private sector can’t support; they leverage these models to train & benchmark their own.
I wish the headline didn’t just focus on climate as it limits the audience who will listen.
I wish the headline didn’t just focus on climate as it limits the audience who will listen.
BREAKING from @science.org: The Trump admin is seeking to kill nearly all climate research at NOAA, its climate science agency.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Trump seeks to end climate research at premier U.S. climate agency
White House aims to end NOAA’s research office; NASA also targeted
www.science.org
April 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM
This would kill all weather model development - RRFS, HAFS, and WoFS - in NOAA. These are activities that the private sector can’t support; they leverage these models to train & benchmark their own.
I wish the headline didn’t just focus on climate as it limits the audience who will listen.
I wish the headline didn’t just focus on climate as it limits the audience who will listen.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
The Climate Risk and Storm Hazards (CRASH) Lab led by Dr. Katy Serafin and Dr. @scatterazure.bsky.social focuses on risk, vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation for weather and climate hazards and environmental change geog.ufl.edu/geography-la...
April 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The Climate Risk and Storm Hazards (CRASH) Lab led by Dr. Katy Serafin and Dr. @scatterazure.bsky.social focuses on risk, vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation for weather and climate hazards and environmental change geog.ufl.edu/geography-la...
Reposted by Kevin Ash
*Watches as tornadoes and floods devastate towns in the mid-South.* Yeah, this seems like a totally great idea that won't lead to bigger disasters losses down the road at all.
FEMA to Halt Billions in Grants for Disaster Protection, Internal Memo Says
An internal FEMA memo says the agency is canceling future and existing grants that help states and tribes prepare for floods, tornadoes and other disasters
www.scientificamerican.com
April 4, 2025 at 3:52 PM
*Watches as tornadoes and floods devastate towns in the mid-South.* Yeah, this seems like a totally great idea that won't lead to bigger disasters losses down the road at all.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
68,845,865.
That's how many individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home.
Everyone deserves a chance to stay safe during disasters, and I will never stop advocating for that. Thinking of all the communities that are going to be affected by this change.
That's how many individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home.
Everyone deserves a chance to stay safe during disasters, and I will never stop advocating for that. Thinking of all the communities that are going to be affected by this change.
The National Weather Service will stop issuing forecasts + storm warnings in Spanish after a translation software contract lapsed at midnight Tuesday. Unclear when/if service will return.
Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Weather Forecasts in Spanish to Vanish as Translations Expire
The US National Weather Service has allowed a contract with a foreign-language translation service to expire, creating a potential gap in local-language forecasting just as spring brings a higher risk...
www.bloomberg.com
April 1, 2025 at 9:53 PM
68,845,865.
That's how many individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home.
Everyone deserves a chance to stay safe during disasters, and I will never stop advocating for that. Thinking of all the communities that are going to be affected by this change.
That's how many individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home.
Everyone deserves a chance to stay safe during disasters, and I will never stop advocating for that. Thinking of all the communities that are going to be affected by this change.
Yet another move in the wrong direction.
The National Weather Service will stop issuing forecasts + storm warnings in Spanish after a translation software contract lapsed at midnight Tuesday. Unclear when/if service will return.
Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Weather Forecasts in Spanish to Vanish as Translations Expire
The US National Weather Service has allowed a contract with a foreign-language translation service to expire, creating a potential gap in local-language forecasting just as spring brings a higher risk...
www.bloomberg.com
April 1, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Yet another move in the wrong direction.
Reposted by Kevin Ash
🧪⚒️
Oh no, this is bad. Really really bad.
M7.7 earthquake in Mynamar.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
Oh no, this is bad. Really really bad.
M7.7 earthquake in Mynamar.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
March 28, 2025 at 10:06 AM
🧪⚒️
Oh no, this is bad. Really really bad.
M7.7 earthquake in Mynamar.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
Oh no, this is bad. Really really bad.
M7.7 earthquake in Mynamar.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
Reposted by Kevin Ash
I spoke with the Washington Post about why the Trump administration is so focused on US history: because authoritarian regimes rewrite history to legitimize their projects and normalize their chaotic, violent governance. Gift link: wapo.st/4cdjRFQ
Their jobs vanished. These historians want to ensure their stories don’t.
An oral history project aims to document the stories of the federal workforce cuts. The project is open to all feds and contractors — even DOGE and Musk.
wapo.st
March 27, 2025 at 11:30 PM
I spoke with the Washington Post about why the Trump administration is so focused on US history: because authoritarian regimes rewrite history to legitimize their projects and normalize their chaotic, violent governance. Gift link: wapo.st/4cdjRFQ