You wake up, check your phone, and your weather app now says that it’s going to snow 12” this weekend. You’re stoked! But should you be? How accurate is that forecast? And what makes one forecast more or less accurate than another?
Today we’re talking to OpenSnow founder and meteorologist, Joel Gratz, about the science and practice of weather forecasting; the many weather models being used today; his love of skiing and snow; what led him to start a weather forecasting company; and more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
- Traveling (5:01)
- Current snowpack in the West (6:42)
- History of modern weather forecasting (8:48)
- Weather Models Galore (23:05)
- Advancements in Forecasting (27:39)
- Forecasting Research (33:11)
- Joel’s background as a skier (36:56)
- Studying Meteorology, Public Policy & Business (39:54)
- Why start a weather forecasting company? (43:11)
- OpenSnow today vs the early days (48:39)
- How much do you ski these days? (1:03:20)
- Why subscribe to OpenSnow? (1:05:46)
- Joel at the Blister Summit (1:15:16)
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Very nice interview and discussion. Super fun listening while driving. Additional sensors, faster and more efficient computers, and future AI will certainly help make more accurate forecasts. My feeling is one critical missing piece is our lack understanding of climate dynamics, the physics of cloud formation, and ocean-atmosphere dynamics. A better understanding atmospheric 3D or 4D physics are key for more accurate forecasts.
Enjoyed the technical explanation of snow forecasting in the high country and Open Snow’s origin story. Glad Joel acknowledged that NOAA’s National Weather Services’ infrastructure is essential to all forecasting. I’ve had the free version of Open Snow for several years, but he sold me on finally getting a paid subscription.