Sonoran Sky

In this episode of the Sonoran Sky podcast, Royal Norman is joined by Dan Henz and Jonny Malloy from Maricopa County Flood Control to discuss the intricacies of Arizona's monsoon season. They talk about the unusual weather patterns, the impact of urban areas on weather, and how the monsoon season has evolved over the years...and the ways it hasn't. Both guests share their personal journeys into meteorology, influenced by memorable weather events, and highlight the wealth of data and resources available for tracking Arizona’s unique climate phenomenon. Tune in to gain insights into the science behind monsoons, the challenges in forecasting, the critical role of flood control in managing Arizona's weather risks, and why the expectation of a monsoon that produces more rain than the seasons of the past five years is rising.

For much of his young life, Paul sailed large boats in the Caribbean. He sailed to foreign countries and dozens of islands. And during one of those island stops, Paul came face to face with one of the strongest hurricanes of the last century. His survival story ignited his passion to make weather his career.

Royal Norman talks with Tom Frieders from the National Weather Service in Phoenix, who is an expert on hot weather. And as much as we don’t like it, we need to heat to help bring the monsoon into Arizona. But we need it in the right doses.

A view of the northern lights is always a treat in Arizona! Why is it hard to predict when there will be good views? Also, what is space junk and how is it tracked? Pete Mangione is joined by Katrina Bossert, an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University's School Of Earth and Space Exploration, to discuss!

You don’t have to be a local to know our summer monsoon can create towering walls of dust that roll up and into the Valley. They are an obvious hazard to drivers, but now a new study, decades in the making, confirms these filthy monsters are hazardous to your health. This research focuses on dustorms in three states and tens of thousands of ER visits for those caught outside in the swirling clouds of dirt. Meteorologist Sean McLaughlin is joined by Dr. James Crooks to discuss the study and the danger to your health.

As Arizona's climate changes, so too does the monsoon. Chief Meteorologist Royal Norman and meteorologist Pete Mangione talk with Shel Winkley from Climate Central on how the state's extreme heat is impact our summer storm season.

Lovers of Arizona, join us under the Sonoran Sky starting on May 28! Each Wednesday, Arizona's Family First Alert Meteorologists will bring you in-depth and entertaining conversations on our state's weather, natural wonders, gardening, hiking, and outdoor activities. Your time under the Sonoran Sky will help you understand how the weather impacts your life.

If we didn’t have water, we wouldn’t have an Arizona as we know it. Royal Norman talks with Tom Buschatzke, the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources on this edition of Beyond the Green Screen. The question is: can we adequately manager water resources into the distant future.

Almost since the very beginning, Good Morning, Arizona became a mainstay of morning television across Arizona. And right there at the start were the two main players, Jodi Applegate and Dan Davis. Royal Norman, who also helped start the show, got a chance to reunite with Jodi and Dan and that conversation is this week’s Beyond The Green Screen.

Mike Watkiss is a legendary reporter for Channel 3 who did it all, from the pursuit of O.J. Simpson, to exposing Warren Jeffs and the FLDS church. He was at ground zero in New York in the days following 9-11 and he covered the trial of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. Mike even liked to chase thunderstorms! On this edition of Beyond the Green Screen, Royal Norman catches up with Mike to share memories and life updates.

Arizona State Climatologist Erinanne Saffell was born to track weather and climate. Raised in Arizona, she’ll tell you her first childhood memory is of a huge flood in the East Valley and stacking sandbags around the family home. In the latest episode of Beyond the Green Screen, Meteorologist Royal Norman talked with Erinanne about the epic flood of 1970.

Ever wonder what it's like to chase tornadoes? First Alert Meteorologist April Warnecke talks with Arizona's own storm chaser, Mike Olbinski, who shares his experiences and thoughts on the new movie Twisters.

Saguaros are the sentinels of the desert, with a life span more than 150 years and heights that can reach over 50 feet. Yet little is understood about how the saguaro will survive and adapt as our climate gets hotter and drier. Meteorologist Royal Norman talked with an saguaro expert, Don Swann, a biologist at the Saguaro National Park in Tucson.

Maricopa County Flood Control wants to save your property and your life. Formed in the late 1950s, the sole job of Flood Control was to limit the damage from desert floods. Over more than 60 years, the organization has grown into one of the top Flood Control Districts in the country, serving a county that’s land area is greater than seven individual states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey. Dan Henz at County Flood Control talks about how he was born to be a meteorologist.

Master gardener Angela Judd returns to the show to recap the spring growing season and give tips on what to grow during Arizona's hot summer. Learn more from Angela at growinginthegarden.com

Just in time for the summer travel season, First Alert Meteorologist April Warnecke shares ideas for exploring, taken from her Good Morning Arizona franchise "April's Arizona Bucket List." She shares her favorite road trips, hikes, hotels, and small towns. April also interviews Chief Meteorologist and Arizona legend Royal Norman about his best stories of exploring Arizona over his decades at AZFamily. 

As the Earth's climate changes, the impacts are felt in just about every way...including baseball. Royal Norman talks with Christopher Callahan from Stanford University about his research into how a warmer planet is impacting America's pastime. 

The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 199 mountain rescues last year. So far in 2024, they have responded to 14 in January, 20 in February, and more than 20 in March. In 2021 the City of Phoenix introduced a pilot program that shut down popular hiking trails like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa on excessive heat days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. That program was put into full force in 2022, and just last year they extended the closure hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round. Phoenix Fire Captain Bobby Dubnow talked about what goes into their training for these types of rescues, and has a look at the difference in mountain rescues calls during different times of the year. 

Arizona has amazing hiking trails from southern Arizona, to the Valley, all the way up to Flagstaff. During this time of the year, a lot of people may want to try out new hikes while the weather is still nice. Holly Bock spoke with a couple of avid hikers who have done it all. They have suggestions for the person who may just be starting out and doesn’t want anything too challenging, or for the person who may want to push themselves and try something new.  

It seems like allergy season is upon us once again, and our wetter and warmer-than-average weather so far this year has made everything come into full bloom. But did you realize you can create a mostly “allergy-free zone” inside your car with a few simple tricks? First Alert Meteorologist Sean Mclaughlin talks with auto-repair expert Glen Hayward, from Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe, on how to find and change your cabin air filter, what to set your air conditioner on, and why that free hand-wipe at your local car wash will become your new, best friend.

In 2008, the National Weather Service decided to start the Arizona Monsoon every summer on June 15 and end it on September 30. Before that, forecasters tracked dewpoints and looked for three consecutive days of dewpoints of 55-degrees or more to decide the “monsoon had arrived” for the year. Tony Haffer, who spearheaded the change, was the head of the National Weather Service office in Phoenix at the time and talked with Royal Norman on the latest installment of the First Alert Beyond the Green Screen Podcast.

Climate Central is a non-profit organization bridging the gap between climate science and communicators. On this episode, meteorologist Royal Norman talks with Climate Central’s Senior Research Associate Kaitlyn Trudeau about the importance of making climate information accessible.

SRP meteorologists are doing snowpack surveys to look at how much water will be in reservoirs. In a recent survey, they found the snowpack is looking strong across the state. They do these surveys to prepare for floods, and plan for droughts. Holly Bock spoke with SRP Meteorologist Bo Svoma about what they learned from their recent snowpack survey, and what this means for our reservoirs in years to come.

In this week’s Beyond the Green Screen, the First Alert Weather team is talking about growing vegetables in the deserts, from beginners to experts. Royal Norman talked with master gardener Angela Judd, who lives in Mesa, about what you should be planting right now before the heat sets in. Learn more about Angela's amazing work at Growinginthegarden.com

Royal Norman welcomes Tom Frieders to the studio. He's the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, and they discuss the process of how severe weather warnings are made across the state.