AWIPS Weather Weenie of the Month

Inspired by the Weather Weenie of the Week at The Colorado State University
to honor those people who make comments incorporating atmospheric
jargon into everyday conversation.

September 2008

February 2009

November 2009

December 2010

April 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

January 2012

February 2012

August 2012

September 2012

August 2008

• August 29 - Will Leverenz - AWIPS Test Team

Today there was one of many discussions about the developing tropical systems, Gustav and Hanna. Will Leverenz proved his meteorological mettle by coming up with The Fujiwhara Effect, to describe the interaction between two nearby cyclones.

September 2008

• September 12 - Tom Pepe - AWIPS Test Team
  
  While having lunch at a local eatery, Tom commented about the frequency at which the wait staff was refilling the water glasses. He said that they must be allowing for the evaporation rate.

February 2009

• February 12, 2009 - Josh Huber and Bill Smith - AWIPS Test Team
  
  Instead of paying attention to the actual text of last night's severe thunderstorm warning, Bill and Josh were decoding the V-TEC string at the top of the message:
  
  /O.NEW.KLWX.SV.W.0009.090212T0307Z-090212T0400Z/
  
  Operational New Product from Sterling, VA. Severe Thunderstorm Warning ETN 0009 from 1007 - 1100 on 2/11/2009.

November 2009

• November 20, 2009 - Kristen Delack, Lisa Mata, Anthony Nugnes, Dayna Pelc, Bill Smith and Lavonne Tongue - Facebook Post
  
  Typical weeniness:

December 2010

• December 12, 2010 - Bill Smith, GOES-R

My in-laws gave us this serving tray as an anniversary gift. After examining it, I said that it's perfect to track Atlantic hurricanes with licorice and gumdrops. I guess that makes me a weather weenie!

April 2011

• Will Leverenz - AWIPS Test Facility

Will uses an iPhone VPN app to access one of the AWIPS test servers to display a recent METAR (April 27 at 1252 EDT) from Reagan National Airport

August 2011

• Will Leverenz - AWIPS Test Facility

Will earned an unprecedented third entry today. As we were crossing East-West Highway in Silver Spring, MD, Will commented on the standing waves in the asphalt.

September 2011

• Kira and Anthony Nugnes

Kira and Ant celebrated their second wedding anniversary by viewing Tornado Alley IMAX at The Liberty Science Center.

October 2011

• Josh Huber - AWIPS Test Facility

Josh had a Discrepancy Report (DR) that needed a recent tornado watch for testing. One evening at home, he learned that his county was under a tornado watch. A little while later he thought, "Oh, I can test that DR tomorrow."

November 2011

• Bill Smith and several anonymous NOAA/NWS Staff - NWSHQ/SSMC-2

There is a TV tuned to CNN in the elevator lobby in SSMC-2. The news anchor began to report the severe weather occurring in Alabama. As she uttered the word "tornado," Bill and several others stopped immediately, and their heads snapped to look at the TV.

January 2012

• Will Leverenz - AWIPS Test Facility

During a discussion at lunch, Will stated his preference for the auto-correct feature of the iPhone. He said, "I like it because I don't have to type 'ageostrophic' all the time."

February 2012

• Josh Huber - AWIPS Test Facility

Josh commented on the weather forecast for next week. "Cold air is going to pour out of Canada like maple syrup!"

August 2012

• Mike Griffith - AWIPS Test Facility

Mike made his debut as a weather weenie this month. Josh Huber was waxing poetic about the world's largest mushroom farm outside of Pittsburgh, PA. He began to describe the pungent odors that emanate from the facility some mornings when Mike interjected, "...or when there's a temperature inversion!"

September 2012

• Bill Smith - AWIPS Test Facility

While having lunch at Masi Hibachi in Silver Spring, Bill observed a mini-tornado in the smoke after the chef ignited cooking oil on the grill.