Driven by curiosity and wonder of the natural world, as a kid, Steve Byrne was so obsessed with the weather that classmates nicknamed him Weather Boy. As an adult, Steve’s passion for weather and the power of nature has only amplified, posting daily observations at his website, Tahoemountainweather.com. If you are a weather nerd, you will love Episode 98, as we talk about Kelvin waves, bomb cyclones, vorticities, a historic approaching El Niño and what it will mean for our winter here in Tahoe. Even if you aren’t a weather nerd, but you spend a lot of time in the backcountry, Steve will give you reasons to consider becoming one. Unlike a basketball court or a baseball field, the backcountry environment we all recreate in is dynamic and always changing, but there aren’t any resources in the Tahoe region weather forecasting specifically for the backcountry. Steve believes that the better we understand weather and how it interfaces with how we play outside, the more fun and safer we can all be.
0:40 – Big Sallie calls in to explain why trees turn color in the fall
5:00 – Introducing Steve Byrne – self-described weather nerd
8:00 – Knowing the weather can help you find the best snow in winter
9:10 – Running and ski traversing the ridgeline between Castle Peak and Basin Peak
11:50 – Growing up in South Carolina and becoming obsessed with weather and skiing
14:10 – Discovering the Lake Tahoe region in high school visiting his uncle
16:00 – Steve’s obsession with weather and his consideration of a weather career
20:20 – Being called “Weather Boy” and being made fun of as a kid
27:10 – Starting Tahoemountainweather.com – local backcountry weather observations
35:50 – Has AI weather forecast modeling been more or less accurate than traditional models?
40:00 – Bryan Allegretto proves that human observation is still relevant in an AI model world
42:50 – What’s the weirdest weather phenomenon you’ve ever seen?
45:20 – Why should people who aren’t weather nerds be weather nerds?
49:25 – Will El Niño impact our winter in Tahoe?
1:01:56 – Are you a white ribbon of death guy or wait until the snowpack gets deeper?
1:06:30 – The importance of wonder, curiosity and the power of the natural world
1:08:20 – Steve’s stint as a college radio DJ and his love for Argentine rock music
1:10:50 – Steve takes his skis to the Start Haus and walked away really impressed
1:12:33 – How can people in the backcountry best use Steve’s weather forecasting?
1:13:50 – What’s the biggest misconception people make about weather forecasts?
1:17:30 – What is the future of Tahoemountainweather.com?
1:20:20 – Steve and his involvement with Tahoe Backcountry Alliance
1:24:20 – Steve’s relationship with skiing the Eastern Sierra Nevada
1:27:50 – What is a Kelvin Wave?
1:33:40 – Will El Niño dampen the effects of bomb cyclones?
1:40:30 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?
