Under the Big Umbrella with Matt Zaffino

I talk with Bernadette Placky Woods, a meteorologist with Climate Central who is attending COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. We discuss what's happening in Glasgow, what it's like to be there and the state of climate change and global efforts to lessen its impact.

My conversation with Nick Bond, research meteorologist at the University of Washington and state climatologist of Washington. We get into La Nina, climate change, winters in the Northwest and a look back at the epic heat wave of Summer 2021.

This past weekend, the west coast was hit with a bomb cyclone in Oregon and Washington and an atmospheric river in California. KGW chief meteorologist Matt Zaffino breaks down the bomb cyclone, how it came to be and where it might be going in the changing climate.

We're heading into ski season and the second of back-to-back La Nina years. What is that, why do we care, and what does that mean for Cascade snowfall this year? Matt Zaffino digs deep into the numbers. But here's a clue: get your skis waxed and your traction tires mounted. 

Tired of the tedious commute in your car? Concerned about the fossil fuels you're burning while you do it and the link to climate change and our recently wild weather? There may soon be a new option for you coming up the river. It's called the Frog Ferry. The plan is ambitious, and it's hopping right along.

In late June, the Northwest experienced what had been unheard-of temperatures. In exploring the role of climate change in the heat wave, Matt Zaffino takes a deep dive into the rapidly growing field of science attribution.

Matt Zaffino shares his expertise on recent weather extremes and the possible connections to climate change.  Also, find out how Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton play into this week's episode. SPOILER ALERT: Matt MAY have twisted the words around a little bit to create his own special rendition. 

Is it going to snow?Meteorologist Matt Zaffino hears this question all the time. So, Matt did what any good meteorologist would do and brushed the dust off the history books to see if Portland's snowfall has increased or decreased over the years. In this episode:Find out how meteorologists measure snow.Matt shares the year Portland saw the most snow. 44 inches in one month!And Matt answers the question "Will I see snow in February?"Enjoy!

We were in it. Now we are out of it. We will probably be back in it again come January. Meteorologist Matt Zaffino breaks down why the Paris Climate Agreement is so important.

"A group spearheaded by the newly formed Oregon Glaciers Institute just held a funeral. The deceased demise was no surprise and its relatives have been dropping like flies. This has nothing to do with COVID. This is more of a cold case...or lack of cold case." Matt ZaffinoListen to find out more about the loss of the Clark Glacier on the central Oregon Cascade South Sister volcano.

SPOILER:  Expect snow, storms and wind! Matt Zaffino explains why El Nina and El Nino play a role in how the winter weather will be. 

Matt Zaffino recently went on a backpacking trip and started feeling guilty about some of the necessary evils that his group had to deal with (due to COVID-19) while heading out on a 7-hour drive. Matt dishes on why you should NOT have climate guilt during these unprecedented times.

The North Cascades of Washington has been described as some of the best wilderness in the lower 48. It can be hard to access because the valleys are deep, the mountains are high, remote, and steep. All of this makes it one of my favorite places to find solitude and deep wilderness experience. I’ve seen wolverine in the North Cascades. I’ve gone days without seeing anyone but my backpacking or climbing partner. I’ve fought through devils club and nettles so thick I’d wished I’d had a machete. The weather can be, ok let’s be honest, the weather can be and often is, absolutely miserable. So, this is not a mountain range where you want to leave your sleeping bag IN THE CAR. Which is exactly what I did on this trip. 

Matt Zaffino talks about all of the great celestial events we will be able to see this summer in Oregon and riffs on some new info on ski slopes in the PNW. Yes. Matt is talking about skiing in the summer. 

Matt Zaffino has a look at the hot year we have been having and then breaks down why the name change of a hockey team will bring attention to climate change.

Get schooled on those beautiful noctilucent clouds that we get to see this time of year.SPOILER ALERT: Those are tenuous cloud-like phenomena in the upper atmosphere of Earth. They consist of ice crystals and are only visible during astronomical twilight. Matt also has all you need to know about the Perseid meteor showers and when you will be able to see them best and has info on when you can look up and see the Starlink satellite (you'll hear why this is so cool, especially if you have internet access of any kind). 

Meteorologist Matt Zaffino offers tips and thoughts on camping in Oregon and the PNW during the coronavirus pandemic.

May 18th, 2020 will mark 40 years since the Mount St. Helens eruption that rocked the PNW. Matt Zaffino shares his special memories and favorite moments of climbing, biking, and simply enjoying the majestic beast known as Mount St. Helens.

Let's chat about time, and survival in time, because a lot of us feel like we're just surviving this time of the coronavirus. I thought it'd be fun to look back at some other examples of survival and periods of long time where people have been left to their own devices. It's been two months since many of us began this new reality of life in quarantine, work from home, home school, not seeing friends and family, and all the other restrictions on life as we used to know it, and honestly, it's getting a little old, right? I mean, cabin fever, the urge to socialize and connect, are becoming stronger and stronger the longer this lasts. I mean, a person can only persevere on video chats and Netflix for so long, right?

Matt Zaffino is a little miffed by an article that has been circulating around his circle of science friends that says that the Oregon lockdown is what is hurting our economy, not the coronavirus. Find out how data prediction models are like buying a house.

Matt Zaffino has a peek into your 2020 spring/summer forecast. Find out if the temps in April dictate the temps in the summer.

Matt Zaffino has a look at what he thinks the wildfire season will look like for the west this year. 

In this episode of Under the Big Umbrella, Matt Zaffino talks about the yin and the yang when it comes to the coronavirus and pollution. 

What effect, if any, does the weather have on the coronavirus? Matt Zaffino takes us on a quick scientific journey to see if there is any impact, good or bad, weather can have on the spread of COVID-19.

Matt Zaffino, a self-professed outdoor junkie has a surprising take on why it's so important for us to social distance, even in the outdoors.

Matt Zaffino was visiting Sauvie Island, Oregon in early February when he heard the sound of frogs...doing what frogs do. Matt wondered if the early sounds of the mating amphibians had anything to do with climate change. You may be surprised with what Matt found.

I came across this article today showing yet another impact of the coronavirus. As the piece explains, it should be fairly minor, but it's another example of how the COVID-19 tentacles reach almost everywhere, even into the depths of super computers that produce weather maps, or as we call it in meteorology, numerical weather prediction.  It'll be interesting to see if forecasts that are not touched by humans and rely solely on computer model output, like those on many weather apps, see a downgrade in accuracy. In the meantime, enjoy the weather, no matter the forecast. - Matt Zaffino