@climasillinois.bsky.social students launched a sounding at 20:15z from the UIUC campus

Welp, we might be in for another long day tomorrow... Storms look like they could get messy pretty fast, but it's going to be an extremely volatile environment. Chance for some strong tornadoes in the same areas as last week.

This week @latinwx.bsky.social and I sat down with an ER physician to talk about heat-related illnesses and how to stay safe this summer ☀️ will.illinois.edu/weatherrealn...

And some lightning south of town to cap off the evening

When it comes to viewing QLCSs, nothing beats the roof of a parking garage 👀 That slightly lower portion in the 2nd photo earned itself a tornado warning about 5 minutes later

Welp here we go again... Biggest threat in Champaign-Urbana is definitely going to be wind, but can't rule out some QLCS tornadoes either. Exactly when and where the worst weather occurs is going to depend on how the first batch of storms to our west evolves over the next few hours

I watched Scott Pelley on the Evening News every night as a kid. He was and still is one of my all-time heroes and one of the greatest journalists and writers of all time. To quote Edward R Murrow (and David Letterman): CBS, good night and good luck motherf*****s

Some welcome news this Monday 🎉

Reminder! Nominate a colleague for an AMS Board on Societal Impacts award by June 5th! Form: forms.gle/AKiktKtRaDAT...

The White House today announced it plans to make major changes in how the U.S. government manages research funding. https://scim.ag/43HgW4s

Sure but they‘re really stupid questions

🚨 Proposed House cuts: 20% to NSF, 17% to NASA Science 🚨 Over 6,000 actions were taken by our advocates to support science funding this year—let’s keep the momentum going. Urge Senate to reject these cuts and protect science. 👇ACT NOW👇 agu.quorum.us/campaign/162...

Thanks for having me on the podcast this week🎙️ My NPR voice is still a work in progress 😅

This weekend news broke that President Trump has fired members of the National Science Board (NSB), which oversees the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This independent governing body has advised U.S. presidents and Congress on scientific policies for more than 75 years.

Introducing our Quickly Deployable Python-based Instrumentation (QD-PI)! A little over 2 months of preparation with @liamltwx.bsky.social, but we finally have a working prototype. Thankfully our weatherproofing survived some light drizzle at this year's Engineering Open House 🌧️

Curious what's going on in WoFS at the moment... Looks like the problem has amplified over the last few runs and spans thermo and kinematic fields. First thought was assimilation of a bad surface ob, though not seeing anything obvious in ASOS or OK Mesonet 🤔

Only a few days left to apply for student travel grants! Students in undergrad and graduate school are highly encouraged to apply if you're planning on attending the Joint Summit.

📣 Calling all WRF/MPAS users! @ams-waf.bsky.social is hosting a webinar in a couple weeks about the ongoing transition from WRF to MPAS for regional modeling throughout the community. Please join to hear the perspectives from our fabulous panelists! Register here: ametsoc.org/WebinarWRFMPAS

Hahahahahahaha Goodbye and good riddance 👋

“If O’Neill is confirmed as NSF’s director, the Trump administration will further tighten its control over an agency created by Congress to be independent in its work to advance science.” UCS’s Julian Reyes explains why the Senate should work to block this nomination:

The willingness of administration officials to openly admit to violating the law and engaging in retaliatory actions probably shouldn't be surprising at this point, but it's still shocking to read just how blatant it has been in regards to NCAR specifically

Just in: UCAR has filed a lawsuit against NSF, the Commerce Dept, NOAA, and OMB to prevent the dismantling of NCAR, alleging "violations of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act."

Also pretty common to see tornadoes form north of these features... Which this storm is also trying it's best to do.

Classic rear inflow jet signature to the southwest of Champaign, IL. Drop in reflectivity behind the line is a good indicator of a strong downdraft, with the line bowing outward in response to the enhanced cold pool. Likely that Sullivan is about to experience some very gusty winds

The NSF has provided no evidence to justify dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Doing so would undermine one of the nation’s most vital scientific institutions. @ncar-ucar.bsky.social Read the letter UCS submitted today: 🔗 act.ucsusa.org/3NeWZh1

And unfortunately we're faring better than several other NSF directorates...

The Trump administration plans to dismantle NSF’s National Center for Atmospheric Research, potentially closing its main lab in Boulder. UCS's @carlonimbus.bsky.social explains how NCAR keeps us safe and how you can help protect it. Take action: act.ucsusa.org/4ceWei9

Thursday night fun with Raspberry Pi and an Adafruit sensor. Jumped for joy when I finally started logging data from this thing. Now to code up some functional logging software… And build the actual mesonet this is going on…

Mergers don't just result in a decline in local news, but also broadcast meteorology jobs... Far from the most pressing issue facing the world right now, but just another example of companies focusing on nothing besides increasing "shareholder value" 😒 variety.com/2026/tv/news...

I'm constantly trying (/failing) to get this point across. If you're a trained expert in a field, then it may be worthwhile to question the scientific consensus of your peers. If you're not, the scientific consensus is absolutely the best you can do and it's arbitrary foolishness to disregard it.

3 tornado-warned storms along the Illinois-Indiana border currently. Southernmost storm has been confirmed by spotters

Tornado watch creeps closer to Champaign. Set-up hasn't changed much, though WoFS guidance does try to place some storms farther north this evening. Worth watching

Answer: tornado watch well south, centered on the Ohio River.

Severe thunderstorms and perhaps a strong tornado possible across southern IL, IN, and OH this afternoon/evening. Chance we could see some long-track supercells that eventually grow upscale.

Great piece out today in Physics Today on historical origins, contemporary relevance, & fundamental irreplaceability of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which remains at imminent risk of dismantling for partisan political reasons.

Friday fun in the fab lab 😎

As someone who didn't know how to go about submitting a public comment on NSF's NCAR plan, this is greatly appreciated @agu.org Please take some time to fill this out if you're able!

#SaveNCAR www.cpr.org/2026/01/28/s...

Incoming AMS president Alan Sealls, UCAR President Tony Busalacchi, and outgoing AMS President Dave Stensrud talking about the evolving situation at NCAR. #AMS2026

Attention folks in the weather, climate, disaster, wildfire, and Earth science communities: NSF has just published a new "Dear Colleague" letter inviting feedback (by Mar 13) on the proposal to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). www.nsf.gov/funding/...

Important update about Congressional efforts to prevent the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) from being dismantled. Last week the White House threatened to veto any appropriations bill that protects NCAR. Despite this attempt at intimidation ... (1/ )

The battle to save NCAR has faded from the headlines, but it is not over. www.eenews.net/articles/tak... Call your Congressional reps and ask them to add language explicitly protecting NCAR to the spending package: 5calls.org/issue/ncar-n...

We hear that protection of NCAR from breakup is in peril in the CJS bill - be sure to contact your representatives to ensure that they hear your support!

"They carried her body out, just like by her limbs, they didn’t even have a stretcher," a witness says. "She was carried out like a sack of potatoes."

From @AGU.org: Senators are working on legislation to save NCAR, but we need extra support for these 8 states. Your Senators in Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming need to hear from you.

Easy way to start voicing support for NCAR and science in general. Thanks AGU :-)

Absolutely not. We'll fight it in the court of public opinion, in the literal courts, in Congress, whatever it takes. I'm sick and tired of these people decimating the institutions that hold this country together. Science belongs to the American people. It's not theirs to destroy on a whim

NCAR and UCAR have released a statement. NSF has not provided any guidance to UCAR or NCAR leadership about this whole situation. news.ucar.edu/133054/ucar-...

Before the 1990s, plane crashes caused by microbursts used to kill planeloads of people fairly regularly. Dr. Ted Fujita and NCAR scientists figured out how to detect microbursts and warn pilots about them. Since then? Zero airliner crashes from microbursts.

Fun to see the snow-covered ground (and relatively warm rivers) show up clearly on satellite thanks to the lack of cloud cover. Not as thrilled about the extremely cold temps we’re getting as a result though…