November 15, 2024 • 18 mins
Is it true that dogs can sense when a storm is coming? Join Emily and Luis as they learn the science and skills of weather forecasting with Ginger Zee, chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent at ABC News! In this episode of the Lingokids Podcast, Emily and Luis travel to the plains of Oklahoma to face a real tornado! Learn how meteorologists are key to keeping people safe from storms and other dangerous weather events!
***** Parents, in the Lingokids app, we have plenty of interactive activities, games, songs, and more that blend educational subjects and modern life skills to help get your kids ready for today's changing world! From math to making friends, reading to resilience, collaboration, creativity, and so much more, spark curiosity, imagination, and success with Lingokids! *****
A Lingokids Original podcast produced by Studio Ochenta
Starring Emily Calandrelli as Herself and Parker James Logie as Luis
With additional production support from
Head Writers: Maru Lombardo and Luis López
Production Coordinators: Catalina Hoyos
Editor: Luis López and Chiara Santella
Theme Song Written by: Fredrika Stahl
Theme Song Composed by: Fredrika Stahl
Music Production: Dimitri Peronno
Theme Song Performed by: The Angel City Youth Chorale directed by Heather Catalena
Recording Engineers: Bill Trousdale at Audiovisions and Jason Schimmel at Bunker Studios
Photo credit: ABC News
Legal Services: Lisa Nitti, Ludye Nisol, Alix d’Argentré
Special thanks to: Ginger Zee, Brooks Lancaster, and Dori Kaba
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
I spent one summer on Lake Michigan, where I got
to be in a home that had the view of
the lake. And if any of you have ever seen
Lake Michigan, it looks just like the ocean.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You can see forever and ever and ever.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
And so that summer, not only did I see many thunderstorms.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
But I also saw a waterspout.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
A waterspout is essentially a tornado over water, and it
was one of the most powerful images that an eight
year old can probably ever see.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
That's meteorologist Gingersey talking about her favorite subject, the fascinating
world of weather. Her job includes presenting the weather forecast
on TV, and once in a while, she'll face some
of the planet's largest and most amazing storms. All of
this to help us stay safe and informed. Welcome to
(00:51):
Season three of Growing Up with Emily, a Lingo kids podcast.
It helps kids discover how to be whatever they want
to be. Join us on an epic adventure to uncover
the secrets behind awesome skills, cool hobbies, and the incredible
journeys of people who followed their dreams. End this episode,
you better hold on to your rain boots because we're
(01:13):
chasing tornadoes. We'll find out not only how cool weather
science is, but also how it changes people's lives all
over the world. Let's dive into the bold lives of meteorologists.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
Maxie, what's wrong boy? Emily's picking me up any second now, Hi, Louise,
why do you have a raincoat on?
Speaker 6 (02:03):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Not only a raincoat, Louise, got my boots and my
flower umbrella.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
But it's sonny outside.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You're right, Louise, it's sunny now, but it'll probably be
raining by the time we get to the studios. I
know it sounds strange, but the weather forecast said it is.
Everything okay with Maxie?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
He just keeps howling. I don't know what it is, Maxie?
What can I do? I gave you your bone, you
ate my homework? What else can I do?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
You know, Louise, animals can sense a storm coming. Really well,
that's what meteorologists say. Media, what meteorologists? The word's quite
a mouthful, isn't it a little?
Speaker 5 (02:46):
But I'll get it? And what is that again? Is
this someone who loves meteorites like the ones that ended
the dinosaurs?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Ooh, well, not exactly. It's someone who studies why it rains,
why the sun is out why there there are white
clouds or very angry gray clouds in the sky. But
the word meteor actually means things in the sky, so
that's why it's called meteorologists.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Oh wow, I love looking at the sky, Emily. Let's go.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
You should get your raincoat first. Luise, here, let's check
the forecast on TV.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
We've got sunshine now, but sunshine is the fuel for thunderstorms.
Those storms could have tornadoes later today, so keep an
eye out because all the ingredients are present.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Oh wow, how does she know about the storm?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
You can ask her later.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Wait what do you mean, Emily?
Speaker 6 (03:41):
But no worries. After that all passes. We'll have some
clear skies and a great interview at the Lingo Kits
Grown Up Podcast.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
No way is she are very special guests.
Speaker 6 (03:52):
The forecast for that interview, some showers, some cool science,
thunderous gray stories, and the ninety nine percent chance. No,
I'll give it one hundred percent. That's fun game shows.
I'm ginger Z and this is your forecast.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
See that's the one and only Gingers, a super famous meteor.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
Wait wait, let me try a meteorologist.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yes, exactly, you did it. She is a chief meteorologist
at ABC Network. She's such an adventurer. She goes after
the most roaring storms for her shows.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Wow, she sounds like a storm police. So brave she
really is.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Ginger tracks all kinds of weather sparks, tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms,
you name it. And she has traveled to so many
places around the world. I think we can learn from
her about why the weather gets kind of crazy sometimes.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Oh and then she can tell us what it's like
to chase storms. It must be like chasing a dragon,
but made of clouds. Without a sword. I guess yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I'd say more a camera than a sword for sure.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Oops, there's that storm coming, Emily. Let me go grab
my raincoat before we go. Why Maxie, don't let the
storm get you off we go?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Hello everybody, and welcome to today's Talk Get game show.
I hope the rain didn't keep you long from joining
us today. Today we're joined by the one and only
ginger z Hi.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Ginger Hi, there, I'm ginger z chief youerologists at ABC News.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
So today we will start with our game show. I
know Louise has something pretty cool ready for.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Us, Hi do Emily, So today's game's easy. It's called
I Am Louise, And what's it about?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Louise?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
I describe something and Ginger has to guess what it
is before the bell rings. Heads up, it won't be
about me, but it'll be about weather things that are
pretty cool like me. You ready, Ginger, I'm ready?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
All right.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Number one, I am the air that moves around the planet.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
When am I? When?
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Bingo, Ginger, what's some cool science you can tell us
about wind?
Speaker 1 (06:17):
I think the most exciting thing is that wind is
present because our equator is hot and our poles are cold,
and that difference in temperature is what the Earth very
much wants to balance out but never will, and so
it moves everything trying to get there, but it just
won't happen.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So we'll still have wind.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Oh so it's like a heater in a fridge getting
into a boxing fight.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Oh exactly.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Okay. Number two, I am the water that falls from
the sky. What am I.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Raining?
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Correct? Again? Ah?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
But there are tons of ways water can fall from
the sky, right, Ginger. There's also snow and sleet.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh, there are so many types of water, you know,
different phases of water, whether it's frozen semi frozen. There
are different sizes of rain, drops, and then there's even
hail hail.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
What's that?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Basically ice falling from the skies epic.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
I think I've seen it happen when it's very sunny.
Why is that ginger?
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
What's the science behind hail?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Hail gets confused a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
People will say, Oh, it was a beautiful summer day,
and then all of a sudden it hailed, And that's
actually exactly when hail forms, because you need a lot
of heat and a lot of energy to create very
tall thunderstorms that sustain these water droplets that eventually freeze
and then melt and freeze and then melt, and as
they refreeze, they keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger,
(07:50):
like in accumulating snowball almost, but it's hard ice, and
then when it gets too heavy, it falls as hail.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I love how water is something that's in front of
us all the time. We drink it, we use it
to do the dishes, we even swim in it. But
it's never boring.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
You're right, Emily, I guess science teaches us something new
every day. Okay, on to the next question. I am
tons of water floating through the sky. What am I.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Fog?
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Oh? Cool. I have clouds, but fog is kind of
a cloud.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Right, tog is a cloud.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Yeah, I've dreamed of flying for the clouds. Is it
like connon candy?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Yeah, that is something that my six year old son
recently asked me because he wanted to know what it
would feel like to be in a cloud. And thankfully
I've had that experience paragliding. We were able to fly
to a cloud base paragliding.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Huh. We definitely want to hear.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
More of your stories about storms.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I've been storm chasing where we've all been really close
to a wall cloud coming down, and all of us
have likely been in a cloud because we've touched, so
you do know what it feels like.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It feels like wet air.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
Ginger, you nailed all the questions.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I told you we would learn a lot from Ginger.
She is a chief meteorologist for a reason. Why don't
we sit down and talk to her about her journey
and weather science?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Of course?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Okay, Ginger, I heard you are a storm lover. Tell
us about that.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Well, this is a big part of my origin story.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
But I find thunderstorms especially, but all types of storms
to be incredibly inspiring. I spent one summer on Lake Michigan,
where I got to be in a home that had
the view.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Of the lake.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Luis, Have you ever been to Lake Michigan?
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Nope? What's it like?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Just like the ocean? You can see forever and ever
and ever.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
And so that summer, not only did I see many thunderstorms,
but I.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Also saw a waterspout. A waterspout is essentially a tornado
over water. It was one of the most powerful images.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
That an eight year old can probably we'll ever see.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Wow, I've never seen anything like it.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And how did that eight year old girl in Lake
Michigan become a storm chaser and a broadcaster?
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Ginger.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
There's a lot of places as a meteorologist you can
kind of dive into and not just stay in forecasting.
And that's actually a big part of why I was
attracted to it. I did not want to be in
broadcasting or television. That wasn't my initial intent.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
Oh you didn't want to be on TV, but you're
so good at it.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
I very much wanted to just be a storm chaser
that did research on tornadoes. I very much knew I
did not want to be one of those people on
TV talking about it because I was very shy and
I did not think that, which is so funny because
that's exactly what I became.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I feel shy too, Ginger, What did you do to
be on TV? Did you put on a bow tie?
Just like me and Emily?
Speaker 1 (10:46):
So, while I was working, I would go in my
free time take a class at a improv place or
a comedy store or a script you know, like a theater,
and I would take little voice classes to help me
learn how to be more of a projector and more
of a storyteller.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Cool.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I can definitely relate to it because as an engineer,
I also had to learn how to tell stories with science.
It's an atomic skill.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
Ginger. Have you ever been inside an actual storm?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Yeah? And is it thrilling?
Speaker 1 (11:19):
It's strange because, you know, when I've fell in love
with tornadoes, for example, tornadoes are much smaller they when
they are out in the field that they're hurting no one,
you know, like usually in the planes when we.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Would see them and we would study.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Them, they were just out there for us to study, really,
and they would die before they would hit anybody or anything.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
So I found that part of nature thrilling.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Right, But I also imagine that watching the weather hurt
people can be really tough. Sometimes that is.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Terribly sad and terrifying. So in a hurricane, I don't
think it's ever thrill. I think it's I'm still fascinated
by how it works, how each storm is so unique,
they all act differently, just like people.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
That sounds a little scary, Emily, Yeah, it can definitely
be scary because storms are such well forces of nature.
You know, in Ginger, you've seen your fair share of storms.
What's the first big storm you covered on TV?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
My first big, big storm that I covered for a
lot of people was Hurricane Katrina the year two thousand
and five. It is one of those storms that is
just will go down in history and I got to
not only see that, but then sit with the people
for a week after sifting through and seeing all of it.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
And what did you learn about being a meteorologist when
you covered that storm?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I realized this isn't about science.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
This is about comepassion, not just passion.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
It's about where those two things come together. And that's
going to be my job of telling these people's stories
and then making sure that this never happened. And that's
when I knew I had chosen the right path because
I thought I can make a difference here. We can
get this information to people that need it.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh, that's such an important lesson to remember. Weather isn't
only about what happens up in the sky and in nature.
Weather is about what happens to people too. It can
be scary sometimes, but the more we study it, the
better we can get at staying safe.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Yeah, that makes me feel better. Oh wait, Emily, speaking
of keeping everyone safe, I always forgot another question, I
add Ginger. Is it true that dogs can feel when
a storm is coming?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
No question.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I have a dog, a rescue and this dog, since
he was a puppy, has had such instinct. Not only
is he fearful, but he goes to the lowest level
of our home, inside the interior basement, away from windows.
He does everything we tell people to do naturally, so
he instinctively.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Knows how to save his own life.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
He also then shakes like a baby.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Oh wow, MAXI does the same things. Well, maybe a
little bit more of the shaking, but he's a very
good boy.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Well, now you know you can check in with Maxy
and the forecast before going out. Louise, you got it,
ginger Your work is amazing. Thank you so much for
talking to us today. We had a blast learning about
the weather with you. Please give a round of applause
for ginger Z. So, Louise, are you ready for our
(14:31):
next science stop. We're going to the state of Oklahoma, Oklahoma.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
How are we getting there? Let me search on your phone.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Here you go.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
It's a very long drive there, Emily, like nineteen whole hours.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
But we're going from the west coast, so we'll have
the winds at our back.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Oh yeah, Emily, maybe there's something from the Go Forward
Lab that can help us get there even faster.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
You're right, Louise, we can use the portal map. So
what now, It's a magical map that can take you
anywhere anywhere.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Let's try it.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Okay, So Oklahoma is right here, ready to point it out?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Ready?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
One? Two, three?
Speaker 5 (15:25):
We're are re, Emily.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
We're in the plains of Oklahoma in the United States,
and we're about to see a tornado.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
What do you mean. There's just a few clouds over there,
but the sun is out and we can see the sky.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
But remember, Louise, we can also get storms and tornadoes
on a sunny day. In fact, the best conditions for
a tornado is warm, humid air.
Speaker 5 (15:51):
I remember our science teacher said something about how tornadoes form.
She said something about warm air and cool air mixing
and spinning around.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Yes, exactly. In fact, look we can start to see
it right now.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Oh, it's suddenly starting to get very dark.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
It is now, luis quick science question. What direction does
warm air go up? Exactly. Warm air is less dense
than regular air, so it rises. And as the warm
air on the ground rises, it starts to mix with
the cooler air up in the sky. And because it's
(16:30):
moving at a different speed and direction than the air
up there, they start to spin and spin and spin.
After a little bit of time, we get this kind
of upside down cone cloud, which is called a funnel cloud. Look,
we can start to see it for now.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Only the funnel cloud is starting to grow. What should
we do.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Don't worry. Don't worry. It's still very far away from us.
We'll be fine. But remember the best place to take
shelter during tornadoes is in a basement.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Oh, look, it's starting to fade away.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Yeah. Tornadoes usually only last a few minutes or so,
and when they're in an open field like this, they
don't really hurt anyone, so it's all good. So, Louise,
what did you learn today about being a meteorologist?
Speaker 5 (17:24):
I learned that storm is gonna be very powerful and
also very beautiful. I also learned that mediologists study so
much weather science and get to help people all the time.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I loved learning about that too, So thanks for joining
us on this episode of Growing Up all about the
fascinating world of weather.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And the people who study it.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Meteorologists. Remember there's a lot of work that goes into
the weather forecast, and make sure you always follow recommendations
for staying safe during storms. Louis, are you curious to
learn more always well, you can check out Lingo Kids,
the number one learning app for kids. It has tons
of fun and educational videos, games and podcasts just like
(18:07):
this one. Download the Lingo Kids app today for free.
I spent one summer on Lake Michigan, where I got
to be in a home that had the view of
the lake. And if any of you have ever seen
Lake Michigan, it looks just like the ocean.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You can see forever and ever and ever.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
And so that summer, not only did I see many thunderstorms.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
But I also saw a waterspout.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
A waterspout is essentially a tornado over water, and it
was one of the most powerful images that an eight
year old can probably ever see.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
That's meteorologist Gingersey talking about her favorite subject, the fascinating
world of weather. Her job includes presenting the weather forecast
on TV, and once in a while, she'll face some
of the planet's largest and most amazing storms. All of
this to help us stay safe and informed. Welcome to
(00:51):
Season three of Growing Up with Emily, a Lingo kids podcast.
It helps kids discover how to be whatever they want
to be. Join us on an epic adventure to uncover
the secrets behind awesome skills, cool hobbies, and the incredible
journeys of people who followed their dreams. End this episode,
you better hold on to your rain boots because we're
(01:13):
chasing tornadoes. We'll find out not only how cool weather
science is, but also how it changes people's lives all
over the world. Let's dive into the bold lives of meteorologists.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
Maxie, what's wrong boy? Emily's picking me up any second now, Hi, Louise,
why do you have a raincoat on?
Speaker 6 (02:03):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Not only a raincoat, Louise, got my boots and my
flower umbrella.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
But it's sonny outside.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You're right, Louise, it's sunny now, but it'll probably be
raining by the time we get to the studios. I
know it sounds strange, but the weather forecast said it is.
Everything okay with Maxie?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
He just keeps howling. I don't know what it is, Maxie?
What can I do? I gave you your bone, you
ate my homework? What else can I do?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
You know, Louise, animals can sense a storm coming. Really well,
that's what meteorologists say. Media, what meteorologists? The word's quite
a mouthful, isn't it a little?
Speaker 5 (02:46):
But I'll get it? And what is that again? Is
this someone who loves meteorites like the ones that ended
the dinosaurs?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Ooh, well, not exactly. It's someone who studies why it rains,
why the sun is out why there there are white
clouds or very angry gray clouds in the sky. But
the word meteor actually means things in the sky, so
that's why it's called meteorologists.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Oh wow, I love looking at the sky, Emily. Let's go.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
You should get your raincoat first. Luise, here, let's check
the forecast on TV.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
We've got sunshine now, but sunshine is the fuel for thunderstorms.
Those storms could have tornadoes later today, so keep an
eye out because all the ingredients are present.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Oh wow, how does she know about the storm?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
You can ask her later.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Wait what do you mean, Emily?
Speaker 6 (03:41):
But no worries. After that all passes. We'll have some
clear skies and a great interview at the Lingo Kits
Grown Up Podcast.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
No way is she are very special guests.
Speaker 6 (03:52):
The forecast for that interview, some showers, some cool science,
thunderous gray stories, and the ninety nine percent chance. No,
I'll give it one hundred percent. That's fun game shows.
I'm ginger Z and this is your forecast.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
See that's the one and only Gingers, a super famous meteor.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
Wait wait, let me try a meteorologist.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yes, exactly, you did it. She is a chief meteorologist
at ABC Network. She's such an adventurer. She goes after
the most roaring storms for her shows.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Wow, she sounds like a storm police. So brave she
really is.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Ginger tracks all kinds of weather sparks, tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms,
you name it. And she has traveled to so many
places around the world. I think we can learn from
her about why the weather gets kind of crazy sometimes.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Oh and then she can tell us what it's like
to chase storms. It must be like chasing a dragon,
but made of clouds. Without a sword. I guess yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I'd say more a camera than a sword for sure.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Oops, there's that storm coming, Emily. Let me go grab
my raincoat before we go. Why Maxie, don't let the
storm get you off we go?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Hello everybody, and welcome to today's Talk Get game show.
I hope the rain didn't keep you long from joining
us today. Today we're joined by the one and only
ginger z Hi.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Ginger Hi, there, I'm ginger z chief youerologists at ABC News.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
So today we will start with our game show. I
know Louise has something pretty cool ready for.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Us, Hi do Emily, So today's game's easy. It's called
I Am Louise, And what's it about?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Louise?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
I describe something and Ginger has to guess what it
is before the bell rings. Heads up, it won't be
about me, but it'll be about weather things that are
pretty cool like me. You ready, Ginger, I'm ready?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
All right.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Number one, I am the air that moves around the planet.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
When am I? When?
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Bingo, Ginger, what's some cool science you can tell us
about wind?
Speaker 1 (06:17):
I think the most exciting thing is that wind is
present because our equator is hot and our poles are cold,
and that difference in temperature is what the Earth very
much wants to balance out but never will, and so
it moves everything trying to get there, but it just
won't happen.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So we'll still have wind.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Oh so it's like a heater in a fridge getting
into a boxing fight.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Oh exactly.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Okay. Number two, I am the water that falls from
the sky. What am I.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Raining?
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Correct? Again? Ah?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
But there are tons of ways water can fall from
the sky, right, Ginger. There's also snow and sleet.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh, there are so many types of water, you know,
different phases of water, whether it's frozen semi frozen. There
are different sizes of rain, drops, and then there's even
hail hail.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
What's that?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Basically ice falling from the skies epic.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
I think I've seen it happen when it's very sunny.
Why is that ginger?
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
What's the science behind hail?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Hail gets confused a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
People will say, Oh, it was a beautiful summer day,
and then all of a sudden it hailed, And that's
actually exactly when hail forms, because you need a lot
of heat and a lot of energy to create very
tall thunderstorms that sustain these water droplets that eventually freeze
and then melt and freeze and then melt, and as
they refreeze, they keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger,
(07:50):
like in accumulating snowball almost, but it's hard ice, and
then when it gets too heavy, it falls as hail.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I love how water is something that's in front of
us all the time. We drink it, we use it
to do the dishes, we even swim in it. But
it's never boring.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
You're right, Emily, I guess science teaches us something new
every day. Okay, on to the next question. I am
tons of water floating through the sky. What am I.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Fog?
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Oh? Cool. I have clouds, but fog is kind of
a cloud.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Right, tog is a cloud.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Yeah, I've dreamed of flying for the clouds. Is it
like connon candy?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Yeah, that is something that my six year old son
recently asked me because he wanted to know what it
would feel like to be in a cloud. And thankfully
I've had that experience paragliding. We were able to fly
to a cloud base paragliding.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Huh. We definitely want to hear.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
More of your stories about storms.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I've been storm chasing where we've all been really close
to a wall cloud coming down, and all of us
have likely been in a cloud because we've touched, so
you do know what it feels like.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It feels like wet air.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
Ginger, you nailed all the questions.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I told you we would learn a lot from Ginger.
She is a chief meteorologist for a reason. Why don't
we sit down and talk to her about her journey
and weather science?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Of course?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Okay, Ginger, I heard you are a storm lover. Tell
us about that.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Well, this is a big part of my origin story.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
But I find thunderstorms especially, but all types of storms
to be incredibly inspiring. I spent one summer on Lake Michigan,
where I got to be in a home that had
the view.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Of the lake.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Luis, Have you ever been to Lake Michigan?
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Nope? What's it like?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Just like the ocean? You can see forever and ever
and ever.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
And so that summer, not only did I see many thunderstorms,
but I.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Also saw a waterspout. A waterspout is essentially a tornado
over water. It was one of the most powerful images.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
That an eight year old can probably we'll ever see.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Wow, I've never seen anything like it.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And how did that eight year old girl in Lake
Michigan become a storm chaser and a broadcaster?
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Ginger.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
There's a lot of places as a meteorologist you can
kind of dive into and not just stay in forecasting.
And that's actually a big part of why I was
attracted to it. I did not want to be in
broadcasting or television. That wasn't my initial intent.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
Oh you didn't want to be on TV, but you're
so good at it.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
I very much wanted to just be a storm chaser
that did research on tornadoes. I very much knew I
did not want to be one of those people on
TV talking about it because I was very shy and
I did not think that, which is so funny because
that's exactly what I became.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I feel shy too, Ginger, What did you do to
be on TV? Did you put on a bow tie?
Just like me and Emily?
Speaker 1 (10:46):
So, while I was working, I would go in my
free time take a class at a improv place or
a comedy store or a script you know, like a theater,
and I would take little voice classes to help me
learn how to be more of a projector and more
of a storyteller.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Cool.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I can definitely relate to it because as an engineer,
I also had to learn how to tell stories with science.
It's an atomic skill.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
Ginger. Have you ever been inside an actual storm?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Yeah? And is it thrilling?
Speaker 1 (11:19):
It's strange because, you know, when I've fell in love
with tornadoes, for example, tornadoes are much smaller they when
they are out in the field that they're hurting no one,
you know, like usually in the planes when we.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Would see them and we would study.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Them, they were just out there for us to study, really,
and they would die before they would hit anybody or anything.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
So I found that part of nature thrilling.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Right, But I also imagine that watching the weather hurt
people can be really tough. Sometimes that is.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Terribly sad and terrifying. So in a hurricane, I don't
think it's ever thrill. I think it's I'm still fascinated
by how it works, how each storm is so unique,
they all act differently, just like people.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
That sounds a little scary, Emily, Yeah, it can definitely
be scary because storms are such well forces of nature.
You know, in Ginger, you've seen your fair share of storms.
What's the first big storm you covered on TV?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
My first big, big storm that I covered for a
lot of people was Hurricane Katrina the year two thousand
and five. It is one of those storms that is
just will go down in history and I got to
not only see that, but then sit with the people
for a week after sifting through and seeing all of it.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
And what did you learn about being a meteorologist when
you covered that storm?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I realized this isn't about science.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
This is about comepassion, not just passion.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
It's about where those two things come together. And that's
going to be my job of telling these people's stories
and then making sure that this never happened. And that's
when I knew I had chosen the right path because
I thought I can make a difference here. We can
get this information to people that need it.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh, that's such an important lesson to remember. Weather isn't
only about what happens up in the sky and in nature.
Weather is about what happens to people too. It can
be scary sometimes, but the more we study it, the
better we can get at staying safe.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Yeah, that makes me feel better. Oh wait, Emily, speaking
of keeping everyone safe, I always forgot another question, I
add Ginger. Is it true that dogs can feel when
a storm is coming?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
No question.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I have a dog, a rescue and this dog, since
he was a puppy, has had such instinct. Not only
is he fearful, but he goes to the lowest level
of our home, inside the interior basement, away from windows.
He does everything we tell people to do naturally, so
he instinctively.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Knows how to save his own life.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
He also then shakes like a baby.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Oh wow, MAXI does the same things. Well, maybe a
little bit more of the shaking, but he's a very
good boy.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Well, now you know you can check in with Maxy
and the forecast before going out. Louise, you got it,
ginger Your work is amazing. Thank you so much for
talking to us today. We had a blast learning about
the weather with you. Please give a round of applause
for ginger Z. So, Louise, are you ready for our
(14:31):
next science stop. We're going to the state of Oklahoma, Oklahoma.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
How are we getting there? Let me search on your phone.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Here you go.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
It's a very long drive there, Emily, like nineteen whole hours.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
But we're going from the west coast, so we'll have
the winds at our back.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Oh yeah, Emily, maybe there's something from the Go Forward
Lab that can help us get there even faster.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
You're right, Louise, we can use the portal map. So
what now, It's a magical map that can take you
anywhere anywhere.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Let's try it.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Okay, So Oklahoma is right here, ready to point it out?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Ready?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
One? Two, three?
Speaker 5 (15:25):
We're are re, Emily.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
We're in the plains of Oklahoma in the United States,
and we're about to see a tornado.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
What do you mean. There's just a few clouds over there,
but the sun is out and we can see the sky.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
But remember, Louise, we can also get storms and tornadoes
on a sunny day. In fact, the best conditions for
a tornado is warm, humid air.
Speaker 5 (15:51):
I remember our science teacher said something about how tornadoes form.
She said something about warm air and cool air mixing
and spinning around.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Yes, exactly. In fact, look we can start to see
it right now.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Oh, it's suddenly starting to get very dark.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
It is now, luis quick science question. What direction does
warm air go up? Exactly. Warm air is less dense
than regular air, so it rises. And as the warm
air on the ground rises, it starts to mix with
the cooler air up in the sky. And because it's
(16:30):
moving at a different speed and direction than the air
up there, they start to spin and spin and spin.
After a little bit of time, we get this kind
of upside down cone cloud, which is called a funnel cloud. Look,
we can start to see it for now.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Only the funnel cloud is starting to grow. What should
we do.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Don't worry. Don't worry. It's still very far away from us.
We'll be fine. But remember the best place to take
shelter during tornadoes is in a basement.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Oh, look, it's starting to fade away.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Yeah. Tornadoes usually only last a few minutes or so,
and when they're in an open field like this, they
don't really hurt anyone, so it's all good. So, Louise,
what did you learn today about being a meteorologist?
Speaker 5 (17:24):
I learned that storm is gonna be very powerful and
also very beautiful. I also learned that mediologists study so
much weather science and get to help people all the time.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I loved learning about that too, So thanks for joining
us on this episode of Growing Up all about the
fascinating world of weather.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And the people who study it.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Meteorologists. Remember there's a lot of work that goes into
the weather forecast, and make sure you always follow recommendations
for staying safe during storms. Louis, are you curious to
learn more always well, you can check out Lingo Kids,
the number one learning app for kids. It has tons
of fun and educational videos, games and podcasts just like
(18:07):
this one. Download the Lingo Kids app today for free.
Host
Emily Calandrelli
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