Beyond the Green Screen Podcast: Can saguaros forecast the weather?

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Saguaros are the sentinels of the desert, with a life span more than 150 years and heights that can reach over 50 feet. Yet little is understood about how the saguaro will survive and adapt as our climate gets hotter and drier. Meteorologist Royal Norman talked with an saguaro expert, Don Swann, a biologist at the Saguaro National Park in Tucson.

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How Maricopa County Flood Control Saves Lives: Maricopa County Flood Control wants to save your property and your life. Formed in the late 1950s, the sole job of Flood Control was to limit the damage from desert floods. Over more than 60 years, the organization has grown into one of the top Flood Control Districts in the country, serving a county that’s land area is greater than seven individual states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey. Dan Henz at County Flood Control talks about how he was born to be a meteorologist.

Summer Gardening Tips: Master gardener Angela Judd returns to the show to recap the spring growing season and give tips on what to grow during Arizona’s hot summer. Learn more from Angela at growinginthegarden.com

April’s Arizona Bucket List: Just in time for the summer travel season, First Alert Meteorologist April Warnecke shares ideas for exploring, taken from her Good Morning Arizona franchise “April’s Arizona Bucket List.” She shares her favorite road trips, hikes, hotels, and small towns. April also interviews Chief Meteorologist and Arizona legend Royal Norman about his best stories of exploring Arizona over his decades at AZFamily.

Climate change’s impact on baseball: As the Earth’s climate changes, the impacts are felt in just about every way...including baseball. Royal Norman talks with Christopher Callahan from Stanford University about his research into how a warmer planet is impacting America’s pastime.

What goes into a mountain rescue with Phoenix Fire?: The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 199 mountain rescues last year. So far in 2024, they have responded to 14 in January, 20 in February, and more than 20 in March. In 2021 the City of Phoenix introduced a pilot program that shut down popular hiking trails like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa on excessive heat days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. That program was put into full force in 2022, and just last year they extended the closure hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round. Phoenix Fire Captain Bobby Dubnow talked about what goes into their training for these types of rescues, and has a look at the difference in mountain rescues calls during different times of the year.

A guide to the easiest, hardest, prettiest, and most unique hiking trails in Arizona: Arizona has amazing hiking trails from southern Arizona, to the Valley, all the way up to Flagstaff. During this time of the year, a lot of people may want to try out new hikes while the weather is still nice. Holly Bock spoke with a couple of avid hikers who have done it all. They have suggestions for the person who may just be starting out and doesn’t want anything too challenging, or for the person who may want to push themselves and try something new.

How to allergy-proof your vehicle: It seems like allergy season is upon us once again, and our wetter and warmer-than-average weather so far this year has made everything come into full bloom. But did you realize you can create a mostly “allergy-free zone” inside your car with a few simple tricks? First Alert Meteorologist Sean Mclaughlin talks with auto-repair expert Glen Hayward, from Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe, on how to find and change your cabin air filter, what to set your air conditioner on, and why that free hand-wipe at your local car wash will become your new, best friend.

Why we have dates for the Arizona Monsoon: In 2008, the National Weather Service decided to start the Arizona Monsoon every summer on June 15 and end it on September 30. Before that, forecasters tracked dewpoints and looked for three consecutive days of dewpoints of 55-degrees or more to decide the “monsoon had arrived” for the year. Tony Haffer, who spearheaded the change, was the head of the National Weather Service office in Phoenix at the time and talked with Royal Norman on the latest installment of the First Alert Beyond the Green Screen Podcast.

The Importance of Climate Information: Climate Central is a non-profit organization bridging the gap between climate science and communicators. On this episode, meteorologist Royal Norman talks with Climate Central’s Senior Research Associate Kaitlyn Trudeau about the importance of making climate information accessible.

Why the snow in the mountains is important to the Valley: SRP meteorologists are doing snowpack surveys to look at how much water will be in reservoirs. In a recent survey, they found the snowpack is looking strong across the state. They do these surveys to prepare for floods, and plan for droughts. Holly Bock spoke with SRP Meteorologist Bo Svoma about what they learned from their recent snowpack survey, and what this means for our reservoirs in years to come.

Spring Planting Season in Arizona: The First Alert Weather team is talking about growing vegetables in the deserts, from beginners to experts. Royal Norman talked with master gardener Angela Judd, who lives in Mesa, about what you should be planting right now before the heat sets in. Learn more about Angela’s amazing work at Growinginthegarden.com

Where Do Those Weather Warnings Come From?: Royal Norman welcomes Tom Frieders to the studio. He’s the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, and they discuss the process of how severe weather warnings are made across the state.

Why Phoenix has Excessive Heat Warnings: Phoenix has always had hot summers. In 1990, we recorded a high of 122. But we never had heat warnings until 2008. Find out why we didn’t have them and why we do now with veteran forecaster Paul Iñiguez.

Could worms help save the planet?: We talk with Zach Brooks, the owner of the Arizona Worm Farm located in south Phoenix. He was surprised as anyone how valuable his worms have become.

The Growing Heat Problem in Phoenix: Phoenix is getting hotter. Is there anyway we can protect our citizens better as heat deaths soar? David Hondula, the Director of the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation for the City of Phoenix, joins Royal Norman to discuss.

Christmas Angel lasts all year: Lt. Colonel Ivan Wild and Marlene Klotz-Collins, the mother of Arizona’s Christmas Angel program, are guests. The program started in 1987 and is in it’s 37th year. 50,000 children who would not get presents for the holiday will because of the generosity of Arizonans.

Was that storm really the worst ever?: How many times have we heard that a storm was the worst ever, or the worst in a century, or the temperatures was the hottest ever? ASU meteorologist Randy Cerveny, who’s written a book on the myths of weather records, joins us to say don’t always believe those reports of the worst weather ever.

Growing veggies in the desert: Mesa master gardener Angela Judd says, yes, you can grow a garden in your backyard in Arizona, even if you want to start small. Get her tips on how to set up your garden, the easiest stuff to plant in November and December, and the best way to take care of your soil.

So you want to chase thunderstorms: Arizona storm chaser Mike Olbinski talks about how he got started chasing storms and how he has become one of the top storm chasers in the country. His work has been licensed around the world, and he’s really the person who made an Arizona dust storm and international sensation.

What’s in a Name?: The First Alert weather team discusses the pros and cons of what our podcast should be named. Join April Warnecke, Paul Horton, Sean McLaughlin, Holly Bock, Ian Schwartz, and Royal Norman as they present the premier podcast, “Beyond the Green Screen.”

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