I am Mike Buresh, a Chief Meteorologist at WJAX in Jacksonville, Florida, Ask Me Anything!

Why are you so much cooler than Tim Deegan?

! :)

Man I miss George Winterling

:) - good man. Still pretty active. Just "talked" with him on FB a few weeks ago.

Send him some love for me and my granny! Haha

will do!

George Winterling! So cool to hear he's still kicking. He was the MAN for weather when I was growing up in the 70's. Tim Deegan...lol...surfer boy.

I miss his segments with his garden! My granny has had a crush on George since he started on tv lol. I don't have an opinion of Tim Deegan, except he surfs and that's cool.

that is cool!

Well we are all entitled to our own opinions, even if they are wrong.

you speak.... type - the truth. :)

How long until your state is just a large submerged sandbar?

many, many years - eons - in my opinion. The width & measurements of our coastlines are easily found online. Worth a check, & I think you'll be surprised.

Why is the width important here? My uninformed intuition is that elevation would be more relevant, and Florida is pretty low lying.

I'm talking - for example - width of our beaches/coastlines. Yes - elevation is important but our coastline has been at sea level for a very, very long time. Erosion is a natural event but is terribly exacerbated by man-made forces (building/construction, agriculture, etc)

Do you consider sea level rise from melt water to be a concern for Florida? I think that was the implication from the original question in the chain, and it’s just still not clear to me why width of beaches applies there.

Thanks for taking your time to help answer these for us.

The width of the beaches is regarding how much of our coastline has been "eaten away" over the last 50-100 years. Renourishment is a constant battle & cost. Big deal in this state. Sea level rise is a definite concern. We have time but the cost & efforts will be exorbitant. It's my belief that mitigation is a key.

"Migration" ftfy

no - mitigation.

RemindMe! 2 years

nah.

Do you ever sleep?

ha - another great question! Not much. I shoot for 1am-6:30am Mon. - Fri. :)

When I first was reading the title, I thought this said “chef” meteorologist and I wondered what that entailed. What type of cuisine would be your favorite to serve up alongside your forecasts?

:) - Like this one too. I make great (according to my kids) mashed potatoes... pizza burgers... barbecued ribs... spaghetti & homemade ice cream (my personal favorite!)

What's the coolest thing you have seen in the sky?

good question!! I'd have to say the solar eclipse in 2017. My daughter & I along with Garrett Bedenbaugh & videographer Russ Pyne traveled to totality in SC - very, very cool!

Have you found any of your fellow Meteorologists to be climate change deniers?

not in this office. I believe we have a realistic viewpoint on climate change which is an important distinction as well.

What's the "realistic viewpoint"? Because, when people say that, the viewpoint usually turns out to be climate change denial.

I would hope not, but you're probably right. A warming climate is something I talked about with school kids early in my career going all the way back to the late 1980s. It wasn't quite fashionable then yet. My point on the "realistic" is that not every weather event can be attributed to climate change. This mindset has gotten out of hand IMO. Lightning in California.... hurricanes over the Atlantic/Caribbean &/or Gulf in Aug./Sept./Oct.... snow in the "south".... or a temp. swing of 30-40 degrees are not - as single events - at all an indication of long term climate change. We -as a society, as a science - need to get away from this mantra. But we can measure temp. change over a long period of time, & it's clear we live in a warmer climate globally than at most anytime in modern history. And that warming trend is very likely to continue.

"Realistic viewpoint" checks out. Thanks. I agree. Often debates erode into "I've seen a million things that go against my ideology, but because i saw 1 thing that supported it, I'm dug in like a tick.".

I hear ya'. Thx!

A realistic point of view is that our climate is getting hotter because of man-made and non man-made reasons. It's not the end of the world, but it will cause many many problems in the future. Junk science sells for deniers and believers, whether the headlines are that the climate is not changing or that the world is about to end in 20 years.

truth. Thx.

What is the very best cheese?

mozzarella!

When my phone says rain at 5pm is “50%” does that mean 50% chance? Or 50% of Jacksonville should experience rain?

it means 50% chance. Personally - I prefer the % be based on coverage. Many times, I can say w/ 100% or 0% certainty that there will or will not be rain then it's the details - coverage, timing & amounts - that matter (& that can be difficult).

I always thought it meant "50% of the viewing area will experience rain".... Is that not the case? It's literally just a "Hey, you may or may not see rain"

it is. "cop-out" forecast if you ask me. :)

What has been the single most challenging weather event you've had to cover over the course of your career?

If I have to go "single most challenging", it would probably be hurricane "Dorian" last Aug./Sept. But there are multiple ones that come to mind going many years back.

What new and alarming weather trends have you noticed in past 5 years?

I wouldn't say necessarily "alarming" but new would be out last 2 winters which have been unseasonably mild with fewer than 5 freezes inland - very unusual.

What’s your favorite color?

red. :)

What color is your toothbrush?

trying to remember(!) - white & blue I think :)

Where can I find information based on hail amounts by city? Do you know of a good site for such information?

in the past I've used the Insurance Information Institute: https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-hail - usually pretty reliable.

Hi Mike! This question is from my parents, they used to live in Cincinnati and remember you from when you were a weatherman there! Do you still visit? And is reporting FL weather more difficult? Thanks so much! :)

hello to your parents! I enjoyed my 11 years there & still do visit (met my wife there) :) - miss Graeters ice cream! I don't believe Fl. weather is more difficult than the northern latitudes - really tough place to forecast(!).

Graeters is really good for sure. Thanks so much for the answer!

Sure thing!

But do you miss the Cincinnati Chili?

my wife does, but I don't really "get it" :)….. yes - La Rosa's!

I got Skyline for the first time on a recent visit, It was great on a hot dog but weird on spaghetti.

exactly :)

Did you ever consider or want to work for NWS?

I - the entire First Alert Weather Center - have a great working relationship with our Jax N.W.S. I really like the nuances of local television, so I don't see myself moving away from local t.v.... at this point in my career.

What other types of sciences do you like?

I enjoy astronomy & many of the biosciences... earth science & oceanography are interesting. Love the science of animals too.

Now that we know you like oceanography, what do you think the slowing of the gulf stream and other ocean currents mean overall? What about the changing ocean salinity levels? Is it trouble and what kind of weather phenomenons do you think these issues have the potential to create?

Join us at the Northeast Florida Astronomy Society (NEFAS). We observe at Hanna Park the Saturday closest to the first quarter Moon and at Osceola National Park on clear sky nights.

Love that NEFAS has evenings open to the public. The speed of our ocean currents have constantly gone up & down. The late Dr. Bill Gray wrote heavily on this topic. The slowing of the ocean currents over the past roughly 20-30 years has generally correlated with higher hurricane numbers/season. Ocean salinity, on the other hand, can be at least partially attributed to pollution (acid rain) in addition to weather conditions. Lots to consider. I'm not an oceanographer but do find the science interesting &, of course, some direct correlations to meteorology.

What advances in weather technology do you see coming in the next decade?

tough one.... good question. We've made huge advances over the last 20-30 years or so. I think you'll see even better/more precise weather radar technology. We're already seeing such in the radar field as well as weather satellites. One thing we must keep in mind: the atmosphere is chaotic & the truly perfect forecast is probably not attainable on a regular basis.

I write manuals for a weather radar manufacturer. For decades, the two main transmission sources for radars have been the magnetron and the klystron.

The new hotness (although it's not that new) is solid state signal generation. It's lower power, less maintenance, and much more cost effective.

Alternatively, S-band radars radars operate in the 2-4 GHz range. With the rollout of 5G soon, S-Band radars operating in that range will be affected. I don't know if there's a codified 5G range, but my company was planning to introduce a solid state S-band system as a flagship type model, but had to withdraw after the FCC told us our frequency would interfere with future unreleased communications protocols.

interesting work! I had the opportunity to work on the first operational Doppler Radar in Norman when I was in college - a great experience, especially at such a young age.

What is your favorite part of being a metrologist? What's work like during hurricane season?

My favorite part is how changeable the weather is & the respect that Mother Nature requires of us. The hurricane season is definitely more hectic. In addition to the tropics, the hurricane season is our "wet season" - lots of thunderstorms. So it's potentially busy on a pretty regular basis from June through at least Sept.

Thanks for your time. Duval loves ya!

thank you!

I recently moved from Florida to France and I find weather forecasts here even more inaccurate than back home. Is it just my impression?

Bonjour! :) ….. "even more inaccurate" - ouch! Well.... I find that European forecasts are rather broad & general with a lack of specifics which is hard to do anyway. So I have a tendency to agree with you though I must admit I don't have every day experiences with European forecasts. (Merci) :)

Thank you very much. I meant, you know, S FL weather is hard to deal with, as it rains so often. But here in France I cannot count on the 7-day prognosis at all

I understand :) - just having some fun. One could argue that France weather - vs. S. Florida - is a tougher "nut to crack". But I do have a tendency to agree with you, especially - appears to me - to be rather vague forecasts. Good luck!

Do you think hurricane season in Florida is going to be bad this year?

good question, & I admit to being concerned at this point. I don't like the position of a strong upper level high which has been pretty constant this winter near & south/southeast of Fl. If this pattern were to persist into the summer/early fall, tropical systems in the Caribbean &/or Gulf would be guided northward once on the backside of the upper high. Ocean temps. are - generally - relatively warm (compared to average) which leads to some concern as well. No indications of an El Nino which usually "stunts" our hurricane #'s over the Atlantic.

Thank you for the answer. As someone who lives on the St. Johns, I like to get perspective on upcoming hurricane seasons as much as possible.

I hear ya'. It's still early & much can change, of course. I write a blog online everyday during the hurricane season "Talking the Tropics With Mike" where I discuss what's going on - June 1 - Nov. 30.

Do you know Mike Massey?

I do not.

Mike...recently moved here from San Diego. What's your favorite restaurant in Jacksonville?

whoa - tough one! Love most of the fish camp restaurants. You'll find fresh seafood. You will likely really enjoy the Mayport shrimp that is a local specialty here - delicious. Valley Smoke is a good new restaurant in Ponte Vedra. Welcome to the area!

Thanks! Will try Valley Smoke. Reckon I moved from the easiest weather cities to one of the toughest! Love your style Mike!

thanks & enjoy!

Hey Mike, Duval local, here.

Have you heard of any discussion about building sea walls? I feel it's a much needed feature to have developed to protect our coastal homes and businesses.

Hello "local"! there's been some chatter. Expensive proposition.

Other than meteorology, what are your other interests?

Since moving to Jax nearly 20 years ago, I've taken up swimming laps almost daily - love that exercise. Otherwise, sports - especially basketball & football & now soccer (thx to my kids!), reading, traveling & blogging ("Buresh Blog"). And do enjoy community events & helping raise money for local nonprofits.

What will the Jags record be next season, whats your prediction?

ha! Wow - we need a big Jags season!! I'm afraid next season will be a tough one again because of consistency whether it's offense or defense. Optimistically I'd go 9 - 7. :)

Do you think if you just started under-reporting the weather by 2-3 degrees we could defeat climate change?

I guess that would be worth a shot.... but.... no :)

How long in advance can weather models accurately predict? We see so many site offering 10+ days forecasts from my understanding those have quite a bit of variance.

Is rain harder to forecast in Florida due to those random afternoon thunderstorms in the summer? Is the summer harder to predict in general?

You're right on the variance at 10+ days which is why I don't typically go there. Such forecasts are misleading & rarely verify unless the pattern is relatively stable. A general wet vs. dry &/or warm vs. cold is about that can be done IMO. Summer storms - specific time & location - are difficult to pinpoint. Have to time the sea breeze, temps. aloft, winds at the surface & aloft & any upper level disturbances. Usually it's relatively easy to forecast whether or not storms will develop but the devil is in the details!

Neat. Thanks for the response!

you're welcome.... thank you!

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unfamiliar to me.

When do you sleep? Do you find it challenging always having hours different from most people?

I don't sleep much... probably not enough. I've become accustomed to my schedule & hours. I make it work. I can run errands, do work out, walk the dog & hopefully relax a bit in the morning's/midday.

Thanks for the Q&A :-)

How do you determine where to place sensors to get an accurate model. Is is all dictated by topography, or is there a certain distance you don't want to exceed?

Who is developing the "best" model in your own opinion, and is it one we should adopt, or is there something better?

How different are the local weather patterns now, from the earliest you remember?

The best forecast models have "high" resolution which means as many data points as possible over as small an area as possible which is generally about 5-10 miles right now. There's a big push for real-time data whether by radar, aircraft, actual weather observations, etc. That's at the surface but also have to accurate input all the way up to at least 30-40,000 feet (troposphere). That's not easy. The "best" model typically varies from season to season. I like to do a compromise between the American GFS & European model. I'll lean one way or the other based on recent performance/accuracy. "Consensus" is often the better forecast & often is the best for hurricane forecasting. Weather patterns now are just as chaotic as ever. The only constant in the weather world is "change". More recently - the big thing that stands out to me - milder winters, especially for Florida.

Thanks.

Too bad cell phones don't come with barometric pressure sensors, it could make for a very useful network.

good point & actually some do.... & some companies/agencies are trying to incorporate this data into shorter term weather forecast modeling. It's a great idea if the network can become dense enough & the data can truly be ingested as real time. Same thing with airplane data. The time will come when this becomes routine.

What is your favorite “weather related” event in history to read/learn about?

good question... & tough one as weather & history is so fascinating to me. I love to read about past tornadoes, hurricanes & snowstorms. Knowing that history can even help with forecasting future "events". When I was young, I was all about tornadoes. I lean a little more toward hurricanes now since l've lived in Fl. for nearly 20 years. I find politics & war & the weather very interesting too. & one of my favorites is when someone says: "I've never seen weather like this" only to find out that's usually not true :). History tells us that virtually all weather events have occurred at other times in our history - just not when video & communication was so instant.

Have you been through St. Augustine lately? Has it recovered? (Mainly the Spanish quarters and Flagger (sp?) University) - vacationed close to Jacksonville for years and love the area.

yes - I take my fam frequently to beautiful/historic St. Augustine, & it sure has recovered from hurricanes Matthew ('16) & Irma ('17). Going as strong as ever & as lovely as ever. You should take another vacation here soon! :)

How much "ology" does a TV meteorologist do these days? It seems like one could really phone it in if they wanted to, with all of the publicly available weather information.

It also seems like you are really engaged with science and going really above and beyond. Is it a matter of different people doing it different ways, or are there more interesting dynamics at play?

good... & loaded questions! :) One could literally "phone it in" I guess. It's now become part of our competition. I'm glad you noticed the "engaged" part. I truly do love the weather & wanted to "do" weather as a career since 2nd grade(!). I didn't realize that t.v. would be my outlet, but that's how it turned out. I find the weather fascinating so enjoy talking, teaching & still learning about it. I guess different people do approach it different ways. Weather brought me to t.v. which I feel is an important distinction.

Loaded indeed! But I really would like to hear your take on the approaches of different TV meteorologists within the industry. There must be some trends that are broad and well-known enough that you can discuss them without stepping on any toes.

well - yes - there are "rip & read" weathercasters though not near as many as the "old days".... there are hyper forecasters... there are hype forecasters, etc. One big trend I see these days is relying way too much on models. I always say "check it before you say it". Nothing like just stepping outside :). I've never - never! - seen a model get the forecast exactly right. I believe that'll be true forever. Nothing like hands-on & experience-based forecasting. The weather doesn't "obey" text books or - in this case - the perfect model.

How do they predict what the winds will be like at around 36,000 feet and how do they measure if the prediction was accurate? Also, would the wind at that altitude feel very strong or not due to the air being more 'thin'?

the winds at high altitudes are measure at least twice a day by weather balloons sent up at NWS offices around the U.S. as well as internationally. Now - winds at high altitudes can also be measured reliably by aircraft, radar & especially satellites. The predictions can be verified as soon as the next day based on true measurements. But not having the right data at high altitudes can lead to big "misses" (weather forecasts) at ground level. As for speed.... the winds are usually much stronger at higher levels due to less friction along with some help from a strong temp. gradient.

What do you think about Dr John Christy , Dr Mototaka Nakamura and Dr Roy Spencer? They are known as people who dont believe in climate alarmism but believe in climate change but dont think there is proof the world and us are in great danger

I like their very straight forward & practical approach to climate change.

I work in network radio and we’re on the verge of changing how our traditional FM radio consumers interact with our brand by customizing the streaming versions of our stations using AI (think music selection based on your Internet history).

How is local television adapting to the changing media landscape? Are you seeing AI making its way into your craft? Great to “meet” a fellow broadcaster on Reddit, btw!

great to "meet" you! We are indeed in an everchanging media landscape. Really quite remarkable what has transpired over just the last 10 years really. We are trying to deal with satisfying ALL the platforms at once. That's a tall order. AI hasn't really made inroads into the t.v. industry directly.... yet. At least from a live standpoint & as much as I'm "in" on that realm. I'm sure it's not far away. Interesting hearing your customization that's underway.

Is AI used to predict weather these days?

in some "circles". Jury is still out on just how "great" AI may be … or not be.... when it comes to forecasting the weather.

What weather app is the most accurate?

First Alert Weather app :) : https://wjaxweatherapp.com/

Is Angela Enyedi cool?

Very! :)

How long do we have before total societal collapse?

good question. I wonder about the same thing sometimes.

What's your take on HAARP and other weather modification machines etc?

HAARP is mainly used to study the upper atmosphere - the ionosphere - some 35-40 miles "up". I honestly don't personally know a lot about HAARP otherwise. Though I can say the ionosphere is an interesting part of atmosphere that's still somewhat of a mystery. As far as weather modification overall, I'm wary about "messing" with Mother Nature.

Chemtrails? Spill the beans! I watch chemtrails spread out covering the entire sky with a haze on a hot summer day. Hard to think that's frozen ice just sitting there while it's 90 degrees out.

chemtrails - no.