Meteorology Matters

In July 1895, one of the most remarkable and least remembered tornado disasters in the history of the New York metropolitan area struck without warning. Historic Cherry Hill near modern day Hackensack and River Edge, New Jersey, was devastated as homes, businesses, farms, churches, and the railroad community were torn apart. The same day, another destructive tornado ripped through Woodhaven in what is now Queens, New York City.
In this episode of Meteorology Matters, meteorologist Rob Jones reconstructs the disaster property by property, following the storm’s path through Cherry Hill while telling the stories of the people who lived through it. Along the way, we examine the deaths, rescues, destruction, and recovery, while exploring one of the biggest unanswered questions in American weather history: Was this one extraordinary tornado that crossed from New Jersey into New York City, or two separate tornadoes produced by the same storm system?
Join us as we revisit one of the forgotten weather disasters that helped shape the history of the New York region.

What if one weather event quietly transformed an entire nation?
The deadly heat wave of 1936 was far more than a record-breaking summer. It changed how Americans dressed, where they lived, how buildings were designed, and accelerated the adoption of air conditioning that would reshape cities, businesses, and everyday life for generations.
In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore how extreme weather can leave lasting marks on society, not just through disasters, but through the ways people adapt. From sleeping porches and blocks of ice to modern heat domes, urban heat islands, and the future of cooling technology, this is the story of how weather quietly helped build the modern world.
Whether you’re fascinated by meteorology, history, engineering, or simply curious about how our daily lives came to look the way they do, this episode reveals why some of the most important weather stories continue long after the forecast has ended.
Follow meteorologist Rob Jones for more weather insights, hurricane coverage, and new episodes of Meteorology Matters.

Can scientists really change the path of a hurricane or is that still science fiction?
This episode explores one of the most fascinating questions in atmospheric science: whether humans could ever influence one of nature’s most powerful storms.
From Project STORMFURY to modern cloud seeding research, computer modeling, and artificial intelligence, the conversation separates what is scientifically plausible from what remains theoretical, unproven, or misunderstood.
The episode explains what cloud seeding can realistically do, why hurricanes are so difficult to modify, what recent research suggests about future possibilities, and why computer simulations should not be confused with real-world hurricane control.
It also examines why weather-control conspiracy theories often spread after major hurricanes, heat waves, floods, and other high-impact events and how evidence-based meteorology helps separate science from misinformation.
Whether you’re interested in hurricanes, weather modification, atmospheric science, or the future of forecasting technology, this episode looks at the real science, the limits, and the unanswered questions behind one of meteorology’s biggest ideas.
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America’s 250th birthday celebration was supposed to be one of the biggest events in the nation’s history. Instead, record-breaking heat, dangerous thunderstorms, emergency evacuations, and severe weather forced officials to cancel parades, alter major events, and protect hundreds of thousands of people from life-threatening conditions.
Discover how a powerful heat dome sent temperatures soaring above 100°F across the Mid-Atlantic, why the heat index climbed well above 110°F, and how the atmosphere produced severe thunderstorms capable of disrupting celebrations on the National Mall just hours later.
We also explore why extreme heat remains America’s deadliest weather hazard, how emergency managers prepared for millions of visitors, what happens to power grids, transportation systems, and infrastructure during prolonged heat waves, and the science behind the dangerous conditions that affected Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and much of the eastern United States.
The episode also examines why weather misinformation spreads during major events, separates atmospheric science from online conspiracy theories, and explains what meteorologists actually know about weather modification.
Finally, you’ll hear practical advice on recognizing heat exhaustion and heat stroke, protecting yourself during dangerous heat, and even how people survived summers before modern air conditioning.
Whether you’re fascinated by meteorology, emergency management, climate, or simply want to understand one of the most remarkable weather events of the summer, this episode explains the science behind the story in a clear, balanced, and engaging conversation.
Follow Meteorologist Rob Jones on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for more weather discussions, hurricane coverage, and behind-the-scenes meteorology. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who loves weather.

A powerful early-season heat dome is pushing temperatures above 40°C across parts of Europe, threatening records from Spain and France to the United Kingdom. In this episode of Meteorology Matters, meteorologist Rob Jones examines the June 2026 European heat wave, what records have already fallen, what may still be broken, and how long the dangerous conditions are expected to last.
Beyond the forecast, this episode explores why extreme heat kills more people than any other weather hazard, how more than 70,000 Europeans died during the historic summer of 2022, and why Europe remains especially vulnerable to prolonged heat despite growing awareness of the threat. We discuss the role of air conditioning, aging populations, urban heat islands, infrastructure limitations, public health preparedness, Heat-Health Action Plans, and the growing challenge of adapting cities and communities to a hotter future.
From record temperatures and mortality studies to forecasting, emergency management, and climate attribution science, this episode provides a comprehensive look at one of the most significant weather stories unfolding anywhere in the world today.