How deep does a weather expert’s vocabulary go? We’re back to find out on this week’s Disaster Podcast with another round of “Stump Dan the Weather Man.”

Our disaster weather expert Dan DePodwin returns to face a fresh collection of obscure weather terms, regional expressions, and atmospheric oddities. Hosts Jamie Davis and Sam Bradley, along with Becky, put his knowledge to the test. The challenge is simple: find a weather question or term Dan can’t explain. Accomplishing that? Considerably less simple.

Before the trivia begins, Dan joins the team for a discussion of U.S. weather patterns, including a major storm system off the East Coast and reports of an unusual tornado in Arizona.

The conversation explores coastal storm impacts and how tornadoes can develop outside the regions most commonly associated with them. Arizona may not be the first place that comes to mind when someone says “tornado,” but the atmosphere doesn’t check our expectations before getting to work.

Then it’s time to open the weather vocabulary grab bag.

Sam brings her collection of obscure terms, while Becky adds challenges of her own. From unusual clouds to unfamiliar words for cold, frost, and murky conditions, the questions give everyone a chance to learn something—and give Dan a few reasons to pause.

Among the terms making an appearance:

• Virga
• Mare’s tails
• Heat bursts
• Sting jets
• Snow rollers
• The Fujiwhara effect
• Lenticular clouds
• Hole punch clouds
• Mackerel skies
• Tule fog

And then there are words like brumal, gelid, caliginous, and mizzle. Are we describing the weather or assembling a particularly gloomy spelling bee? You’ll have to listen.

Along the way, the team discusses the science behind unusual weather phenomena, the origins of colorful terminology, and the regional expressions people use to describe what’s happening outside.

The conversation also turns to wet bulb globe temperature and its role in discussions of heat stress and outdoor sports safety. It’s a reminder that weather knowledge has uses well beyond winning a trivia contest.

How many terms will you recognize? And which ones will finally stump Dan?

Listen to this week’s Disaster Podcast and play along. No looking up the answers before Dan gets his turn.

Our thanks to Dr. Joe Holley from Paragon Medical Education Group for sponsoring the Disaster Podcast.

Thank you as always to Paragon Medical Education Group for their long-term support of the Disaster Podcast. Dr. Joe Holley and the team at Paragon continue to provide excellent and customized disaster response training to jurisdictions around the U.S. and internationally as well.