Episodes

  • IVT: The Invisible Force Behind Deadly Floods

    IVT: The Invisible Force Behind Deadly Floods
    Jan 13 2026
    When catastrophic flooding hits, we usually look at rainfall totals and records broken. But what if the most important number comes before the rain ever starts? In this episode, meteorologist Emily Gracey explores a groundbreaking Washington Post investigation that reveals how massive flows of atmospheric moisture are intensifying across the globe, creating hotspots that turn storms into deadly floods. Using a powerful metric called Integrated Vapor Transport (IVT), the reporting shows that the real story isn't happening on the ground...it's happening way above our heads. Emily sits down with Washington Post meteorologist Ben Noll, who spent a year analyzing the data behind "Deadly Rivers In The Sky." Together, they unpack how rising global temperatures have supercharged the movement of moisture through Earth's atmosphere, why certain regions now face grave risks of extreme rainfall, and what this means for communities from Appalachia to Spain. Floods can be sudden, devastating, and hard to recover from. But what if the real story isn't just the rain that falls, but the moisture in the sky that never used to be there?
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    42 mins
  • Arctic Alarm: Inside NOAA's 2025 Report Card

    Arctic Alarm: Inside NOAA's 2025 Report Card
    Jan 6 2026
    NOAA has just released its 2025 Arctic Report Card, and the findings are stark: the Arctic is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the planet, with this year setting alarming new records. In this episode, meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Matt Druckenmiller, one of the report's editors, to unpack twenty years of tracking rapid Arctic change. From the lowest winter sea ice maximum ever recorded to "rusting rivers" flowing orange with metals from thawing permafrost, the transformations happening at the top of the world are reshaping weather patterns, sea levels, and ecosystems far beyond the Arctic Circle. Dr. Druckenmiller explains what "atlantification" means for ocean circulation, why the oldest Arctic sea ice has declined by 95% since the 1980s, and how these changes are already disrupting Indigenous food security and cultural traditions. This isn't just about polar bears and melting glaciers, it's about understanding a planetary shift that's affecting all of us, from Arctic communities to your own neighborhood. Tune in for a deep dive into the science, the stakes, and why sustained Arctic observation has never been more critical.
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    25 mins
  • The Best of 2025: Off the Radar Year-End Special

    The Best of 2025: Off the Radar Year-End Special
    Dec 30 2025
    It's been a monumental year, both for weather and for Off the Radar. From Hurricane Melissa's record-breaking assault on Jamaica to devastating Texas floods, from NOAA layoffs to groundbreaking AI forecasting models, 2025 reminded us how powerful and vulnerable we are when it comes to our changing climate. In this special year-end episode, host Emily Gracey sits down with associate producer Brian Pietrus to count down their favorite episodes of 2025. They revisit the conversations that stuck with them, the research that blew their minds, and the projects that deserve far more attention. It's also been an award-winning year for the podcast. Off the Radar took home a national Headliner Award for Best Information Podcast, and Emily Gracey won the Women's Podcast Award for Best Science Podcast Host! Stay tuned until the very end to hear Emily's absolute favorite project of the year - the moment that resonated most in a year of extraordinary science and storytelling.
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    50 mins
  • 'Twas the Week Before Christmas at Off the Radar

    'Twas the Week Before Christmas at Off the Radar
    Dec 23 2025
    Happy Holidays! Here's a special Christmas message from Off the Radar host, Meteorologist Emily Gracey.
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    3 mins
  • The Drake Passage: From Ship Graveyard to Influencer Destination

    The Drake Passage: From Ship Graveyard to Influencer Destination
    Dec 16 2025
    The Drake Passage, a 600-mile stretch of ocean between South America and Antarctica, is one of the most dangerous bodies of water on Earth. With waves that can exceed 40 feet and a history littered with shipwrecks, it's claimed the lives of an estimated 10,000 sailors. Yet today, thousands of tourists willingly cross it every year on their way to Antarctica, documenting the experience with hashtags like #DrakeShake and #DrakeLake. In this episode, we explore what makes the Drake Passage so treacherous and why it's become a rite of passage for modern adventurers. Travel influencer Alyssa Ramos, who has crossed the Drake eight times, shares what it's really like aboard a ship battling these notorious waters. Then, marine meteorologist Alvaro Scardilli from the Argentine Navy breaks down the atmospheric forces and ocean dynamics that create some of the most volatile conditions on the planet. From its days as a ship graveyard to its current status as a bucket-list destination, this is the story of the Drake Passage.
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    42 mins
  • The Science behind Red Light Therapy

    The Science behind Red Light Therapy
    Dec 9 2025
    Red light therapy masks are everywhere on social media - glowing, slightly terrifying, and according to influencers, life-changing. But beyond the hype, there's legitimate science here: specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light can penetrate skin tissue, boost cellular energy production, and potentially speed healing and reduce pain. In this episode, meteorologist Emily Gracey explores the physics behind red light therapy and investigates whether it lives up to its promises. Joining her is Dr. Zakia Rahman, Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, who breaks down which benefits have solid research backing them and which claims need more study. They discuss the cellular mechanisms at work, how to use red light responsibly without getting ripped off by overpriced devices, and the critical question: given our history of getting "harmless" light exposure wrong, from X-rays to radium to tanning beds, should we be concerned about long-term effects we don't yet understand? Whether you're curious about adding red light therapy to your routine or just want to understand the science behind the glow, this episode separates evidence from marketing in the booming world of light-based wellness.
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    37 mins
  • The Dust Bowl

    The Dust Bowl
    Dec 2 2025
    In the 1930s, the Great Plains transformed from a land of promise into an apocalyptic landscape of suffocating dust storms. For nearly a decade, massive black clouds swept across 150,000 square miles of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico, turning day into night and forcing families to abandon their homes. Dust storms lasted for days at a time, reducing visibility to zero. People coughed up clumps of earth and developed "dust pneumonia," while livestock died with inches of dirt lining their digestive tracts. But how did this happen? And more importantly, could it happen again? We speak with Dr. Jeff Lee of Texas Tech University and Dr. Thomas Gill of the University of Texas at El Paso to explore the causes of this catastrophic period in American history, how the Dust Bowl reshaped the nation, and what vulnerabilities we still face today.
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    44 mins
  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    Happy Thanksgiving!
    Nov 25 2025
    Here's a special message from OTR host, Emily Gracey.
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    3 mins