Extreme Carolina Fire Danger, Pollen Explosion & Artemis II Launch Preview [Ep. 577]

·1 hr 12 min·5 clips

James Brereton steps outside in Charlotte, smells smoke instead of pollen, and reveals prescribed burns and wildfires are already spreading.

The episode opens with hosts James Brereton in Charlotte, Greg Fischel in Raleigh, and Frank Strait in Columbia discussing the immediate fire danger and smoky conditions from prescribed burns and wildfires. They highlight the Poplar Fire in Mitchell County, NC, which has grown to 300 acres and is burning in an area affected by Hurricane Helene's downed trees. Frank details active wildfires in South Carolina, including the 630-acre Woodlawn Fire and the 160-acre Bullhead Fire. The hosts examine rainfall deficits, with areas 5-9 inches below normal, and discuss the economic and agricultural impacts of the drought. They cover fire weather forecasts for the weekend, noting high winds and low humidity that will exacerbate conditions. A segment on pollen explores its interaction with thunderstorm winds and health impacts. The 'Too Many Tabs' segment includes topics like the reopening of US-64 post-Helene, the shutdown of CBS News Radio, and a historical look at the March 1983 snowstorm that dropped 10 inches in Rock Hill. The episode concludes with a Martinsville NASCAR forecast from Scotty Powell and a preview of NASA's Artemis II lunar mission launch, potentially on April 1st, marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo.

As heard by us

A Carolina weather panel connects smoky skies, local observations, and a wildfire app to make rising fire danger feel concrete.

Smoke, pollen, and prescribed burns run together as this Carolina Weather Group panel uses a familiar step outside to frame rising fire danger across the Carolinas.

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Why you'd press play

You want to know whether that Carolina haze is pollen, smoke, or both.

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