Alaska Weather Voices podcast
This podcast miniseries focuses on the life and career of ACCAP’s climate specialist, Rick Thoman. Each episode focuses on a different component of Rick’s story, spanning from how he arrived in Alaska to reflections on his near 40 years of service delivering tailored weather and climate information to communities. The podcast was made in partnership with Alaska Voices and hosted by ACCAP’s 2024/25 Alaska Fellow, Liz Carter. This podcast was funded by the NOAA Climate Program Office under grant NA21OAR4310314.
Listen to “Alaska Weather Voices” episodes on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode 1
Rick Thoman describes how he came to love weather, climate and Alaska. Starting in childhood, the episode follows Rick from elementary school projects on Alaska and tracking the weather in Pennsylvania to his first Alaska trip in 1986 that launched his weather and climate career.
“I’ve been interested in weather and climate from my earliest memories. As a child, probably late elementary school, junior high school age, every morning I would get up and I would look at the temperature on the thermometer that was outside my bedroom window. And I would write it down and I would plot it on a piece of graph paper.” – Rick Thoman
Episode 2
Rick Thoman outlines the bulk of his career thus far, covering his time at the National Weather Service in Nome and Fairbanks as well as his transition to working for ACCAP in 2018. The episode delves into defining moments that set the trajectory for his career and approach working with Alaska communications.
“Nome was my very first lesson in listening to what’s important to people as far as weather and climate impacts and the kinds of information that they need.” –Rick Thoman
Episode 3
Rick Thoman shares key career accomplishments, and several collaborators weigh in on what makes Rick such a trusted source of climate information in Alaska. The episode includes conversations with Gay Sheffield (Alaska Sea Grant, marine mammal advisory agent), Diana Haecker (Nome Nugget, editor), Ed Plumb (National Weather Service, marine and coastal flood program manager), and Uma Bhatt (University of Alaska Fairbanks, professor of atmospheric sciences).
“There’s people with lots of questions. And people know for the weather and storms, everyone gets a service. You can pick up the paper, there’s Rick Thoman. Facebook, there he is. And we know that takes time.” – Gay Sheffield
Episode 4
Rick Thoman shares lessons learned throughout his time in Alaska. He offers advice on how to build trust and serve rural communities.
“Ultimately I feel like I’ve made a difference in a positive way and that’s a good feeling when you’re in your 60s … but y’know most of my career is behind me and to think I’ve made a positive difference is an important feeling for me.” – Rick Thoman
“Although I didn’t plan it in 1988 when I got off the plane in Nome or in 1990 when I moved to Fairbanks, having the time that elapses and still being there, still showing up, still being respectful matters a lot [to rural Alaskans].” – Rick Thoman