Jacob Lanier

Kansas City

Certified Meteorologist at WDAF-TV (Kansas City, MO)

Certified Meteorologist at @FOX4KC in Kansas City (CBM #851) 🌩️ • MSU Alum • #KCwx #MOwx #KSwx #ChiefsKingdom • Email: [email protected]

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Articles

Severe weather tools to track damage from tornadoes & hail

2 weeks ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: May 23, 2025 / 11:21 AM CDT Updated: May 23, 2025 / 11:21 AM CDT Both Kansas and Missouri remain in peak severe weather season through early June, so the FOX4 Weather team continues to discuss the latest ways to track severe weather. Meteorologists Joe Lauria and Jacob Lanier look at the different types of radar they use when tracking severe weather.
How the FOX4 Weather Team got into meteorology

4 weeks ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

The FOX4 Weather Team is the largest, fully AMS Certified Meteorology team in the country! For this week’s episode of “Rain or Shine,” each of the meteorologists share the story of how they got interested in the weather, the career path that led them to Kansas City, and some of the most memorable moments along the way. Play VideoRain or Shine: Young Jacob at the Weather ChannelPlaySeek to live, currently behind liveLIVEFullscreenBeginning of dialog window.
Jacob’s Radar: Watching the jet stream

1 month ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

As we head into a more active weather pattern over the next week or so, I wanted to look up at the top of the atmosphere. The jet stream is about six miles up and acts as the major driver for our weather. What is happening this week is a shift from a convergent flow, where air sinks, to a divergent flow, where air rises.
Jacob’s Radar: First 80s bring hummingbirds?

1 month ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: Apr 13, 2025 / 10:24 PM CDT Updated: Apr 13, 2025 / 10:24 PM CDT After a summerlike weekend, I wanted to touch on an interesting correlation between summerlike temperatures affecting us in here Kansas City and also those in the sky. Sunday was our first 80+ degree day of the year in Kansas City and for all of the surrounds. Manhattan and Emporia actually hit 90 degrees, almost a month earlier than normal.
Jacob’s Radar: Are these strong winds normal in Kansas City?

2 months ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Jacob Lanier

Share Does it seem unusually windy to you in Kansas City? I have received several comments and questions about the wind recently and wanted to answer WHY it has been so windy across our region in the last few weeks. First, we need to look at climatology. Historically in Kansas City, March and April have the highest average wind speed by month. So springtime is typically blustery here across the Plains.
Jacob’s Radar: Are these strong winds normal in Kansas City?

2 months ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: Mar 23, 2025 / 10:53 PM CDT Updated: Mar 23, 2025 / 10:53 PM CDT Does it seem unusually windy to you in Kansas City? I have received several comments and questions about the wind recently and wanted to answer WHY it has been so windy across our region in the last few weeks. First, we need to look at climatology. Historically in Kansas City, March and April have the highest average wind speed by month.
Jacob’s Radar: Total Lunar Eclipse visible this week

2 months ago | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: Mar 9, 2025 / 10:23 PM CDT Updated: Mar 9, 2025 / 10:23 PM CDT As a big space and astronomy geek myself, I love getting to share viewing information cool night sky events! This week is going to be a spectacular total lunar eclipse, the first visible across the entire United States since January 2019. A total lunar eclipse happens when the earth passes directly between the sun and moon.
Jacob’s Radar: Has it been snowier & colder than normal?

Feb 23, 2025 | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

We are finally escaping the multi-week arctic air outbreak that was mid February here around Kansas City. Temperatures are more than 10 degrees above normal with solid snow melt action happening… you’ve seen those car wash lines too. Here is how the snow looks on satellite from last Wednesday compared to Sunday. I have received many questions about if this winter has been colder or snowier than normal. Kansas City is definitely above normal snowfall with over 20″ so far this winter.
PHOTOS: Up close dendrite snowflakes in Kansas City

Feb 17, 2025 | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: Feb 17, 2025 / 05:08 PM CST Updated: Feb 17, 2025 / 05:08 PM CST No two snowflakes are alike, and that’s even more true in the arctic temperatures we are seeing this week. These photos capture up-close images of snowflakes that fell recently in Kansas City. Becky Dewey sent us snapshots of the flakes that recently fell. She’s hoping to grab some more this week.
Jacob’s Radar: What goes into a snow forecast?

Feb 10, 2025 | fox4kc.com | Jacob Lanier

Posted: Feb 10, 2025 / 12:49 PM CST Updated: Feb 10, 2025 / 12:49 PM CST With another winter storm on the way, some of you may be curious the behind the curtains look at how the FOX4 Weather Team forecasts snow. It isn’t as simple as just looking at modeled snow output, we use atmospheric science, math, and a bit of meteorological intuition.