What happens when ocean science meets an '80s power ballad?

Oceanographer and coastal scientist Dr. Greg Dusek created Kelvin Wave, an AI-generated song and music video that tells the story of Kelvin waves, El Niño, coastal flooding, and rising seas.

The project was created by Dr. Dusek using Claude.ai for the lyrics and visuals, Suno for the music, and real NOAA water level data to help tell the scientific story.

It's catchy, dramatic, and packed with real science.

We're sharing the complete song as a special bonus episode of Atmosphere.

Want to understand the science behind the lyrics? Listen to this week's full episode, "Ocean Science Gets an '80s Power Ballad," where meteorologist Emily Gracey talks with Dr. Dusek about how he made the video, what Kelvin waves actually are, and why they matter for coastal flooding and sea level rise.

Created by: Dr. Greg Dusek
AI tools: Claude.ai and Suno
Scientific data: NOAA

Atmosphere is hosted and produced by meteorologist Emily Gracey.

What happens when an oceanographer uses artificial intelligence to turn a complicated scientific phenomenon into an '80s power ballad? You get soaring vocals, dramatic lyrics, a saxophone solo... and some surprisingly serious science.
In this episode of Atmosphere, meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Greg Dusek, a coastal scientist and former NOAA oceanographer, to talk about his AI-generated music video, Kelvin Wave. Created in just half a day, the song tells the story of an ocean phenomenon that plays an important role in El Niño and can have major consequences for coastal communities.
Greg breaks down the science behind the lyrics, explaining how Kelvin waves travel across the Pacific, why they matter for sea levels and winter storms, and what they could mean for coastal flooding along the West Coast in the months ahead.
We also explore the creative possibilities of AI in science communication, and how something as unexpected as a power ballad might help people understand the changing world around them.
It's a little rock and roll, a little ocean physics, and a reminder that science doesn't always have to be serious to tell an important story.

Thanks to our founding sponsor, Weather100, for supporting independent science storytelling. Learn more at Weather100 and use code EMILY20 for 20% off.

Watch Greg's full Kelvin Wave music video: https://youtu.be/qAYF63a67MI?si=fBkUUiiYwNHD6_os
Lyrics and video are by Claude
Music by Suno
Generated by Greg Dusek, with data provided by NOAA

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Artificial intelligence is already changing the way meteorologists forecast and communicate the weather. But how much of the job should we actually hand over?
Meteorologist and weather communications coach Tim Heller joins Atmosphere to talk about the AI weather tools he’s building, how meteorologists are using AI to analyze data and create content, and why simply avoiding the technology isn’t the answer.
We also get into AI-generated weather graphics and avatars, whether these tools could eventually be used to replace meteorologists, the environmental cost of AI, and what consumers should know when scrolling through weather information online.
For Tim, the question isn't whether we use AI. It's where we draw the line and why context, community, empathy and a "human in the loop" may become even more important as the technology gets better.

Tim's Website: https://hellerweather.com/

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