NASA drone project aims to change how firefighters combat wildfires
Researchers at NASA Ames Research Center are using their advanced aviation technology to help Bay Area communities stay safe from devastating wildfires.
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Bay Area native Mary Lee joined KPIX 5 in February of 2018.
Mary was born in Berkeley, grew up in Fairfield and is a proud UC Davis Aggie. She is extremely grateful to finally come home to the Bay Area.
"There's nothing like reporting and forecasting for your hometown," she said. "It's truly a privilege and an honor to do what I love and to do it here in the Bay Area."
Mary started her broadcast career as a writer at KOVR-TV, our sister station in Sacramento before taking her first on-air reporting job in KHSL-TV in Chico.
Mary then moved to Austin, Texas, to forecast severe weather. She covered the flash floods of 2007, one of the most devastating weather events in Central Texas history. In 2010, she packed her bags and headed to Houston to forecast weather at KPRC-TV. She flew with Hurricane Hunters into Hurricane Isaac in 2012, flying into the eye of the storm several times and was in the storm when it made landfall along the Louisiana coast.
In 2013, Mary moved to Seattle to join the weather team at KING 5. She worked closely with the Washington state hydrologist to give critical information just hours after the deadly Oso landslide.
Mary is KPIX 5's weekday meteorologist providing weather coverage on the KPIX 5 Morning News and KPIX 5 News at Noon. She is passionate about encouraging and inspiring young people especially girls and minorities to love and pursue science, tech, engineering and math or STEM.
Mary hosts her own iTunes podcast called STEM Boldly where she interviews amazing women and men who are boldly pursing their passion in STEM.
She is involved with several community organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Olympics, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Mary is also a big foodie. She absolutely loves trying new restaurants. If you have a favorite Bay Area restaurant, she definitely wants to hear from you.
Researchers at NASA Ames Research Center are using their advanced aviation technology to help Bay Area communities stay safe from devastating wildfires.
Bay Area residents got to see a partial solar eclipse with the help of clear skies Monday, even though the region was outside the path of totality.
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At hundreds to thousands of years old, California's iconic redwoods -- the tallest trees in the world -- have truly stood the test of time. But all of our atmospheric river storms have left them with a case of weather whiplash in this age of climate change.
Students with San Jose State University's Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center are looking at how this winter's rain could impact the upcoming wildfire season based on plant moisture levels.
Drinking establishments in the city by the bay were especially busy Friday.