At NickelBlock Forecasting, our meteorologists bring together decades of experience in broadcast weather, research, education, and long-range climate analysis. Each member of our team blends traditional forecasting skill with modern tools and techniques, ensuring every forecast is grounded in science, clarity, and real-world understanding.
We’re scientists, communicators, and lifelong weather enthusiasts. We study the atmosphere across every timescale—tracking today’s storms, analyzing next week’s patterns, and digging into the long-range climate signals that shape the months ahead. Whether it’s severe weather, tropical systems, winter storms, or seasonal trends, our mission is simple: cut through the noise, elevate the science, and keep you informed when it matters most.
NICK LILJA
Nick is a former television meteorologist with stints in Amarillo and Hattiesburg. During his time in Hattiesburg, he also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. A graduate of both Oregon State and Syracuse University, he now calls Houston home.
With more than 15 years of meteorological experience, Nick has worn many hats in the field — from storm chasing across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, to providing 15-minutely forecasts for Fortune 500 companies and seasonal outlooks for businesses featured in Forbes. His forecasting spans every timescale: tomorrow’s weather, next week’s patterns, monthly trends, and even seasonal outlooks for the year ahead.
Nick combines traditional meteorology with cutting-edge tools, using AI and machine learning statistical analysis to enhance model guidance. He coded a 10-30 day forecast technique applying teleconnection signals to climatology for better longer-range outlooks, built a production-weighted weather-based renewables model that goes beyond a linear regression, and even developed his own regional severe weather parameter, the Karrie Meter, to better communicate severe weather risk to the public.
Though retired from TV, Nick remains fully engaged in the science and communication of weather. He maintains this site and its companion app, always with one goal in mind: to keep people safe and informed when it matters most. His passion is delivering forecasts that are accurate, science-driven, and free of unnecessary hype.
EXPERTISE:
Severe Weather Forecasting
Tropical Forecastings
Subseasonal Forecasting
Seasonal Forecasting
INTERESTS:
AI/ML to improve Weather Forecasts
Climatology
ENSO
Winter Weather Forecasting
NOAH GOWER
Noah is a Mississippi State University graduate in professional operational meteorology. With an interest in geography, he currently works as an engineering technician.
Noah has been working for the past few years for his mentor, Nick. With a background in weather forecasting, he provides detailed forecasts for the citizens of the Pine Belt and surrounding areas. He combines pattern analysis, climatology, and visual interpretation into his forecasts for better insight into upcoming weather events. His goal: to communicate the weather effectively and keep everyone safe during severe weather.
EXPERTISE:
Severe weather forecasting
Radar/satellite analysis
Medium/long range analysis
INTERESTS:
Climatology
GIS/Mapping
Weather history
MATT SHIFFMAN
Matt is a meteorologist who has loved weather for as long as he can remember. Growing up, he would watch The Weather Channel every day after school and track every snowstorm and thunderstorm that hit his area in Central Jersey (yes, it exists). That early excitement developed into a lifelong passion for understanding the weather and helping others make sense of it as well.
He graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology, where he gained on-air experience as part of the Rutgers WeatherWatcher program and learned how to communicate weather in a clear and relatable way.
After graduation, Matt joined NickelBlock Forecasting as an intern, creating daily forecasts for the site. He now works part-time as one of Nick’s meteorologists. Along with his work at NickelBlock, Matt also creates custom forecasts for film productions and live outdoor events for another weather company. He enjoys all kinds of weather, but he’s especially passionate about summertime severe storms, winter weather, and hurricanes.
Outside of meteorology, Matt works as a manager at his local movie theater. Leading a large team in a fast-paced setting has strengthened his leadership and communication skills, which he brings into his forecasting work every day.
Expertise:
Local Forecasting
Severe Weather Forecasting
Weather Communication
Interests:
Winter Weather
Tropical Meteorology
Weather Models
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