About Zuranski Weather LLC

Hey everyone, I’m Mike Zuranski—founder, owner, and operator of Zuranski Weather LLC. I am a Meteorological Data Engineer and professional problem solver with over fifteen years of experience in this corner of our industry, primarily within the Academic community. It’s an exciting and rewarding place to be, and I’m happy to be here with you!

Zuranski Weather LLC is my independent venture, focused on helping academic institutions and research teams tackle complex data challenges. Whether it’s acquiring and processing data, building custom visualizations, or designing scalable systems, I’m here to support the scientific community with practical, effective solutions.

What I Do

My work is all about building tools, environments, and workflows that make meteorological data more accessible, more useful, and more insightful. I specialize in:

  • Data Acquisition & Processing: I work with a wide range of formats—GRIB, netCDF, BUFR, GeoTIFF, and more—to get the data where it needs to go, efficiently and reliably.
  • Visualization & Exploration: I turn raw data into meaningful visual stories using custom scripts, web tools, and dashboards. I love creating responsive, interactive views that help people explore time-series and spatial datasets intuitively.
  • System Architecture & DevOps: I design and manage Linux environments using tools like Ansible, Proxmox, and the TIG stack (Telegraf, InfluxDB, Grafana). I also maintain satellite ingest systems and other infrastructure that keep the data flowing.
  • Support & Consulting: I provide tailored support for academic and government partners. I’ve had the pleasure of working with groups like the NWS, SPC, NCEP, EMC, OSPO, CMC, and Unidata.

A Bit About My Background

Before launching my own LLC, I was a Data Engineer with NSF Unidata, supporting the broader meteorology and geoscience communities. Prior to that, I spent several years at the College of DuPage, where I helped run one of the most popular meteorological websites in the country – weather.cod.edu – which regularly saw over 10 million hits a day. I handled everything from backend systems to visualization tools, faculty & student support, and assisted with their storm chasing program.

I’ve worn a lot of hats over the years: Certified Weather Observer at Midway Airport, system administrator, weather data visualizer, storm chaser technician, and even a barista once upon a time (still take pride in a well-pulled espresso shot). No matter the role, I’ve always been drawn to solving problems, especially ones that help people understand and interact with weather/geoscience data better.

Community & Recognition

I’ve been lucky to be involved in some great communities. I served on the Unidata Users Committee and received the Unidata DeSouza Award for my contributions to the field. I’ve also mentored students through the American Meteorological Society at the College of DuPage, where I served as President, Webmaster, and later as Staff Advisor.

Credentials

  • Associate in Science – College of DuPage (Graduated with Honors, Meteorology Focus)
  • Certificate in Weather Hazards and Preparedness – College of DuPage
  • FEMA Certified: IS-271.A – Anticipating Hazardous Weather & Community Risk

If you’re working with weather or environmental data and need a partner who can help you make sense of it all—let’s talk. I love collaborating with people who are passionate about science, open data, and creative problem-solving.