Outdoor Fun - The Fun Times Guide to Weather

How To Measure Wind Damage From Tornadoes, Hurricanes & Other Storms

Wind damage – its dramatic impacts are sometimes the first images we see following a hurricane, tornado, or strong thunderstorm. Fortunately, meteorologists are doing an incredible job at improving forecasting methods so homeowners, municipal leaders, and emergency officials can prepare for storms ahead of time and potentially prevent wind damage. In my Florida city, for example, hurricane season always means city and county code enforcement officials are out in strong numbers inspecting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Weather 101 Tagged With: hurricanes, tornadoes, wind

What Is A Microburst? See How Microbursts Are Different From Tornadoes

Have you ever experienced a microburst? You would have probably thought you were in a tornado if you ever had been, since microbursts are strong, sudden blasts of winds that can exceed 160 miles per hour. While the microbursts I have experienced weren’t as destructive as the typical tornado would be, they can still be an alarming event -- especially when they spur young trees to suddenly genuflect toward the ground and cause yard furniture to make a tumbling 30-yard dash to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Severe Weather Tips Tagged With: tornadoes, wind

Should We Be Naming Winter Storms? Why One Weather Watcher Thinks The Idea Is On Thin Ice

There's been a flurry of attention lately about the move The Weather Channel has made on naming winter storms. The network, which has been on the air since 1982, has stood behind the move that has been getting frosty reviews by many. While as a Floridian I live in a state that is lucky if it sees a dusting of flurries once every couple of years, I am no stranger to the idea of naming storms. Do the names Andrew, Charley, or Donna ring a bell, anyone? Of course, here in Florida, we get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun Weather Stuff, Outdoor Fun Tagged With: emergency, hurricanes, snow, winter

Hypercanes: Severe Hurricanes You Wouldn’t Want to Mess With

You know those severe hurricanes in the movies that wipe out entire cities, wash away beaches, and render millions of people homeless? The computers at Hollywood’s studios aren’t the only ones cooking these devastating storms – those at the desks of some weather scientists across the United States are, too. As a resident of Florida – you know, that spit of land in Hurricane Alley that eerily seems to break off the U.S. mainland and sink into an Atlantic abyss in every other … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Weather 101 Tagged With: emergency, global warming, hurricanes, volcanoes, wind

4 Tips for Getting Your Roof Gutters Ready for Spring Snowmelt

Your roof gutters may have been designed to handle rainfall, but if you live in the northern climes, your gutter system may also have to handle winter storms and the subsequent melting snow. While the amount of snowmelt you experience will differ from year to year, melting snow nevertheless always poses hazards to you and your home. From falling ice that can damage your car to black ice that can form on the ground below your roof's drip line and cause potentially serious injuries, snowmelt … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Severe Weather Tips Tagged With: snow, winter

Weather Clubs and Activities are Fun for All

Weather clubs are a great venue for enjoying your love of meteorology and sharing your passion of the science with other people with similar interests. If you’re a weather bug like me, you’ve probably thought about the idea of joining a weather club but aren’t sure where they are, how to join, or what they are like. Of course, as is the case with virtually any type of club, weather clubs differ in terms of size, scope, and how often they convene. Many Online Weather Clubs … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun Weather Stuff, Outdoor Fun Tagged With: forecasting weather

Winter Storms Facts and Info Revealed

If you’re like many people seeking facts and info on winter storms, you may feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of information out there on blizzards, nor’easters, clippers, and the other types of winter storm phenomena that takes place every winter. As a weather buff myself, studying winter storm patterns intrigues me, though definitely requires having to sort out tons of facts and info to better understand winter storms and the often blinding fury they can unleash. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Weather History Tagged With: snow, winter

5 Dangerous and Costly Hurricane Facts and Myths Debunked

There are many myths about hurricanes, but the facts behind these storms could make the difference between life and death if you live by any of the common misnomers about one of Mother Nature’s most powerful types of storms. Many hurricane facts and myths circle about in every day pop culture. I myself even used to believe some of these myths. However, I grew up in Florida, one of the most hurricane-prone states in the country. So, I quickly learned that many of the things I heard about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Weather 101 Tagged With: hurricanes, wind

Tracking the ISS (International Space Station) from Your Computer and in the Night Sky

Tracking the ISS (International Space Station) is a fun activity that many backyard sky gazers will enjoy when the night sky is clear of clouds and the trajectory of the space station in your part of the world is just right. The ISS, which is a multi-national, modular space station that was planned and built over the course of several years during the 1990s and 2000s, orbits around Earth about 15 times per day. The orbiting ISS can be easily seen from ground as a bright, white dot slowly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun Weather Stuff, Outdoor Fun Tagged With: outer space

These Online Weather Calculators Help You Convert Weather Terms & Numbers Into Meaningful Information

Need to convert degrees from Fahrenheit temperature to Celcius -- or vice versa? Are you looking for the Kelvin temperature? Wonder what the wind chill is outside? Or how close you are to lightning? The following online weather calculators are FREE! There are even some fun weather calculators in here -- like the Crickets Chirping Calculator. Did you know that you can tell the temperature by entering the number of cricket chirps you hear, and the season? Simply plug in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Fun, Weather Tools & Forecasts Tagged With: air pressure, allergies, clouds, driving, forecasting weather, hail, humidity, lightning, moon, rain, temperature, wind