We usually think of summer as that time between Memorial Day at the end of May and Labor Day in the beginning of September.  Officially, that's not really the case though.

Meteorological summer runs from June 1st through August 31st -- typically the hottest 3-month period of the year.  Traditionally, however, we use the astronomical definition of our seasons. 

So here's more about "the first day of summer"... and for that matter, "the first day of winter".  We'll try to make sense of what's going on during summer solstice and winter solstice.

Why is that rain cloud so dark? 

That's one of the most common questions I hear when making weather presentations. 

It is also one of the simplest to answer. 

Read on!

From the ground, it just looks cloudy. But as you go up in an airplane, you see the makeup of the atmosphere is much more complex, with several layers of clouds making up the overcast we see from our backyard. If you know how to read the Skew-T weather map, you can figure out exactly how high those clouds are, layer by layer!

Gee whiz that weather map looks cool.

Ever wonder what all of those numbers and symbols mean?

Here are the answers! 

I remember a phrase my father said a lot on the coldest of winter days - "It's too cold to snow."

My dad wasn't a meteorologist, but he was a pretty smart guy with a lot of common sense. As a good son, I believed every word he said. But as a certified meteorologist, do I still believe him on this one?

I just heard my friends at Good Morning America say, "It's 4 below zero outside ... with the wind chill."

We've heard about the Wind Chill Factor since we were kids, but what exactly is it? Here's a look at the new and improved wind chill chart and formula.

When Global Warming takes a break and the bitterly cold weather moves in from the Arctic, it's best to be prepared.

Layering is important, but there's a lot more you should know when you head into the deep freeze.

Here are some tips for surviving the cold weather ahead...