A storm surge is one of the biggest dangers along the coast when a hurricane, tropical storm, or other serious sea storm makes landfall. While many people think wind damage is the most serious impact of severe weather such as hurricanes, it's often the case that coastal storm surge flooding leads to the greatest loss of life and property. But what exactly is a storm surge? Why are storm surges so bad? And how can you stay safe from floods and rising waters during a hurricane or other … [Read more...]
El Nino Weather Facts: How El Nino Affects Us & Why We Should Care
Most of us have heard about El Nino, but some people have no idea what it means or what it does to our weather. I vividly remember the El Nino weather effects of 1997-1998 -- the event brought storms, record rainfall, and warmth across much of the contiguous United States. During the El Nino event of 2015-2016, record-warm weather blanketed the eastern half of the U.S. while the western regions saw rain and snow, with a reversal of that pattern taking shape for the latter part of the … [Read more...]
Free Online Weather Calculators To Convert Weather Terms And 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...]
How Air Pressure Affects Air Humidity
Air humidity refers to moisture in the air. Too much humidity makes it feel muggy and 'sticky' out. Too little humidity may mean dry skin and a 'crisp' feeling outdoors. Air pressure can affect humidity. But how does air pressure affect humidity? Here's a look at the issue of air pressure and humidity in a nutshell: High pressure is a mass of descending (sinking air) and, usually, lower humidity. Sinking air and relatively lower humidity are major reasons why high pressure is … [Read more...]
Heat Waves: Oppressive & Dangerous Periods Of Hot Weather
Summer weather is hot, but some days during the summer months just get too hot to handle. Those are days when a heat wave takes over and makes things nearly oppressive. Heat waves are long periods of heat and, often, increased humidity. Because a heat wave in one region may be 'usual weather' someplace else, the term 'heat wave' is often relative. Though Florida regularly experiences temperatures of over 90 degrees from June through September every day, a whole week of such weather in New … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Forecasts With A Weather Model
Ever wanted to predict the weather?Now you can, using National Weather Service weather models. A weather model is one of the most important tools in predicting your local weather forecast. Various kinds of weather models show us all kinds of weather data, including: Precipitation Air pressure Wind speed Wind direction Humidity Temperature Cloud coverage While you'll have to have a basic working knowledge of how weather works to make weather forecasts using a … [Read more...]
Take These Fun Weather Quiz Tests To See How Much You Know About The Weather
Are you ready to test your knowledge of the weather? It's time to flex your brain with these fun-but-challenging weather quiz tests. Some of these may just have you scratching your head! Air Pressure Quiz - 5 questions about air pressure as it pertains to the weather. Atmosphere Quiz - 10 questions to see what you know about the Earth's atmosphere. Causes of Climate Change Quiz - Do you know what causes climate change? Climate Quiz --6 questions to test your knowledge about … [Read more...]
How Air Pressure Affects Your Weather
Air pressure is important in weather. In fact, air pressure is one of the most important factors in determining the type of weather we'll be having. You've probably heard about high pressure and low pressure when watching the weather segment of your local newscast. The weatherperson talks all about high pressure and low pressure and points to the big H and L on the weather map. But what is high pressure and low pressure, and why should it matter to you?Here's a basic look at the effects high … [Read more...]
The Amazing Life Of Ben Franklin: Weather Pioneer
When you think of our nation’s forefathers, you probably didn't realize that one of the most famous was also one the first real weathermen in our country: Ben Franklin. Weather was one of Franklin’s passions. Ben Franklin, weather bug that he was, invented and discovered many things involving weather. After all, Franklin was one amazing inventor, too. It takes a special person to not be a president yet still appear on the United States half-dollar and $100 bill, right?! You’re … [Read more...]
How Barometers Help Us Forecast The Weather
There are many important factors that go into observing the weather and making forecasts, but one of the most vital is barometric pressure. Barometric pressure is read with barometers. A barometer measures how much air pressure there is. Why is knowing air pressure important? Because air pressure both dictates what kind of weather is going on and also can be used to predict what type of weather may be soon coming. Air Pressure: The Differences Before going into the basics of how barometers … [Read more...]
