If you live anywhere in the Great Lakes area of the United States, then lake effect snow is something you likely experience throughout the colder parts of the year. Lake effect snow is most common among the eastern and southern shorelines of the Great Lakes, which include Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior -- names often memorized by the popular mnemonic "HOMES." The combination of the warm water temperatures along with the much colder air blowing in … [Read more...]
What Is A Polar Vortex & Why All The Hype?
It seems like the media has helped make the words polar vortex another popular weather phrase that everyone is using now to describe really cold weather events. Don't forget, there was also snowicane, snowpocalypse and snowmageddon... It may just be me, but there's much more fuss about cold weather these days than there used to be. The Weather Channel didn't help when they started naming winter weather systems during the 2012/13 winter season. … [Read more...]
How To Prepare Your Car For Winter + 4 Essential Winter Driving Tips
Winter driving tips are important to know, especially when the weather forecaster is predicting 6 inches of snow and icy conditions on the roads. That's the perfect recipe for driving disaster. I really can't overstate the driving dangers that severe winter weather poses -- especially black ice. … [Read more...]
How To Prevent A Heart Attack When Snow Shoveling – Tips That Could Save Your Life!
Shoveling snow can feel like moving a ton of bricks sometimes. There's a reason people call that wet, heavy white stuff heart attack snow. Shoveling Snow And Heart Attacks According to the American Journal of Cardiology and Lancet, the number of ischemic heart disease deaths rose by 22% during the week of a major blizzard and stayed above average for the following 8 days. A study from the Centers for Disease Control suggests 1,200 Americans die during or after a blizzard … [Read more...]
5 Weather Science Facts Many People Get Wrong – Do You?
I was reading the results of a recent poll that indicated a quarter of Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth, and I was left to wonder just how many science facts people get wrong. Granted, science is a tough subject. For the record, I’m no bona fide scientist. Rather, I’m a lifelong weather bug who loves to research and write about one of my favorite topics. And there are so many fun science facts about meteorology that I’ve learned over the years – some of which are contrary to … [Read more...]
7 Cool Facts About Unseasonably Warm Chinook Winds And How Chinooks Affect The Weather
If you live in the Great Plains or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, you probably are quite familiar with Chinook winds. Also known as a Foehn – or Fohn wind – Chinooks are a type of dry, warm winter wind that commonly occurs on the downslope, or lee side, of a mountain. A Chinook wind occurs when warm air that has lost most of its moisture on the windward side of a slope slides down the leeward side. … [Read more...]
Alberta Clipper Snow Storms: What You Need To Know About Alberta Clippers In The Winter
You've probably heard of an Alberta clipper before. While Los Angeles also has 'clippers,' those are the kind that are more likely to make a 3-point shot on the basketball court than dump snow in the winter, like the clippers from Alberta do. You see, Alberta clippers are a type of winter storm system that usually forms over Alberta, Canada. Clipper winter storms are also known to form in the other lower Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These are called Manitoba … [Read more...]
20 Fun Facts About Snow
About the time fall starts turning into winter, most people in the United States begin trading in their leaf-gathering rakes for snow-scooping shovels. Yes, snow can be downright fun for some and complete misery for others. But when you learn the facts about snow, you may come to appreciate the science – and wonder – of wintry precipitation just a little bit more. Well, maybe... And, if you’re so inclined, you may even want to try a few tricks to make it snow just so you can catch a … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
