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Monthly Archives: May 2016
How will a warmer planet affect the severity of mid-latitude storms?
In previous columns we have discussed how the phase change of the water substance from invisible, gaseous water vapor into liquid water (through condensation) or into solid ice (through freezing) releases latent heat into the surrounding environment.
This heat can change many aspects of the nature of the mid-latitude storms in which the phase change is occurring. Continue reading
Category: Climate, Meteorology, Severe Weather
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What is the hydrologic cycle?
The hydrologic cycle describes the circulation of water from the ocean and other watery surfaces to the atmosphere and to the land.
A major source of atmospheric water vapor is evaporation from the oceans. Precipitation — rain, snow, sleet or freezing rain — falls from clouds and is a loss of atmospheric water as it removes water from the atmosphere. Continue reading
How does weather impact forest fires?
Fires require fuel to burn, heat to ignite and oxygen to feed the chemical reaction. Weather plays a key role in all of these requirements to start and spread a forest fire. Weather and climate are important in making fuel … Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena, Weather Dangers
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Is our growing season getting longer?
Yes. There are several studies that demonstrate shifts in the timing and length of the growing season.
One way to measure the length of the growing season is to count the number of days between the last frost in spring and the first frost in fall. By this measure, Wisconsin’s growing season lengthened by about 12 days between 1950 and 2006. Continue reading
