Monthly Archives: November 2019

How was the 2019 hurricane season?

The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on Nov. 30, will go down as the fourth-most active hurricane season on record.

There were 18 named storms and 20 tropical cyclones in total, although many were weak and short-lived, especially late in the season. Continue reading

Category: Meteorology, Tropical

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Why does fog form over the lake?

The recent cold weather was accompanied by interesting fog over the open water of our lakes.

Fog is essentially a ground-hugging cloud, composed of tiny liquid water droplets. Continue reading

Category: Meteorology, Phenomena

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What is a polar vortex

The term “polar vortex” was popularized by media outlets in 2014, when the country experienced a brutal January cold snap.

The polar vortex is a band of strong winds, high up in the atmosphere that spins counter-clockwise around the North Pole. Continue reading

Category: Climate, Seasons

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Did Madison break any snowfall records last month?

As we begin Winter Weather Awareness week in Wisconsin (Nov. 4-8), too many of us probably feel like grizzled veterans already. What an end to the month of October! It was a chilly month overall, with the average temperature ending … Continue reading

Category: Meteorology, Seasons

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