Archives
Categories
WeatherGuys Links
Monthly Archives: February 2018
Is severe weather season about to begin?
As the threat of winter snows recedes across the country, it is replaced by the threat of severe weather (i.e., thunderstorms with hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.) The severe weather season, though broadly spanning March through August across the United … Continue reading
What is an ice fog?
Each year about 700 fatalities occur in the United States as a result of traffic accidents during fog. A combination of high speed and low visibility is often to blame. A small patch of fog contributed to a fatal multi-car … Continue reading
Does weather impact beer making?
Weather impacts all crops, as all plants prefer certain climatic regimes.
Fermented grain is an important ingredient in beer brewing. It defines the alcohol content.
Hops are just as critical, as the flower buds of hop plants add unique flavors, aroma and bitterness to the beer. Continue reading
How much water is in the atmosphere?
Sitting nearly in the middle of the vast North American continent, Madison has what is known as a continental climate. Continental climates are characterized by large annual extremes in temperature and humidity as well as very distinct seasons.
The continental nature of Madison’s climate is what makes a year’s worth of weather in Madison usually a lot more varied than a year’s worth in Seattle, for instance. There is an astounding 144 degrees difference between the all-time highest (107 on July 13, 1936) and all-time lowest (-37 on Jan. 31, 1951) temperature in Madison.
In addition, the amount of water vapor in the air can range from the barely detectable level in the midst of a deep winter cold spell to as much as 3.5 percent of every breath you take during a severe July heatwave. No matter what the season, the vast majority of the invisible water vapor in the atmosphere is contained in the lowest mile or two from its source at the surface.
At any one instant, the Earth’s atmosphere contains 37.5 million-billion gallons of water vapor – enough to cover the entire surface of the planet with 1 inch of rain if condensed. This amount is recycled, through evaporation powered by the Sun, 40 times each year in what is known as the hydrologic cycle.
In each of these 40 cycles, enough energy is expended to power the U.S. — the largest consumer of energy in the world — for 3,441 years! A truly astounding amount of energy. Continue reading
