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How long is the solar cycle?
Since the invention of the telescope in the 1600s, observers have recorded variations in the numbers of dark spots, or sunspots, on the sun’s surface. Observations show that the sun exhibits a periodic change in the number of sunspots that normally follow a regular cycle with peaks 11 years apart. Continue reading
Why are the cloud streamers behind jets different sizes?
The white condensation trails left behind jet aircraft are called contrails (condensation trails). Contrails usually form higher than 26,000 feet above the ground. Contrails form when hot, humid air from jet exhaust mixes with surrounding air of low water vapor content and low temperature. The clouds that form are similar to the cloud you see when you exhale in cold air and “see your breath.” Continue reading
Category: Phenomena
Tags Clouds, Human influences, Phenomena
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Tags Clouds, Human influences, Phenomena
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Why does it smell good after a rain?
Many times after a rain, there is a distinctive odor in the air — a sort of musky smell. This pleasant fragrance is most common in rains that follow a dry spell. If you are a gardener, you may find this smell similar to the smell you sense when you turn over your soil. Good organic soils contain bacteria. One bacterium that is abundant in damp warm soils is actinomycete. Continue reading
Category: Phenomena
Tags Phenomena, precipitation, rain
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Tags Phenomena, precipitation, rain
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Was the recent tornado outbreak forecasted?
The recent tornado outbreak in the Plains States was predicted by forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., as far as seven days in advance. This kind of forecast undoubtedly contributed to a vigilance that resulted in only six lives being lost in this first major outbreak of the year. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Meteorology, Severe Weather, Tornadoes
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Tags Meteorology, Severe Weather, Tornadoes
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What was the weather during the Titanic’s fateful voyage?
There were northerly winds over North Atlantic in the months before the RMS Titanic left port. These winds likely played a role in pushing icebergs farther south than normal and into the Titanic’s path. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Cold, Historical events, Icebergs
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Tags Cold, Historical events, Icebergs
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