Author Archives: Weather Guys Editor

What is a Heat Wave?

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

Heat waves are caused by very hot, stagnant air masses. Regions that suffer under intense hot spells are usually dominated by a surface high-pressure system with a mid-tropospheric ridge aloft . . . Continue reading →

Category: Phenomena
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What are Straight-line Winds?

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

The term “straight-line winds” is used to describe ground-level winds that come out of a thunderstorm and do not have rotation. If these winds travel at speeds that exceed . . . Continue reading →

Category: Severe Weather
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What is the Midwest’s hottest summer on record?

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

Though it has been hot and humid lately in southern Wisconsin, this summer has been relatively mild compared to previous summers.

Since June 1 in Madison, the daily average temperature has been . . . Continue reading →

Category: Climate
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Do we have a new ‘normal temperature’?

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

Yes, the entire nation now has a new ‘normal temperature.’

These climatological temperatures, and other weather parameters, are computed by averaging all temperatures over a 30-year period. These averages are called . . . Continue reading →

Category: Climate
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Does lightning travel from the earth to the sky, or from the sky downward?

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

Lightning travels both ways.

Lightning is a huge electrical discharge that results from vigorous motions that occur in thunderstorms. Lightning can travel from cloud . . . Continue reading →

Category: Severe Weather
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