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What location has the lowest average wind speed in the United States?
This question requires consideration of the number of factors that conspire to produce the wind.
Large-scale weather systems are perhaps the best-known features that impact the winds at a location. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
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Did we have an Indian summer this year?
We are not sure of the origin of this expression, but it has been used for over 200 years in reference to a weather phenomenon that occurs in the fall, usually in October for our state. It occurs when the autumn weather is characterized as sunny and warm.
Indian summer can occur only after the first frost but before the first snowfall. It occurs after the leaves have turned color and includes dry weather conditions with maximum temperatures greater than 65 degrees and minimum temperatures greater than 33 degrees. Continue reading
Is human activity to blame for climate change?
A recent debate between candidates for Congress in the Wisconsin’s 1st District — U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, and Democratic challenger Rob Zerban — included questions about the role of human beings in producing discernible changes in the climate over the last 150 years.
Unfortunately, this question, which is a matter of evidence, analysis and conclusion as all scientific questions are, has become a source of partisan political divide. Continue reading
What is the status of the ozone hole?
Ozone occurs about 18 miles above the surface. Ozone is both caused by and provides protection from damaging ultraviolet energy emitted by the sun. The development of an atmospheric “ozone layer” allowed life to move out of the oceans and onto land.
The ozone hole occurs high over the continent of Antarctica. It is not actually a hole, but rather the appearance of very low values of ozone in the stratosphere. Typically, the Antarctic ozone hole has its largest area in early September and lowest values in late September to early October. Continue reading
What is the meteorological origin of these beautiful fall days?
The beautiful, crystal clear early fall days that we have recently enjoyed are characteristic of September in southern Wisconsin.
Such days are often quite cool to start, with morning temperatures in the 40s, but often warm by late afternoon when temperatures can soar to the mid- to high 70s. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Seasons
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