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What did the Endangerment Finding suggest about global warming?
On Feb. 12 President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency revoked the so-called “endangerment finding,” issued in 2009, asserting that “CO2 and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.” This scientific finding served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules enacted under President Barack Obama and committed the United States to a national effort to arrest the kind of pollution that contributes directly to global warming.
Based on an extensive body of scientific evidence, in the EPA in 2009 singled out six greenhouse gases for the danger they pose to public health and welfare. Continue reading
Category: Climate, History, Weather Dangers
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Why don’t trees freeze and burst in the winter like cold pipes?
When liquid water freezes, it expands as the water molecules spread out to form a solid crystalline lattice. If the freezing water is contained in a closed vessel, such as a metal pipe, it can press hard on the sides as it expands, causing the container to burst.
Trees contain water that is transported throughout the tree by the phloem and xylem, which we can think of as pipes.
Continue reading
Will the recent the groundhog predictions come true?
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means there will be six more weeks of winter. On the other hand, Jimmy the Groundhog in downtown Sun Prairie did not see his shadow at sunrise during the 78th annual Groundhog Day Prognostication, which per tradition means we are due for an early spring. Which to believe?
We don’t put stock in either. Continue reading
Why does the morning low temperature sometimes occur after sunrise?
Those who keep a particularly vigilant eye on the weather might have noticed that on certain mornings, in all seasons, the lowest temperature is often recorded just after sunrise.
One of us had a morning paper route as a boy and was puzzled for years about this seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon. How could the temperature continue to fall for the few minutes after sunrise on a cold winter morning? Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena
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Why are viruses more common in Winter?
Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, not by cold wintery conditions. Viruses such as rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold, and influenza viruses spread from person to person through respiratory droplets or physical contact, regardless of the temperature outside.
However, weather and climate do play a role in why colds and the flu are more common in winter though. The colder temperatures associated with winter affect how viruses behave in the environment. Winter’s colder temperatures and lower humidity help viruses survive longer and spread more easily. Research studies show that many respiratory viruses survive longer and remain infectious for extended periods of time in cold, dry environmental conditions.
Dry air also causes tiny droplets released when people breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze to evaporate quickly. These droplets evaporate quickly, creating smaller particles that stay suspended in the air longer and travel farther, increasing the chance that others will inhale them.
Winter’s low humidity can dry the lining of one’s nose and throat. This reduces the effectiveness of mucus, which normally traps viruses and helps move them out of the airways.
In cold weather, social events tend to be indoors, bringing us in close contact with others. This increases the chance of the spread of a virus.
Preventive measures such as vaccinations, good hygiene practices, and wearing masks in crowds help to reduce the risk of viral infections. Improving indoor ventilation and maintaining adequate humidity during winter can also reduce transmission risk. Cold weather can be challenging for people with existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. Continue reading
